Intercession is a crucial issue that we ought to form a sound understanding of it to safeguard our faith. For many have erred in the way they practice it often bordering on shirk, if not a crass form of shirk.

Shirk being the mother of all sins in Islam, no Muslim should be complacent about it. The issue requires a detailed treatment. However, I would like to answer your question only briefly here:

Firstly, it is important to affirm that as Muslims we cannot call upon anyone other than Allah, nor can we dilute our faith by ascribing divine powers to anyone besides Him.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) told his cousin: My son, if you ask, ask only Allah; if you seek help, seek help only from Allah.”

 

Therefore, we are not allowed to ask the Prophet Muhammad or anyone else to intercede for us; however, it is permissible for us to ask Allah to grant us the intercession of His Messenger.

 

As for the permissible methods of intercession, let me list them briefly as follows:

1. We should ask Allah by invoking His beautiful names and attributes. Allah says, “Allah has beautiful names, so invoke them while praying to Him.”

If you study carefully du’as of the Prophet (peace be upon him) one would find how he invoked Allah’s mercy by invoking many of His attributes and names. See for instance, the du’a known as Sayyid al-istighaar which begins with : Allaahumma anta rabbee…

Another example is the du’a which begins: Allaahumminneeabduka, ibn abdika….

2. We can call upon Allah by invoking a specific name of Allah for a particular need: for instance while asking forgiveness one can say: yaaghafoor, yaaghaffaar, yaaraheem, yaarahmaan, etc. while praying for cure, one should say: Yaashaafee, yaaraheeem, etc.
3. One may pray to Allah by invoking one’s own faith or good deeds done sincerely for the sake of Allah: this is what we learn from the story of the three people who were stranded in a cave; each one of them prayed by invoking the best of their deeds, and prayed to Allah to save them.
4. One may pray in the manner of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) by expressing one’s utter helplessness and dire need. He was in such a desperate situation, having travelled on foot a long distance to escape the tyrant Pharoah. So, he turned to Allah turning to Allah as a helpless child would turn to his mother for help; He prayed: Lord, (I am in such a desperate state that) I am in need of whatever help You choose to send my way!” Allah answered his prayer; however, we need to remember he prayed to Allah only after he went out of his way to help the women to fetch water for their herd!
5. Finally, we are allowed to ask someone who is pious to pray for us.

These are the prescribed modes of intercession we should use in offering supplications.

I pray to Allah to help us remain steadfast in sound faith.