The Ruling on Seeking Nearness to Allah Through the Prophets and the Righteous

Question:
May Allah bless you. Honorable Shaykh Salih, one of the brothers says: As for the one who seeks nearness to Allah through the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) alone, is this permissible? And what is the ruling on seeking nearness through others?

Answer:
It is not permissible to seek nearness to Allah through persons, neither through the prophets nor the righteous nor anyone else. One only seeks nearness through the supplication of the righteous, asking them, if they are alive and present, to ask Allah for the person in need. One asks the righteous man or the righteous woman to supplicate to Allah for the person in need. This is the prescribed seeking of nearness: asking the present righteous to supplicate for others regarding their needs. This is a permissible and sound matter. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) asked al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib to ask Allah for rain for the Muslims in the prayer for rain, and he said: "O Allah, we used to seek nearness to You through our Prophet, so You gave us rain." This was on the day when the Messenger was alive; we sought nearness to You through his supplication (peace and blessings be upon him). When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) died, and nothing is asked of the dead, they turned to al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The point of this is that it is permissible to seek nearness through the supplication of the righteous, not through their persons, nor through their status, nor through their rights, because these are matters that have not been transmitted and are religious innovations (bid'ah). Yes.