In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Question: A Muslim testifies that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,  is the Messenger of Allah, but when standing up or sitting down, he says, “Yaa Rasulal lah -O Messenger of Allah!” or “Yaa Abal Qasim – O Abu Qasim!” or “Yaa Abdal Qaadir- O Abdul Qadir!” or what similar to these statements related to Al-Isti’anah [i.e. seeking aid and assistance]. What is the ruling on this?

Answer: A person calling [i.e. invoking] the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, or other than him, such as Abdul Qadir Al-Jaylaani or Ahmad at-Tijaani,  when standing up or sitting down, and seeking assistance in that [action], or what is similar to this, in order to receive a benefit or repel harm- is a type of Shirk Akbar that was widespread during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance. Allah sent His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to put an end to it, save the people from it, guide the people to single out Allah in worship and supplication. This is because Al-Isti’aanah [seeking aid and assistance] is an act of worship and whoever performs it for other than Allah is a Mushrik. [Footnote a]

Allah directed and taught His slaves to say:

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). [1:5]

Allah said:
وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا

And the mosques are for Allah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allah]. [72:18]

Allah clarified that He (alone) controls harm and benefit; He alone removes harm and bestows blessings; He alone is the one who bestows good upon His slaves and preserves it for them. None can withold what Allaah gives and none can bestow that which Allah withholds. None can prevent what He has decreed and He is able to do all things. Allah said:

وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ ۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ ۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

And invoke not besides Allah, any that will neither profit you, nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers). ” And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His Favour which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He will. And He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [10:106-107]

Allah said:

يُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ
إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا مَا اسْتَجَابُوا لَكُمْ ۖ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ ۚ وَلَا يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ

He merges the night into the day (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the night are added to the hours of the day), and He merges the day into the night (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the day are added to the hours of the night). And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmir (the thin membrane over the date-stone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call, and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them.  And none can inform you (O Muhammad) like Him Who is the All-Knower (of each and everything). [35:13-14]

Allah said:
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ
وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ

And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? And when mankind are gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become enemies for them and will deny their worshipping. [46:5-6]

Allah said:

وَمَن يَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ لَا بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَ

And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allah, any other ilah (god), of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kafirun (the disbelievers in Allah and in the Oneness of Allah, polytheists, pagans, idolaters, etc.) will not be successful. [23:117]

In these verses, Allah stated that it is disbelief and polytheism to invoke others besides Him. He informed (us) that there is none more astray than the one who invokes others besides Him.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father:

وإذا سألت فاسأل الله، وإذا استعنت فاستعن بالله

If you ask (i.e. supplicate), then ask Allah. And if you seek help, seek help from Allaah. [Sahih Al-Jami 7957]

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, also said:

الدعاء هو العبادة

Supplication is the core of worship. [Sahih Al-Jami 3407]

Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da’imah 1/163
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Footnote a:

Ibn Taymiyyah on Shirk and the Excuse of Ignorance | AbuIyaad.Com
https://abuiyaad.com/a/ibn-taymiyyah-shirk-excuse-of-ignorance

Manhaj.Com | excuse of ignorance
https://www.manhaj.com/manhaj/tags/excuse-of-ignorance.cfm

http://www.manhaj.com/manhaj/articles/xwouo-takfir-and-the-excuse-of-ignorance-shaykh-ibn-uthaymeen.cfm

http://www.spubs.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=MNJ&subsecID=MNJ09&loadpage=displaysubsection.cfm