and he turns to that occupant of the grave, asking him and imploring him for aid, then this conduct falls into three levels:

The first: that he petitions the deceased for some personal need—such as asking him to remove his illness or the illness of his livestock, to pay off his debts, to exact revenge on an enemy, or to grant well-being to himself, his family, and his animals, and the like—matters that only Allah, Exalted is He, is capable of fulfilling. This is flagrant shirk (idolatry). Its perpetrator must be called to repent; if he repents, fine, and if not, he is to be executed.

If he argues, “I am only asking him because he is closer to Allah than I am, so that he may intercede for me in these affairs; I merely seek nearness to Allah through him, just as one approaches a ruler through his intimates and courtiers,” this is precisely the practice of the pagans and the Christians. They claim that they take their scholars and monks as intercessors, seeking their mediation for their requests. Allah likewise told us about the idolaters who said: