The Ruling on Seeking Blessing from the Righteous

Question : The questioner asks: What is the ruling on seeking blessing from the righteous and kissing their hands constantly? We ask for clarification.

Answer : Seeking blessing from the righteous is divided into two categories. One is seeking blessing through their supplication, by asking them to make du'a' for you. This is permissible and there is no harm in it, provided that you know that these people are righteous. Righteousness is not achieved by lengthening the prayer beads or enlarging the turban.
Rather, righteousness is achieved by adhering to the taqwa (mindfulness of Allah) of Allah the Mighty and Majestic. So if we know that this man is mindful of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, upright in his affair, and does not call people to exalting himself or to being the one who is elevated above them,
but is rather a man who is upright and committed to the Shari'ah of Allah, then there is no harm in asking him to make du'a' for you and receiving the blessing of his supplication, provided that he does not also become deluded. Because some people, when told to make du'a' for them, may become deluded and think they are worthy of it, and they become arrogant in their own selves. If this is feared, then it is prohibited. For this reason, a man praised another man in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said to him: "Woe to you! You have cut off the neck of your companion," because he (peace and blessings be upon him) feared that the one being praised would become arrogant and that something improper would arise in his heart. This type, which is seeking blessing through their supplication, is permissible if their righteousness is established and they are safe from delusion. As for seeking blessing through their traces, which is the second type, and rubbing against their clothes or their sweat, or seeking blessing by kissing them, then this is haram (forbidden) and not permissible. It is among the blameworthy bid'ah (religious innovations) that it is obligatory for the one to whom this is done to forbid people from doing it. But, may Allah protect us, some people are driven by their soul that commands evil, desire, and love of authority and fame to allow people to do this with them, such as rubbing against them, kissing their hands, bowing to them, and the like. The one who does this is, in reality, a partner or wants to partner Allah in what is due to Allah the Exalted in terms of exaltation and reverence. So he should fear Allah the Exalted regarding himself, and he should warn those who do this with him, warning them from doing this act with him. He should know his own worth and know the worth of his Lord, Blessed and Exalted is He.