The Ruling on Praying Behind One Who Seeks Blessing from Graves

Q: What is the ruling on praying behind one who goes to the graves of the righteous to seek blessing from them, and recites the Qur'an at mawlid celebrations and the like for a fee?
A: This requires a detailed explanation: If it is merely celebrating mawlid without shirk (associating partners with Allah), then he is an innovator, and he should not be an imam, based on what is established in the authentic hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Celebrating mawlid is among the religious innovations. However, if he calls upon the dead and seeks aid from them, or from the jinn, or others among the created beings, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, help me," or "Heal my sick one," or saying: "O my master al-Husayn," or "O my master al-Badawi," or others among the dead or inanimate objects like idols, "Help, help," then he is one who commits major shirk, and one should not pray behind him, nor is his imamate valid. We ask Allah for safety.
As for if he commits a religious innovation, such as attending the mawlid but not committing shirk, or reciting the Qur'an at the graves, or praying there without committing shirk, then he has innovated in the religion. He should be taught and directed to what is good, and his prayer is valid if he does not do so at the graves.
As for praying in the cemetery, it is not valid, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim.