This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
Seeking Help from the Owner of the Grave is Shirk and Forbidden
If a person goes near the deceased and calls out to them or cries out for help, this act will be shirk. The Imams of Islam are unanimous on this. Also, wailing and lamenting over the deceased is forbidden, though it is a lesser sin compared to seeking help.
Childish Arguments of Ignorant Friends
If a person tries to take the visit of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to Jannat al-Baqi and the graves of the martyrs of Uhud as evidence for his polytheistic acts, then his reasoning will be even more misleading than that of a person who takes the funeral prayer of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as evidence to say that calling out to the dead, weeping over them, and associating partners with Allah through them is permissible, as many ignorant people do, presenting the actions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as proof. This is entirely based on the worship of Allah and obedience to Him, which is a deed that brings reward to the doer and benefit to the deceased, and moreover, is based on Allah’s pleasure. These people, ignoring this pure act, commit shirk with Allah and cause harm to the deceased, thus wronging themselves. This is the way of the polytheists and innovators nowadays, who neither bring sincerity to their actions nor accept the decisions of Allah Almighty.
