Islam encourages us to make dua. Prophet Muhammad pbuh said that Dua is the weapon of the believer. Dua has the power to change the course of life. In fact, what cannot be achieved through any possible worldly mean, dua has the power to make it possible. In islam, there is no place for the word impossible due to dua. Allah swt is the only one who we worship. And He is the only one who can grant the wishes. He listens and He returns the dua. Some duas are accepted and fulfilled. Some duas are replaced with a betterment. And some duas are held. But it does not mean that a dua which is not fulfilled was not accepted. Allah swt knows what we do not know. So, He does the best for us concerning our lives.
Now, people go to shrines, they go to tombs, graves and peers and scholars to seek help. They give away money, give food, pray and make duas on the graves. And they offer sacrifices as per the command of living. People reply on these sources for the acceptance of their duas and betterment of their lives. But this is wrong. Allah swt has not commanded us to go to any one else for seeking help. In fact, prophet Muhammad pbuh taught us istikhara, a way to seek help of Allah swt in important matters. Our beloved prophet never left us a tradition of visiting graves and asking the dead or making a living man a source of help. Allah swt say in Quran;
[002:045] Seek help and solace through prayers and patience. Of course it is hard, except for those who are humble of heart.Allah swt has already made it clear that help and peace can be found in salah and patience. It cannot be found any where else. Of course, the creator who has created us knows all about us. If we do nto turn to Him in our time of need, then what do we expect from our life? If we give importance to dead people or living people over the creator, then this is not the justice. On another place Allah swt say;
[002:153] Oh you who believe! Seek help through patience and prayer, (the ‘salat’). Indeed, Allah is with those who are steadfast!Muslims are not suppose to make any other being, god. If we cannot worship any other being, how can we go to any other being to seek help and peace? It is just the same thing as shirk to give the status of God to some one or something for the sake of seeking help. Prophet Muhammad pbuh forbade us from making tombs and graves as places of worship. Look around and see what people in the name of honor, respect and seeking help. They go to fake scholars, to magicians and to peers. When they are stopped from doing so, they say that they just want their duas to be accepted because of the barakah of these people and places. In reality, there is nothing like this in islam. If there was any truth in it, prophet Muhammad pbuh would have never stopped us from following Jews and Christians and pagans.
Allah swt is our creator. He has the knowledge about all things. In fact, according to a hadith, our fates have been written in loh-e mahfooz 50,000 years before our creation. So, just like we cannot leave everything to fate, we cannot go to beings other than Allah swt for help. The creator knows about his creation better than the creation. It is the trait of iman to seek Allah;s help as mentioned in Quran;
[001:005] You alone do we worship, and You alone do we ask for help!