What is prescribed regarding tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) with the Prophet, and what is not prescribed

Q: What is the ruling on tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) with the Master of the Prophets? Are there any evidence for its prohibition?

A: Tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is subject to detailed analysis. If it is done by following him, loving him, obeying his commands, leaving his prohibitions, and being sincere to Allah in worship, then this is Islam, the religion of Allah with which He sent His prophets. It is obligatory upon every person of legal capacity, and it is the means to happiness in this world and the Hereafter. However, tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) by calling upon him, seeking aid from him, asking him for victory over enemies, or seeking healing for the sick, is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is the religion of Abu Jahl and his like among the worshippers of idols. Similarly, this was done with other prophets, awliya (close friends of Allah), jinn, angels, trees, stones, or idols. There is a third type called tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means), which is tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) by his status (peace and blessings be upon him), or his right, or his self. For example, a person might say: "I ask You, O Allah, by Your Prophet, or by the status of Your Prophet, or by the right of Your Prophet, or by the status of the prophets, or by the right of the prophets, or by the status of the awliya (close friends of Allah) and the righteous, and the like of that." This is a bid'ah (religious innovation) and one of the means to shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it is not permissible to do it with him (peace and blessings be upon him) or with anyone else, because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has not prescribed it, and acts of worship are based on specific texts, so nothing is permissible in them except what the pure Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) has indicated.
As for the tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) of the blind man with him (peace and blessings be upon him) during his lifetime, it was tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) with him (peace and blessings be upon him) so that he would pray for him and intercede for him with Allah to restore his sight. It was not tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) by his self, status, or right, as is known from the context of the hadith and as clarified by the scholars of the Sunnah in their explanations of the hadith. The Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-Abbas Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) elaborated on this in his many beneficial books, including his book titled: Al-Qa'idah al-Jalilah fi al-Tawassul wa al-Wasilah (The Noble Principle in Tawassul and the Means), which is a beneficial book worthy of being read and benefited from. This ruling is permissible with other living people (peace and blessings be upon him), such as saying to your brother, your father, or someone you think has good in them: "Pray to Allah for me to heal me from my illness, or restore my sight, or grant me righteous offspring, or the like of that," by the consensus of the scholars of knowledge. And success is from Allah.