Seek the means of approach doesn't mean asking the dead, visiting shrines or asking your pirs!

Seek the means of approach doesn't mean asking the dead, visiting shrines or asking your pirs!

Deviant brelwees/sufis twist the Quran by saying seek the means through waseela of their dead Awliyas but here's the real meaning

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach to Him, and strive hard in His Cause as much as you can. So that you may be successful.

7) Ibn Katheer(d 774h) said:
Allaah commands His believing slaves to fear Him (taqwa). When this word is accompanied by mention of obedience, it means refraining from haraam things. After that Allaah says, "And seek the means of approach to Him". Sufyaan al-Thawri said, narrating from Talhah, from 'Ata', from Ibn 'Abbaas: i.e., drawing close to Him. This was also stated by Mujaahid, Abu Waa'il, al-Hasan, Qataadah, 'Abd-Allaah ibn Katheer, al-Saddi, Ibn Zayd and others. Qataadah said: i.e., draw close to Him by obeying Him and doing that which pleases Him, and Ibn Zayd recited
"Those whom they call upon desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allaah)"[al-Isra' 17:57]

There is no difference of opinion among the mufassireen concerning what these imams said.

Means of approach or means of access means that by means of which one reaches one's goal. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/53, 54]

1) Ibn Jareer at-Tabari (d. 310 H.) says:

{ وَابْتَغُوا إلَـيْهِ الوَسِيـلَةَ } يقول: واطلبوا القربة إلـيه بـالعمل بـما يرضيه.

(And seek the means of approach to Him) He said and seek nearness to Him by performing the acts that please Him.[Tafsir at-Tabri under 5:35]

2) Zamakshree (d 538 h)

الوسيلة: كل ما يتوسل به أي يتقرّب من قرابة أو صنيعة أو غير ذلك، فاستعيرت لما يتوسل به إلى الله تعالى من فعل الطاعات وترك المعاصي. وأنشد للبيد:
أَرَى النَّاسَ لاَ يَدْرُونَ مَا قَدْرُ أَمْرِهِم أَلاَ كُلُّ ذِي لُبٍّ إلَى اللَّهِ وَاسِلُ
It says that Seeking nearness to Allah is done through Obedience and leavinng the sins.[ Tafsir Kashaaf under Surah al-Maida verse 35]

4. Abu Abdullah al-Qurtubi (d 671 h) said
و «يبتغون» يطلبون من الله الزلفة والقربة، ويتضرعون إلى الله تعالى في طلب الجنة، وهي الوسيلة.
They find seeking nearness to Allah. And they request Allah for Paradise by weaping and This is al-Waseelah [Tafsir al-Jame Ahkam al-Quran under Surah al-Israa verse 57]

5. Qadhi al-Baydawi (d 685 h) said
أُولَـئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبّهِمُ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ } هؤلاء الآلهة يبتغون إلى الله القرابة بالطاعة.
"Those whom they call upon, desire a means of access to their Lord" These people try to seek nearness to Allah by obedience.[Tafsir of Surah al-Israa verse 57]

6) Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Khazin (d 741h) said
قوله تعالى: { يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله } أي خافوا الله بترك المنهيات { وابتغوا إليه الوسيلة } يعني واطلبوا إليه القرب بطاعته والعمل بما يرضي وإنما قلنا ذلك، لأن مجامع التكاليف محصورة في نوعين لا ثالث لهما. أحد النوعين: ترك المنهيات وإليه الإشارة بقوله: اتقوا الله. والثاني: التقرب إلى الله تعالى بالطاعت وإليه الإشارة بقوله: وابتغوا إليه الوسيلة
Allah says " O you who believe fear Allah" Meaning leave the things which are forbidden by fearing Allah. "And seek means to approach to him" Meaning seek nearness to him through obedience and works which pleases Allah. I said this because there are two types of all the Restrictions (in Islamic Law). One of the two types is leaving the forbidden things. this is what referred in the saying "Fear Allah". Second is seeking nearness to Allah tala through obedience and this is what reffered in "And seek means to approach to him"[Maani al-Tanzeel under 5:35]