Number one:
Commiting Shirk in Supplication
"Now, if they embark on a boat, they call on Allah, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a share (of their worship to others)!- "
Quraan 29:65
It is permissible to ask a living person to help you. Allah says: “Help ye one another in righteousness and piety.”
[Sûrah al-Mâ’idah: 2]
However, it is not allowed to ask a deceased person for help of any kind. This is a pure polytheism. This is what Allah severely warned us against and sent prophets and messages so that people would avoid it.
It does not make a difference who the deceased was, not even the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Companions, who are our example to follow, used to ask the Prophet (peace be upon him) to pray for them during his life time. However, after his death, none of them would come to his grave and ask him for help regardless how severe their conditions might have been and regardless of whether the problem was general or personal.
The essence of polytheism is to seek from other than Allah.
Wadd, Suwâ`, Yagûth, Ya`ûq and Nasrâ - the idols of pagan Arabia - were originally names of pious people, the same as Sheikh `Abd al-Qâdir al-Jîlânî. People made statues at their graves to remind each other of their pious conduct. However, after some time, they requested things from these people, though they were dead, and sought their help in fulfilling their needs.
This is an act of polytheism. The same applies to al-Lât. He was a good man. Sheikh `Abd al-Qadr al-Jîlânî, al-Husayn and Zaynab were doubtless pious people, but unfortunately, people began visiting their graves and asking them to fulfill their needs.
Allah says: “Is it not to Allah that sincere devotion is due? But those who take for protectors others than Allah (say):
‘We only serve them in order that they may bring us nearer to Allah'."
[Sûrah al-Zumar: 3]
Those who worshipped statues thought that they represented pious people and their intention in worshipping those statues was only to be granted intercession through them to Allah. This is always the reason used by those who try to justify calling on the deceased for help.
Some who join Gods besides Allah in the Islamic era have gone further than the polytheists of pre-Islamic times by describing their Gods of being able to maniputate the universe. Some of them have gone so far as to say: “O `Abd al-Qâdir al- Jîlânî O you who have dispensation of the universe.”
Then what is there left for Allah? If such a statement is not deemed pure polytheism, what then would be pure polytheism?
The person who told you that you were doing the right thing by asking `Abd al-Qâdir in his grave, and considered that as being from the Qur’ân and Sunnah is indeed a liar. You will never see in Allah’s book and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) anything that condones such conduct.
In fact, the Qur’ân, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and all other books and Prophets were sent to spread monotheism and the loneliness of Allah in worship. Allah says:
“Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him that there is no god but I: therefore worship and serve Me”
[Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 25].
Allah warns us in many verses not to call upon the deceased. He says:
“Verily those whom ye call upon besides Allah are servants like unto you: call upon them, and let them listen to your prayer, if ye are (indeed) truthful”
[Sûrah al-A`râf: 194]
and says: “If ye invoke them, they will not listen to your call, and if they were to listen, the cannot answer your (prayer) On the Day of Judgment they will reject your ‘partnership’, and none (O men) can inform you like Him who is All-Aware”
[Sûrah Fâtir: 14].
May Allaah protect us all Amean