There is no such concept in Islam.

All the narrations in this regard are either weak or fabricated w.r.t their chain of transmission and none of them is reliable enough to be attributed to Prophet Muhammad (sws) (Please see [Foot Note 1]). Even if the chains were sound, still they would have to be understood in the light of the framework established by Quran and Sunnah for intercession on the day of judgement. Following is a summary in this regard:

i) only God has the authority of intercession. Without His permission, no one can intercede for anyone (as per Quran 39:43-44 & Quran 21:26-27).

ii) even after being permitted by God to speak, intercession shall be possible only for those about whom God pleases. No one shall be able to say anything about anyone out of his own will (as per Quran 21:28 & Quran 20:109-110).

iii) the person who is acceptable to God to be interceded for – about him too whatever will be allowed to be said would be the absolute truth (as per Quran 78:38).

Therefore, all narratives on this topic should be understood in the light of this view of the Quran and anything which contradicts this view should be ignored regarding it to be the handiwork of the narrators.

(Further Details on Intercession: Discussion 10437)

These narratives cannot be accepted on the basis of their content either, since they stand in contradiction to Quran where apparently Hafiz of Quran has been given absolute authority to intercede for a specific number of people who otherwise deserved Hell.

The only notion/interpretation which can be acceptable is when a Hafiz of Quran who lived life as per guidance of Quran and earned a high rank in paradise on merit, is allowed by God to intercede for his family members for whom the decision of mercy has been first made by God on the principle of Justice (as opposed to the notion that they deserved Hell). Narrations (with sound chain) of this sort can also be found for a martyr (‘shaheed’) as well (Please see [Foot Note 3]).

Another variant to narratives on Hafiz-e-Quran which can also be acceptable relate to a pious Hafiz-e-Quran who earned Paradise with his good deeds and his parents will be given a special cloak as a reward (Please see [Foot Note 2]). This also relates to those parents who have already earned paradise on merit and can be understood in the light of Quran where instance of raising of levels after one becomes eligible for Jannah is mentioned:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُمْ بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَا أَلَتْنَاهُمْ مِنْ عَمَلِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِينٌ

Those who have accepted faith, and their children too followed them with any level of faith, We shall unite their children with them [in their level] and not even slightly diminish the reward of their deeds. [This is because] each individual is in pledge for his earning. (Quran 52:21)

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[Foot Note 1]:

A. Intercession for 10 family members:

Hadith on intercession of Hafiz-e-Quran for ten of his family members has been narrated from three different Sahaba. We will discuss the chain from each of them.

a) Ali bin Abi Talib:

عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏ “‏ مَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ وَحَفِظَهُ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَشَفَّعَهُ فِي عَشَرَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ كُلُّهُمْ قَدِ اسْتَوْجَبُوا النَّارَ ‏”‏ ‏‏

It was narrated that Ali bin Abu Talib said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Whoever reads the Quran and memorizes it, Allah will admit him to Paradise and allow him to intercede for ten of his family members who all deserved to enter Hell.'”

Classed weak by:

– Shiekh Albani in Daef ul Jamay Al Sagheer- 831 (Number 5761)

– Imam Tirimdhi

Narrated in:

Sunan ibn-e-Maja- 1/78 (Number 216): (https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:216)

Musnad Ahmed bin Hambal- 2/416 AND 2/420 (Numbers 1268 AND 1278)

Abu Naem Asbahani in Kitab Tareekh e Asbahan (Akhbar-Asbahan)- 1/306 (Number 530)

Bayhaqi in his Shuab al-Iman- 4/228 (Numbers 2436 AND 2437)

Tabarani in his al-Awsat- 5/217 (Number 5130)

And with some additional wordings in:

Jamay at Tirimdhi- 5/28 (Number 2905): (https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:2905)

Bayhaqi in his Shuab al-Iman- 3/340-341 (Numbers 1795 AND 1796)

Through Primary Chain of Narration from:

Hafs bin Suleman (Abi Umar) from Kathir bin Zadan from Asim bin Zamra from Ali bin Abi Talib.

Weakness primarily attributed to two narrators:

i) Hafs bin Suleman [See: Al-Kamil fi duafa ur rijal by Ibn-e-Adi- 3/269 (Number 505)]

ii) Kathir bin Zadan [See: Tehzib-ul-Kamal by Jamal-ud-Din Mizzi- 24/109 (Number 4939) AND Kitab Deewan ud Duafa by Dahabi- 329 (Number 3470)

b) Jabir bin Abdullah:

جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لِحَامِلُ الْقُرْآنِ إِذَا أَحِلَ حَلَالَهُ، وَحَرَّمَ حَرَامَهُ أَنْ يَشْفَعَ فِي عَشْرَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتَهُكُلُّهُمْ قَدْ وَجَبَتْ لَهُ النَّارُ»

Jabir said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘For the bearer of the Quran who considers lawful what is lawful and forbids what is unlawful, he may intercede on behalf of ten of the members of his household, all of whom are destined for Hellfire’.”

Classed weak by:

– Shiekh Albani in Daef ul Jamay Al Sagheer- 672 (Number 4662)

– Imam Haithmi in Majma-tuz-zawaid- 7/162 (Number 11651)

Narrated in:

al-Awsat of Tabarani- 5/260 (Number 5258)

Bayhaqi in his Shuab al-Iman- 4/228 (Numbers 2438)

Through Primary Chain of Narration from:

Esa bin Salim from Salam bin Salim from Jafar bin Haris from Auf bin Suleman from Abi Zubair from Jabir bin Abdullah

Weakness primarily attributed to one narrator in the chain:

i) Jafar bin Haris [See: Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb by Ibn-e-Hajr Asqalani-2/88 (Number 136) AND Mizan-ul-itedal by Imam Dahabi-4/492 (Number 9969) AND 1/404 (Number 1495)]

c) Umm-ul-Mominen Ayesha:

Through three different chains but with the same wording:

عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَحَفِظَهُ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَشَفَّعَهُ فِي عَشَرَةٍ مَنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ كُلٌّ قَدْ أَوْجَبَ النَّارَ رِجَالٌ “

It was narrated that Ayesha said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Whoever reads the Quran and memorizes it, Allah will admit him to Paradise and allow him to intercede for ten of his family members who all deserved to enter Hell.'”

i) First Chain:

Classed weak by:

– Khatib Baghdadi in Tarikh-e-Baghdad- 6/115 (Number 2601)

– Imam Dahabi in Mizan-ul-itedal- 1/135 (Number 545)

– Ibn-e-Hajar Asqalani in Lisan ul Mizan- 1/262 (Number 814)

Narrated in:

Tarikh-e-Baghdad by Khatib Baghdadi- 6/115 (Number 2601)

Through Primary chain of narration from:

Ahmed Bin Muhammad bin Hussain As-Saqti from Yahya bin Moen from Abu-Bakr Abdur-Razzak from Momar from Zohri from Urwa from Ayesha

Weakness primarily attributed to one narrator in the chain i.e. Ahmed Bin Muhammad bin Hussain As-Saqti.

ii) Second Chain:

Classed weak by:

– Khatib Baghdadi in Tarikh-e-Baghdad- 13/334 (Number 6228)

– Ibn-e-Hajar Asqalani in Lisan ul Mizan- 4/221 (Number 583)

Narrated in:

Tarikh-e-Baghdad by Khatib Baghdadi- 13/334 (Number 6228)

Through Primary chain of narration from:

Ali bin Hussain As-Saqti from Yahya bin Moen from Abu-Bakr Abdur-Razzak from Momar from Zohri from Urwa from Ayesha

Weakness primarily attributed to one narrator in the chain i.e. Ali bin Hussain As-Saqti.

iii) Third Chain:

Classed weak by:

– Khatib Baghdadi in Tarikh-e-Baghdad- 5/128 (Number 1984)

– Imam Dahabi in Mizan-ul-itedal- 1/91 (Number 334)

– Ibn-e-Hajar Asqalani in Lisan ul Mizan- 1/153 (Number 486)

Narrated in:

Tarikh-e-Baghdad by Khatib Baghdadi- 5/128 (Number 1984)

Through Primary chain of narration from:

Ahmed bin Hasan Abu-Hanash from Yahya bin Moen from Abu-Bakr Abdur-Razzak from Momar from Zohri from Urwa from Ayesha

Weakness primarily attributed to one narrator in the chain i.e. Ahmed bin Hasan Abu-Hanash.

B. Intercession for 7 family members:

There are some other narrations which mention intercession for seven family members:

عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ قَرَأَ مِائَتَيْ آيَةٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ نَظَرًا؛ شُفِّعَ فِي سَبْعَةِ قُبُورٍ حَوْلَ قَبْرِهِ، وَخَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنْ وَالِدَيْهِ وَإِنْ كَانَا مُشْرِكَيْنِ»

Heard from Abu Darda that Prophet Muhammad (sws) said “whoever recites two hundred verses with deep thought in a day obtains the right to intercede seven dead people around his grave, and God eases the punishment for his parents, even if they were idolaters”.

Originally reported in:

Kitab ul Targheeb by Ibn-e-Shaheen- 67 (Number 192)

Kitab ul Masahif by Ibn-e-Abi Daud (However this narration was not found in the available copies of Kitab-ul-Masahif that we have with us today).

Also reported in the following books with reference to Kitab-ul-Masahif of Ibn-e-Abi Daud:

Al-Burhan by Imam Zarkashi- 1/462

Kunz-ul-Amal by Al-Muttaqi Al-Hindi- 1/537 (Number 2408)

Classed Weak by:

Ibn-e-Iraq in Tanzi-al-Sharia Akhbar-e-Mozua- 1/293-294

Ghaza-alil-bab fi sharah manzumatul Adab by Alsaffarini Hambali- 1/402

This narration comes to us through following chain of narration:

From khalf bin yahya from Ismael bin Ayyash from Bahir bin Saad from Khalid bin Madan from Abu Darda.

Weakness Attributed to:

i) Khalf bin Yahya (Liar/Kazzab) [See: Abi Hatim’s Kitab-ul-Jarah wa Tadeel-3/372 (Number 1697) AND Mizan-ul-itedal by Imam Dahabi-1/663 (Number 2550)]

ii) Khalid bin Madan (According to Imam Ahmed, he is not proven to have heard from Abu Darda).

[See: Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb by Ibn-e-Hajr Asqalani-3/118-120 (Number 222)]

C. Intercession for Parents Only:

ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُول الله صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ” مَنْ حَفَظَ الْقُرْآنَ نَظَرًا خَفَّفَ عَنْ أَبَوَيْهِ الْعَذَابَ وَإِنْ كَانَا كَافِرَيْنِ “

It was narrated that ibn-e-umar said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘ Whoever memorizes the Quran by sight, God will ease the punishment for his parents, even if they are unbelievers’.”

Narrated and declared fabricated in:

Kitab-ul-Majruheen by Ibn-e-Hibban- 2/330 (Number 1017)

Kitab-ul-Mozuat by Ibn-e-Jozi- 1/254

Through primary chain of narration from:

Muhammad bin Muhajir from Abi Muawiya from Ubaidullah bin Umar Al-Umri from Nafi from Ibn-e-umar

Weakness primarily attributed to Muhammad bin Muhajir being the fabricator of hadith [see: Kitab-ul-Majruheen by Ibn-e-Hibban- 2/330 (Number 1017)]

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[Foot Note 2]:

a).

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَجِيءُ الْقُرْآنُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَالرَّجُلِ الشَّاحِبِ، يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ: هَلْ تَعْرِفُنِي؟ أَنَا الَّذِي كُنْتُ أُسْهِرُ لَيْلَكَ، وَأُظْمِئُ هَوَاجِرَكَ، وَإِنَّ كُلَّ تَاجِرٍ مِنْ وَرَاءِ تِجَارَتِهِ، وَأَنَا لَكَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ كُلِّ تَاجِرٍ، فَيُعْطَى الْمُلْكَ بِيَمِينِهِ، وَالْخُلْدَ بِشِمَالِهِ، وَيُوضَعُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ تَاجُ الْوَقَارِ، وَيُكْسَى وَالِدَاهُ حُلَّتَانِ، لَا يَقُومُ لَهُمَا الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا، فَيَقُولَانِ: يَا رَبُّ، أَنَّى لَنَا هَذَا؟ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمَا: بِتَعْلِيمِ وَلَدِكُمَا الْقُرْآنَ

The Messenger of Allah (SWS) said: ‘The Quran will come on the Day of Resurrection like a pale man saying to its companion, “Do you recognize me? I am the one who made you stay up at night and made you thirsty during the day…” Then he will be given dominion in his right hand and eternity in his left, and a crown of dignity will be placed upon his head, and his parents will be clothed with garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, “O Lord, how did we earn this.” It will be said to them, “Because you taught your child the Quran.”

[Excerpt from narration of al-Awsat of Tabarani-6/51 (Number 5764)]

Classed Sahih by Shiekh Nasir ud Din Albani in Silsila Ahadith e Sahiha- 6/792 (Number 2829)

b).

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” مَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ وَتَعَلَّمَهُ وَعَمِلَ بِهِ أُلْبِسَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تَاجًا مِنْ نُورٍ ضَوْءُهُ مِثْلُ ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ، وَيُكْسَى وَالِدَيْهِ حُلَّتَانِ لَا يَقُومُ بِهِمَا الدُّنْيَا فَيَقُولَانِ: بِمَا كُسِينَا؟ فَيُقَالُ: بِأَخْذِ وَلَدِكُمَا الْقُرْآنَ

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads the Quran, learns it and acts in accordance with it, on the Day of Resurrection his parents will be given a crown to wear whose light will be like the light of the sun, and his parents will be given garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, “Why have we been given this to wear?” It will be said, “Because your child learned the Quran.”

[Mustadrak lil Hakim with Imam Dahabi Commentary Classed as Sahih- 1/756 (Number 2086)]

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[Foot Note 3]:

Complete Hadith: https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:2799 AND https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:1663

Please also refer to the video below from 39:10 to 40:15 (Complete Hadith starts from 31:58)

https://youtu.be/pehvgqC1iiQ?t=2350