There is a man well known in the Levant who says to his disciples and followers

The questioner : This is an internal belief; it is the belief of shirk (associating partners with Allah). I mean, in the sense that he says to his disciples or followers: "Whoever wants Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to relieve his distress should go to the grave of Shaykh Rasilan, and whoever wants Allah to return a missing person to him should go to Shaykh Muhyi al-Din." He says this while believing in it. What is the ruling on this person?

The Shaykh : This person is a disbeliever, but it is obligatory to establish the proof against him, and it is obligatory to enlighten the misguided about their ignorance, and not to hasten to declare them outside the fold of Islam. Does he not know that Allah is the One who removes distress? There are explicit verses in the Noble Qur'an with this meaning. Either he does not believe in the Qur'an, or he is ignorant, in which case he must be taught.

The questioner : What do you mean by "ignorant"? I mean a well-known Shaykh among us in the Levant, and you had many meetings with him. Is this belief permissible? Is it permissible to pray behind him?

The Shaykh : If the proof is established against him and he persists, then it is not permissible to pray behind him.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : We have stated this issue.

The questioner : He wiped over his feet, he stood up, he stood up, then he went. Well, he needs something from Shaykh Rasilan; he has no one else, I swear by Allah.