Seeking aid from the masters, the awliya (close friends of Allah), and the righteous.

Question:
What is the ruling on the worship of those who seek aid from the masters, the awliya (close friends of Allah), and the righteous?

Answer:
Answer: Calling for aid from a created being falls into two categories. Calling for aid from a living, present being who is capable of providing aid is permissible. He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said regarding the story of Musa and the Israelite: (So the one who was of his party called for help against the one who was of his enemy, and Musa struck him). This is evidence that calling for aid from a living, present being who is able to provide aid is permissible. As for calling for aid from a created being in matters that only Allah is capable of, such as bringing down rain, providing sustenance, and the like, or curing illness, only Allah is capable of these. It is not permissible to call for aid from a created being in such matters. Whoever calls for aid from a created being in matters that only Allah is capable of has committed major shirk (associating partners with Allah), because calling for aid is a type of worship.