Abstract The concept of shafāʿa (intercession) occupies a significant place in Islamic theology and exegetical tradition, prompting sustained reflection among both Sunni and Shiʿi scholars. Among the key schools engaged in this discourse are the Muʿtazilite and Imāmī traditions, each offering distinct hermeneutical approaches shaped by their theological frameworks. While Imāmī exegetes regard shafāʿa as a divinely sanctioned means—mediated through the Prophet Muhammad and the Imams—to mitigate or remove the consequences of sin for qualified believers, Muʿtazilite scholars generally interpret intercession as a means of increasing divine reward, emphasizing God's justice and rejecting intercession as a means of pardoning sin. This study seeks to explore the underlying theological and exegetical foundations of these divergent interpretations through a descriptive-analytical methodology. Central to the inquiry are the questions: What is the primary function of shafāʿa as conveyed in the Qur'anic text and related narrations? And who are its rightful recipients? The findings suggest that intercession, while grounded in divine grace, is closely linked to moral and spiritual affinity with the intercessors and is ultimately reserved for the righteous—those who embody qualities aligning them with the divine will and the intercessory figures.