Re: Ya Ali madad
That’s not actually a correct understanding. It’s a very easy and comfortable position but it does not match the basis of what we base our religious doctrines upon - (Quran and Sunnah)
Whilst its true that only Allah All Mighty can help, traditional sunnis like our buzurgs like Shah WaliUllah Muhaddith (Reh) have been said to have taken 6 (six) precise steps towards the grave of Ali RadiAllahu Anhu before saying Ya Ali Ya Ali as a form of gaining help! Same for others who took 11 steps towards the Grave of Abdul Qadir Jilani Rehmatullah Alaih before saying Ya Ghawth
Our understanding is that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala from His Mercy has told us to go creation for help, whilst remembering Allah is The Giver. In certain situations we need a Waseela, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala has told us to find one.
Never mind the widespread use of Ya Ghawth Al-Azam Madad, and YA Rifai Madad, and Ya Badawi Madad, Ali RadiAllahu Anhu has been singled out as a Wali (protector, friend, helper) of Muslims in tafsirs of The Quran.
Ya Ali Madad, nor any of the other calls can not simply be classed as shirk because we actually have narrations which use words and names to gain power and healing from Allah All Mighty
for example In Imam Bukhari’s Kitab Al Adab Al Mufrad in the chapter of ‘what to do when your leg becomes Numb’ - the answer is actually to say the name of the one you love the most - Wa Muhammadah - which is same as Ya RasoolAllah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Alihi wa Sallam)
and Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala puts into that healing for your leg. I have tried this not for numb leg but for a broken ankle and it did help A LOT in the subsequent weeks. This was a long term injury, so I know what was just ‘not healing’!
Again something similar(wa Muhammadah, Ya RasoolAllah Sallallahu Alaihi wa Alihi wa Sallam) was used by the Companions in the war against musailama the liar. This was a battle cry and source of strength (All strength and help comes from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. and there is barkat and favour from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala in those words)
Finally there is accepted and acted upon hadiths (Acted upon by Imams including Ahmad bin Hanbal Rehmatullah Alaih) which actually tell us to call to ghaib creation for help - a`inu Ya IbadAllah - which is Ya IbadAllah Help Me
Words such as ainooni, Madad, Adkrikni and few others are pretty much the same in meaning used to request help
The IbadAllah are Angles, Jinn and Muslims! But even if you limit the term to any of those it still would carry the same consequence no matter what the creation was. so shirk would still be shirk with angels or humans, if anyone wanted to say it was.
There is also the examples of my friends from childhood, some would shout ‘Amma’ when in difficulty. It was not shirk (associating partners with Allah The One)
Asking from the inhabitants of the Graves is also a practice of this Ummah in its entirety. Inhabitants of the Grave are given a Mobile to hear us, its the same with some whose grave one is not at. Its just a longer distance call.
Basically anyone who has an Islamic understanding regarding Allah All Mighty, can not possibly be committing shirk Al-Akbar by saying Ya Ali Madad because as you said Ali RadiAllahu Anhu is limited. Where the mushrikeen would view their multiple gods as gods besides Allah The Only ONE.
Interestingly anyone who has a mushrik aqeedah may be committing shirk when he moves his own finger! but for a Muslim it is ok (not shirk) to say ‘I did it’ as in ‘I moved my finger’ in general talk and understanding. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala has been Most Merciful to us
As for Shirk, some layman Muslims can not comprehend it. It really is different and devoid of thought and care. I tried explaining trinity to someone I know and he said ‘like we believe in panjtan pak’. I said no, tried explaining further but gave up in the end. He was not about to understand multiple gods anytime soon. He only knew and understood 1 God, MashAllah