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

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

Answer : Yes. The stronger view is that seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is forbidden and a religious innovation (bid'ah). As for it being forbidden, it is because the means of seeking nearness must be a cause for reaching the intended goal, and the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is not a means for you to reach your intended goal. As for it being a religious innovation (bid'ah), it is because the Companions did not do that; they never sought nearness to Allah through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If a person wants to seek nearness to Allah through the status of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him), let him seek nearness through his faith in him and his love for him, and say: "O Allah, I ask You by my faith in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), O Allah, I ask You by my love for Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and so on." And better than that is seeking nearness to Allah through His names and attributes, based on the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: . Instead of seeking nearness through something inferior, let him seek nearness through something superior. So seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His names and attributes is the peak, followed by seeking nearness through faith in the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) and love for him, because faith in him is undoubtedly a righteous deed that leads to the intended goal, and love for him (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) also leads to the intended goal, because a person is rewarded for it. It is obligatory for us all, my brothers, to place the love of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) above the love of every human being, even above our own selves, our fathers, our mothers, our sons, and our daughters. This is obligatory for us, and our faith is not complete except with that. Therefore, a person must be willing to sacrifice the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) with his own self, his blood, and his wealth, because he is the greatest of creation in his right over us. May Allah reward us for him with good, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon him.
As for seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Messenger, or the honor of the Messenger, or the lineage of the Messenger, it is not permissible, and it is also a religious innovation (bid'ah). Glory be to Allah, a person is truly an enemy to himself in reality. How does a person resort to something that is disputed when he has something about which there is no dispute?
We do not say that we forbid seeking nearness to Allah absolutely; rather, we say that seeking nearness to Allah through what is established by the Shari'ah is permissible, and supplicating to Allah with His most beautiful names is commanded, and it is a type of seeking nearness to Allah. As for something that does not benefit us, what benefit do we get from the status of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him)? The status of the Messenger is specific to him, and the honor of the Messenger is specific to him. It does not benefit us. What benefits us is faith in him, following him, obeying him, and the like.