The Meaning of Tawassul and the Ruling on Making a Person a Means Between the Servant and His Lord

Question:
Abu 'Abdullah says: Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy. My question is about tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means). What is tawassul? If I make a person a means between me and Allah, knowing that Allah is the One with power, and I elevate this person among people because of his high status with Allah, does this necessitate shirk (associating partners with Allah)?

Answer:
This is a means to shirk, and it is not permissible to seek nearness to Allah through a created being, nor through the status of a created being. Rather, tawassul is approaching Allah the Exalted and Majestic through righteous deeds. It is permissible to seek nearness to Allah through His names and attributes, and it is permissible to seek nearness to Allah through the righteous deeds that you have performed and completed, as in the hadith of the companions of the cave who were trapped in the cave. A rock fell upon them, so they sought nearness to Allah through their righteous deeds, and Allah relieved them.
One of them sought nearness to Allah through his chastity from what is forbidden and from zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) after he had been able to commit it, but he left it out of fear of Allah. The second sought nearness to Allah through his dutifulness to his parents. The third sought nearness to Allah through paying the wage owed to a worker. When the time came, he paid him his wage after a period, and it had increased and grown, so he gave it to him with its increase. Thus, Allah relieved them. There is no harm in seeking nearness to Allah through righteous deeds. One may seek nearness to Allah through poverty and need, as Ayyub (peace be upon him) said: He sought nearness to Allah through his condition and the affliction of the sick, and through the mercy of Allah the Exalted and Majestic. So Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, responded to him and healed him. As for seeking nearness to Allah through a created being, or through his status, or through his right, all of this is not permissible because it is a means to shirk, and there is no evidence for it.