The Ruling on Seeking Refuge in Other Than Allah

A shaykh said to his disciple who intended to study in Europe, as he was bidding him farewell: "O my son! If your soul incites you to sin there, remember your shaykh, and Allah will avert this evil and this sin from you." Is this associating partners with Allah?
Answer: This is a great abomination and associating partners with Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He); because he sought refuge in the shaykh to save him from this matter. The obligatory thing is to say: "Remember Allah, ask your Lord for help and success, and hold fast to Allah," and the like. As for advising him to remember his shaykh, this is the practice of the Sufis, who direct their disciples and students to worship them instead of Allah, to seek refuge in them, to rely upon them, and to ask them to fulfill needs and relieve distress. This is part of their teaching of shirk (associating partners with Allah); we seek refuge in Allah from that.
Therefore, it is obligatory for this person to fear Allah and to seek refuge in Allah in what concerns him, and to ask Him for help and success, not to seek refuge in his shaykh who taught him to seek refuge in him. And Allah is the One to be asked for help, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah. Yes.