Some people claim that asking for help to other than god is polytheism. Such people should never go to doctor when they becomes sick because this is polytheism (shirk)! Their going to doctor is a type of seeking a help from a specialist even though they do not say by their tongue that they are getting help from the doctor. Acting shirk is enough. Also they should not ask any question from anyone or request anything from any one because all these are shirk. Furthermore, they shouldn’t eat any food because they should not help themselves by any other than God!
If they say that we do all these because Allah told us to do so, then based on their own doctrine Allah is also polytheist (Mushrik). Na’udhu Billah!
Here is what they are missing: If we get help from any body, we do it with the understanding that he by his own can not help us. He can not benefit us unless Allah wishes to. If one calls Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) or Imam Ali (AS) for help, he is, in fact, calling Allah for help through intermediary of the Prophet or the Imams, and he does that with the understanding that the Prophet or the Imams doe not have any independent power, but rather what they have (which many others lack) is that they have CREDIT in front of Allah and that Allah does not put down their requests if they pray to Allah on my behalf.
Imam Ali and all the martyrs are alive as Quran clearly testifies, though they are not on the earth. So please do not treat them as dead. Allah states in Quran:
Think not of those who are martyred in the way of Allah as dead. Nay! They are living, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord."
(Quran 3:169)
In fact all of our Imams except Imam Mahdi were martyred either by sword or by poison. Moreover, there are quite strong proofs in both Shia and Sunni that the Prophet himself was also poisoned by a Jew in the battle of Khaibar, and the poison slowly worked on his body till it finally killed him. I just bring two traditions from Sahih al-Bukhari:
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 5.551
Narrated Abu Huraira:
When Khaibar was conquered, a (cooked) sheep containing poison, was given as a present to Allah’s Apostle.
Sahih Bukhari Hadith: 5.713
Narrated 'Aisha:
The Prophet in his ailment in which he died, used to say, “O 'Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel as if my aorta is being cut from that poison.”
So they should not be called dead since they are alive according to Quran. Thus we can make Tawassul to them the same way that the Shia of Moses made Tawassul to Moses:
“And he (Moses) went into the city at a time when people (of the city) were not watching, so he found therein two men fighting, one being of his Shia and the other being his enemy, and the one who was of his Shia cried out to him for help against the one who was of his enemy” (Quran 28:15)
Two things which distinguishes Tawassul and Shirk should be noted here.
First, we do not believe that the Prophet and Imams have any independent power from Allah.
Second, Allah is the one who assigned the intermediate.
The idol worshipers used a wrong intermediate, and that was another reason why it was condemned. Moreover, the idol worshippers believed that the idols can cause harm or render a benefit. Muslims are monotheists and they know that only Allah can cause harm or render a benefit. But calling the Prophet and Imams with the understanding that they could only be an intermediary to Allah, is not polytheism. ALL Muslims agreed on this point from the time of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) up to the present day, except Wahhabis. They contradict all Muslims with their new creed and accused Muslims of blasphemy; they never let any body touch the blessed grave of Prophet (PBUH&HF).
The Holy Quran further supports intermediary for approaching toward Allah where it states:
“O’ you who believe! Be mindful (of your duties) to Allah, and seek the means of approaching toward Him.” (Quran 5:35)
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Quran tells us that there exists a means of approaching “al-Wasilah” for us in each era, which is different than Allah and we should seek him if we want to approach toward Allah. In fact, both Tawassul and Wasilah are from the same root. When we make Tawassul, it means that we seek the Mercy of Allah by resorting to a connection who was more obedient toward Allah and, as a result, Allah answers his/her prayers faster than us. Allah may forgive us for the credit and the honor of that man/woman. It is true every where that doing a job (specially if it is asking for a big courtesy) without any connection is difficult or might be impossible. Approving such a courtesy needs credit, and the one without it should resort to the one who has the credit and the connection. This credit has been acquired by absolute obedience of Allah. Nonetheless, approving any intercession still depends on Allah:
“Who can intercedes with Him except the cases that He permits?”
(Quran 2:255)
“They (i.e., prophets and Imams) do not say anything until He orders, and they act (in all things) by His command. He knows what is before them and what is behind them and they (i.e., those saints) offer no intercession except for anyone whom Allah accepts, and they are in awe and reverence of His (glory).” (Quran 21:27-28)
As you see there are exceptions. Some specific people can intercede with Allah by His permission. But this is not granted to every people.
Now, I would like to give also more references from Sunni Hadith
collections in this regard. The first reference is on the Tawassul of Ibn
Abbas (RA) to Imam Ali (AS). Please note that Ibn Abbas spoke the following words after the martyrdom of Imam Ali. Thus he did ask for intermediary of what you called a dead person.
“When the death time of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA) approached, he said:
`O Allah! I seek to approach toward you by means of Wilayah (accepting the mastery) of Ali Ibn Abi Talib.'”
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Sunni references:
- Fada’il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p662, Tradition #1129
- al-Riyadh al-Nadhirah, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, v3, p167
- Manaqib Ahmad
Please note that Ibn Abbas died in 68/687 which was 28 years after the martyrdom of Imam Ali (AS). If resorting (Tawassul) to a dead was considered association (shirk), then Ibn Abbas would not dare to say so,
and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal would not have recorded it.
As for resorting to alive, al-Bukhari reported that Umar used make Tawassul to al-Abbas for rain:
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 5.59
Narrated Anas:
Whenever there was drought, 'Umar bin Al-Khattab used to ask Allah for rain through Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib, saying, “O Allah! We used to request our Prophet to ask You for rain, and You would give us. Now we request the uncle of our Prophet to ask You for rain, so give us rain.” And they would be given rain."
Taken from Tawassul (Resorting to Intermediary)
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is a human being, he has died, he can not help us only Allah :swt: can.