Good intentions do not justify the means

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّـهِ زُلْفَىٰ﴾

{And those who take Auliyaa' (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say): “We worship them only that they may bring us nearer to Allaah.”}

[Surah al-Zumar (39): 3]

Shaikh Saaleh al-Fawzaan حفظه الله said:

“They did not intend Shirk, nor was it their aim. They only thought that by this they are fulfilling acts of worship and as a means of getting closer to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. See how Shaitaan approaches the children of Aadam (to mislead them), and how the Shayaateen from amongst the men approach the children of Aadam and beautify for them this matter. 

We say to them: you might not be (directly) worshiping the idols (like the people of old); but instead, you have set up the righteous people as intermediaries between you and Allaah; and with Allaah تعالى this is still an act of Shirk. He تعالى says:

﴿وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۚ قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللَّـهَ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾

{AND THEY WORSHIP BESIDES ALLAAH THINGS THAT HURT THEM NOT, NOR PROFIT THEM, AND THEY SAY: "THESE ARE OUR INTERCESSORS WITH ALLAAH." SAY: "DO YOU INFORM ALLAAH OF THAT WHICH HE KNOWS NOT IN THE HEAVENS AND ON THE EARTH?" GLORIFIED AND EXALTED BE HE ABOVE ALL THAT WHICH THEY ASSOCIATE AS PARTNERS WITH HIM!}

[Surah Yunus (10): 18]

Look how Allaah تعالى freed Himself from them and their acts when He said: {GLORIFIED AND EXALTED BE HE ABOVE ALL...}

And He تعالى labeled their act as Shirk: {...THAT WHICH THEY ASSOCIATE AS PARTNERS WITH HIM!}

They (in their ignorance) do not consider this as Shirk; they only refer it as a means of seeking an intercession. Therefore, one should take every precaution against (falling into) this.”

[شرح ستة مواضع من السيرة]