Among of what was mentioned concerning calling on someone other than Allah, whether that one is present, absent, dead or alive, is the saying of the Prophet:
which means: <<If the animal of anyone of you went out of control in the wilderness, then call: ‘O slaves of Allah, help me’>>, since there are slaves of Allah [i.e. the angels] who will respond to him.
There is another hadith related by al-Bazzar in which the Prophet said:
which means: << If one of you lost something or needs help while in an open land, then let him say: "O slaves of Allah, help me.">> Another narration says:
which means <<Rescue me, because Allah has created slaves whom you do not see.>>
When traveling at nightfall the Prophet, sallallahu ^alyhi wa sallam, used to say:
which means: << O earth, my Lord and your Lord is Allah.>>
When the Prophet visited the grave of Muslims, he used to say:
which means: << O people of the graves, peace be upon you.>>
In the Tashahhud in as-Salah the Muslim says:
which means: << "O Prophet of Allah, may Allah protect you from infirmities, and have mercy and blessings on you.">>
There is no harm in calling on and performing tawassul by someone unless one believes that someone other than Allah actually creates things. Hence, as long as one believes that only Allah creates them, there is no harm in performing tawassul. Likewise, attributing a certain doing to other than Allah does not harm unless one believes this doer actually creates. So once it is established the person does not believe the creating is for other than Allah then attributing a doing to other than Allah is understood in its proper context.
When one says: "This medicine benefited me," or "This particular righteous Muslim benefited me," he is merely exposing the created reason of the benefit. These statements are also similar to when one says: "This food satisfied my hunger," or "This water quenched my thirst," or "This medicine cured me." When Muslims say such statements, they understand them in their proper context, i.e., food, water, and medicine are only reasons, and Allah is the Creator of their benefit.
Allah knows best.
