Seeking Aid from Other Than Allah

Question:
We have customs and traditions that contradict our noble Islamic Shari'ah. Among these customs is the following: People gather on Friday before the Friday prayer, and they send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a loud, collective voice. Then, they seek aid from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and from the righteous awliya (close friends of Allah) using phrases such as: "Something for Allah, O Messenger of Allah," "Something for Allah, O righteous awliya of Allah," "Something for Allah, O believing men of Allah, help us, assist us, support us with care," and similar phrases. We ask for guidance. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
As for gathering to send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a collective or loud voice, this is a bid'ah (religious innovation). What is prescribed (mashru') for Muslims is to send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) without raising the voice in a strange and disapproved manner, and without doing so collectively. Each person should send blessings between himself and himself, saying: "O Allah, send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad..." and so on. He sends blessings between himself and himself. This is because it is prescribed to send much blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on Friday, for he (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded this, saying: End of quote.
This indicates the permissibility of sending much blessings and peace upon him (peace and blessings be upon him) on Friday. It is prescribed for us to do this much in the mosque and elsewhere, but each person should send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) between himself and himself, using the known, prescribed forms of blessing, without raising his voice in a way that disturbs those around him, or in a collective voice where the group speaks together. All of this is a bid'ah (religious innovation). However, one should send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) between himself and himself in his mosque, on his way, in his home, and in every place.
Likewise, in the remaining days and times, it is prescribed to send blessings and peace upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is based on the saying of Allah, the Exalted: [Al-Ahzab: 56], and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): .
Therefore, sending blessings and peace upon him (peace and blessings be upon him) is prescribed for both men and women on Friday and other days, but in the manner practiced by the Muslims from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and their followers with excellence. Each person sends blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) between himself and himself, without needing to raise his voice so as not to distract those around him, and without needing to be with a group in a collective voice.
As for seeking aid from the prophets or from other dead or absent people, or from jinn, or idols, or other inanimate objects, this is shirk akbar (major shirk), and it is the practice of the first and last polytheists. It is obligatory to repent to Allah from this and to advise one another to abandon it. It is not permissible for anyone to say: "O men of the unseen, something for Allah," or: "O awliya of Allah, something for Allah," or: "O Messenger of Allah, something for Allah," or: "Help us," or: "Assist us," or: "Support us." All of this is munkar (what is wrong) and shirk akbar (major shirk) with Allah . This is based on the saying of Allah, the Exalted, in His great Book: [Al-Mu'minun: 117]. He, the Exalted, named their calling upon other than Allah as kufr (disbelief) and ruled that they will not succeed. He said: "If you call them, they will not hear your call, and even if they did hear, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disavow your shirk" [Fatir: 13-14]. He named their calling upon other than Allah as shirk (associating partners with Allah). Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of this.
And Allah, the Exalted, says: [Al-Jinn: 18], and He, the Glorious and Exalted, says: [Ghafir: 60].
Therefore, Allah is the One who is called upon , and He is the One who removes distress, and He is the One who brings benefit . So the believer says: "O my Lord, heal me," "O my Lord, help me," "O my Lord, guide me to the straight path," "O my Lord, rectify my heart and my deeds," "O my Lord, let me die as a Muslim." You call upon your Lord with this. This is based on His saying, the Exalted: , and His saying, the Exalted: [An-Nisa: 32], and His saying, the Glorious and Exalted: [Al-Baqarah: 186]. And the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): .
Therefore, what is prescribed for Muslims, men and women, is to make much du'a' (supplication) and to strive to call upon Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, and to be humble before Him in all needs .
As for calling upon the prophets or the awliya (close friends of Allah) or other people at their graves or in places far from them, all of this is munkar (what is wrong), and it is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah , and shirk akbar (major shirk) from which one must be cautious. Like what the questioner mentioned: "O servants of Allah, O prophets of Allah, help us, aid us." All of this is not permissible. Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, said: [Luqman: 13], and He, the Exalted, said: [Al-An'am: 88], and He, the Glorious and Exalted, said regarding His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): [Az-Zumar: 65]. So the matter is great. And He, the Exalted, says: . Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious.
It is obligatory for every Muslim, and for everyone who claims to be a Muslim, and for every person of legal age, to worship Allah alone, and to single Him out for worship without anyone else. He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Isra: 23], and He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Fatihah: 5]. So do not ask a prophet, or a wali (close friend of Allah), or a tree, or a stone, or an idol, or anything else for a need, whether it is support, or healing for a sick person, or anything else. Rather, ask Allah for all your needs. This is tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and this is the true religion, and this is Islam. You should direct your questions and needs to Allah, and worship Him alone with your du'a' (supplication), your salah (the ritual prayer), your sawm (fasting), and your other acts of worship. This is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no deity but Allah), for its meaning is: There is no true object of worship but Allah. As He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Hajj: 62].
As for the created being, even if he is great, like the prophets, he is not called upon other than Allah, nor is aid sought from him, nor is a vow made to him, nor is a sacrifice slaughtered for him. So the Muslim must understand this well, and every person of legal age must understand this well, and know that this matter is great, and that the foundation and basis of the religion of Islam is the sincerity of worship for Allah alone. This is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah," for its meaning is: There is no true object of worship but Allah, as mentioned before.
Therefore, Allah, the Exalted, is the One who is called upon and the One who is asked. As He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Baqarah: 163], and He, the Exalted, said: [Ta-Ha: 98]. So the error in this matter is very great, and it is not permissible to be lenient in it. This is because it is the shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic age of ignorance) and the shirk of the first polytheists, and because it is the opposite of Islam and the opposite of "La ilaha illa Allah." Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of these acts of shirk.
And you, O questioner, must warn your people, and convey this to them, and guide them to understand the religion, learn the Qur'an and reflect upon it, and pay attention to the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and act upon it. They should attend the circles of knowledge with scholars known for knowledge, virtue, and good creed. They should listen to the broadcast of the Noble Qur'an in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the program "Nur 'ala al-Darb" (Light on the Path), for the beneficial knowledge and the Shari'ah answers to the questions asked by the listeners contained therein. We ask Allah to guide everyone to what pleases Him.
As for asking a present, living person and seeking his help in what he is able to do directly, or through writing or the like, such as the telephone, there is no harm in that. This is based on the saying of Allah in the story of Musa (peace be upon him) in Surat al-Qasas: [Al-Qasas: 15]. This is a matter on which there is no disagreement among the scholars of knowledge, and praise be to Allah.