Seeking Nearness to Allah Through the Supplication of the Righteous

Question:
The questioner, Abu 'Ubadah, asks: Is seeking nearness to Allah through the supplication of the righteous permissible? And why is seeking nearness to Allah through the righteous, who are rewarded, prohibited?

Answer:
It is not prohibited to seek nearness to Allah in an absolute sense. Rather, seeking nearness to Allah in the sense of asking a righteous man to make supplication for you is a good thing. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) asked al-'Abbas, the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) uncle, to make supplication for the Muslims for rain and clouds. So, asking a Muslim for supplication, especially if he is righteous, is a prescribed matter. The prohibited form of seeking nearness to Allah is seeking nearness to Allah through the person himself or through his status. Seeking nearness to Allah through the person himself or through his status is the innovation and the prohibited matter. Yes.