Ruling on offering vows and sacrifices to the awliya (close friends of Allah), supplicating to them, and celebrating their birthdays

Finally, the brothers Ahmad Abdulaziz and his colleagues who work in Jordan ask: There is a shrine in our village in Egypt for one of the awliya (close friends of Allah), and people come to it, offer vows and sacrifices to it, circumambulate the grave, and rub against it seeking blessing. They hold circles of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) there, all of this with the mixing of women and men, and with their calling out to the occupant of the grave, seeking aid from him, and asking for help from him. What is the ruling on these people and their actions? And what is the ruling on the mawlid (birthday celebration) for this shaykh and others? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good?
Answer: The one who comes to the shrines of the dead and supplicates to them, asks them for the healing of the sick, or seeks their support and help, or entry into Paradise, or salvation from the Fire, or makes vows for them, or sacrifices for them, or circumambulates their graves seeking blessing from them, or reward from them, or salvation from the Fire, or healing of illness, or abundance of provision, or anything similar to all of that, is a major disbeliever and a major shirk (associating partners with Allah) practitioner, we seek refuge in Allah. This is the religion of the polytheists. Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Jinn: 18]. He the Exalted said regarding the idols and all those worshipped besides Allah: [Surah Fatir: 14]. He called it shirk (associating partners with Allah). He the Exalted said: [Surah al-Mu'minun: 117]. So He called supplicating to other than Allah disbelief, misguidance, and shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Likewise, holding dhikr (remembrance of Allah) or mawlid (birthday celebrations) at the grave is a bid'ah (religious innovation). So holding a celebration at the grave, whether for a mawlid, or dhikr, or scholarly circles, or the Qur'an, this is a bid'ah (religious innovation), and it is not shirk (associating partners with Allah). As for asking him for needs, or rubbing against the dust of the grave seeking blessing, or seeking healing for the sick, this is major disbelief, we ask Allah for safety. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
As for mawlid (birthday celebrations), they are all bid'ah (religious innovation). Celebrating mawlid (birthday celebrations) is all bid'ah (religious innovation) according to the precise scholars of knowledge; because Allah the Exalted did not prescribe that for us, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not celebrate his birthday. Likewise, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor the birthday of al-Siddiq, nor the birthday of 'Umar, nor Uthman, nor Ali, and they are the role models, and they are the best of people. If this had been good, they would have preceded us to it.
So celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or the shaykhs, or the princes, or others, is all bid'ah (religious innovation) and all of it is not permissible; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): meaning: rejected, and his saying: .
And he used to say in the khutbah (sermon) (peace and blessings be upon him), in the Friday khutbah (sermon), he said (peace and blessings be upon him): . So it is obligatory for the people of Islam to beware of these bid'ah (religious innovations), and to stay away from them. And if there is mixing between men and women in it, the matter becomes greater, the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) becomes greater, the sin becomes more. For the mixing between men and women at the grave, or in any celebration, is reprehensible, and is a cause of zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) and lewd acts, and a cause of committing prohibitions. So it is obligatory to beware of that, even in other than celebrations, even in other feasts. It is not permissible for men and women to gather in a party, and mix in a wedding party, or in any party; because this causes fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for men, men with women, and women with men. It is obligatory to distinguish, and that the gathering of women be separate, and the gathering of men be separate in feasts, and in celebrations that are permissible by the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law), such as weddings and others. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: And Allah is the One to be sought for help.