A man saying: "O friend of Allah, save me" is not tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means), but rather shirk (associating partners with Allah), because it is calling upon other than Allah.

The Shaykh : A man comes to someone he claims is a wali (close friend of Allah) and says, "O friend of Allah, save me," or "O friend of Allah, save me," or using the phrase "O family of the Prophet, save us," or "O Prophet of Allah, save me." It is not correct to call this a means (wasilah). What do we call it? We call it shirk (associating partners with Allah), because calling upon other than Allah is shirk in religion and foolishness in intellect. It is shirk in religion because he has taken it as a partner alongside Allah, and it is foolishness in intellect because Allah says: and on the Day of Resurrection they will not benefit them . So Allah described these beings being called upon as incapable; they will never respond to them even if they call upon them until the Day of Resurrection. He described them as heedless, not knowing who is calling them and not sensing anything of it. And He stated that when the Day of Resurrection comes, which is the time of true need, when people are gathered, they will be their enemies and they will disbelieve in their worship. So calling upon these awliya (close friends of Allah), idols, and the like is not correct to say it is a means; rather, it is major shirk that takes one out of the religion. So Allah called this caller a disbeliever.