What is the ruling on seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Prophet and others?

The questioner : The questioner asks: What is the ruling on seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and others?

The Shaykh : First, we must know that it is recommended for the supplicant to supplicate with what has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for the supplications reported from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) are the best and most comprehensive for the interests of this world and the Hereafter. However, there is no harm in a person supplicating with what he loves for himself. But if he wants to seek nearness to Allah in this supplication, he should seek nearness by what the Shari'ah has brought, and not invent a means of seeking nearness on his own. Seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) or through the status of others has not been reported in the Sunnah or in the actions of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), because seeking nearness through this is not valid in reality.
For the means of seeking nearness is the cause that leads to the thing. For example, you seek nearness to Allah by His name al-Ghafur (the All-Forgiving) that He forgive you. You say: O Allah, O All-Forgiving, forgive me. O Allah, O Merciful, have mercy on me. This is correct because the implication of forgiveness is that Allah forgives you, and the implication of mercy is that Allah has mercy on you. You also seek nearness to Allah by faith in Him that He admit you into Paradise. This is correct because faith is a cause that leads to Paradise, so you have reached Paradise through a valid connection. You seek nearness to Allah the Exalted by faith in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: O Allah, by my faith in Your Messenger, I ask You, O Allah, to admit me into Paradise. This is correct because faith in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is a cause that leads to Paradise. Seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Messenger does not benefit you, because the status of the Messenger with Allah is only benefited by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him); no one else benefits from his status. If benefiting from the status of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) were established, then Abu Talib’s benefiting from it would have been the most prominent of all benefits. But the status of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) does not benefit you with Allah. Even if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had a great status with Allah, it is not a cause for obtaining the need you are asking from Allah the Mighty and Majestic. By this, it is known that seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is a religious innovation (bid'ah) that has not been reported from the Salaf, and that from the perspective of reasoning and logic, it is not correct, because the means of seeking nearness is the cause that leads to the thing, and the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) does not lead you to your need, because it is a matter specific to him (peace and blessings be upon him), not from your action or your will.