The Reality of Tawassul and Its Types

Question:
This questioner asks, Shaykh, and says: What is the reality of tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means)? And was the first person to say that tawassul through righteous dead people is prohibited the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him)?

Answer:
The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah only mentioned the permissible tawassul that is found in the Book and the Sunnah. This is tawassul to Allah by His names and attributes. Likewise, tawassul by asking a righteous man who is present with you to supplicate to Allah for you or for the Muslims. And likewise, tawassul to Allah by righteous deeds; the one who precedes others in good deeds tawassuls to Allah with his righteous deeds. This is the tawassul that is found in the Book and the Sunnah. As for tawassul by the persons themselves, or tawassul through the dead and the absent, or through the jinn, all of this is among the forbidden things. It is either shirk (associating partners with Allah) or a means to shirk. Yes.