Sufis quote the following statement of Qaadi al Baydawi:
وقال البيضاوي : لما كانت اليهود والنصارى يسجدون لقبور الأنبياء تعظيما لشأنهم ويجعلونها قبلة يتوجهون في الصلاة نحوها واتخذوها أوثانا لعنهم ومنع المسلمين عن مثل ذلك ، فأما من اتخذ مسجدا في جوار صالح وقصد التبرك بالقرب منه لا التعظيم له ولا التوجه نحوه فلا يدخل في ذلك الوعيد
al Baydawi said: ‘As the Jews and Christians used to prostrate themselves before the graves of the prophets venerating them and perform prayers in the direction of these graves, they have made these graves as idols, so they were cursed. Muslims were forbidden to do the same.’ As for, ‘When one builds a mosque near the grave of a righteous man and intends to take blessing near him WITHOUT revering him or paying attention or the like, then this prohibition is not included in it. [Fath al Bari 1/525]
Response:
There is no shirk in above quote rather he is just saying praying in mosque near the grave of a righteous is allowed WITHOUT PAYING ATTENTION and VENERATING HIM. He is not saying it is allowed to ask help from the grave or the righteous person. As for his saying that “It is allowed to build a mosque near the grave of righteous without venerating him”? This is questionable.
a) Even Sufis like Allama al-Manawi (952 h 1031 h) refuted al Baydawi on this, He said:
لكن في خبر الشيخين كراهة بناء المسجد على القبور مطلقا والمراد قبور المسلمين خشية أن يعبد فيها المقبور لقرينة خبر اللهم لا تجعل قبري وثنا يعبد وظاهره أنها كراهة تحريم لكن المشهور عند الشافعية أنها كراهة تنزيه
But the hadith of Shaykhayn (Bukhari and Muslim) has general karaha of making masajid over graves, MEANING THE GRAVES OF MUSLIMS, due to the fear of worshiping the graves. As it is mentioned in the hadith “”O Allah! Do not make my grave an idol that is worshiped.””. [Faydh al Qadeer 4/612]
b) As-San‘aani may Allaah have mercy upon him responded this statement of al Baydawi, As-San‘aani commented on these statement as follows:
I (As-San`aani) say, ‘Building mosques near the grave of a pious person out of seeking its blessing is, in fact, a form of veneration. Moreover, the Ahaadeeth deeming it absolutely forbidden to pray in mosques containing graves have a general indication and there is no evidence of the above mentioned justification.
The preponderant opinion is that the reason for the prohibition is to eliminate the means leading to unfavorable ends and avoid the imitation of idol worshippers who venerate inanimate objects that do not hear, benefit, or harm them.” [Subul As-Salaam] [see islamweb Fatwa No : 263494]
NOTE: al Baydawi spoke against asking help from others.
1. Allah says in az-Zumr
39 : 43 Or have they taken other than Allah as intercessors? Say, “Even though they do not possess [power over] anything, nor do they reason?”
a) Qadi Baydawi (d. 685 AH) said:
هو أن الشفعاء أشخاص مقربون هي تماثيلهم
Intercessors among the Pious people upon whose forms these pictures have been made [Tafsir Baydawi under 39 : 43]
b) al Razi said:
وتقرير الجواب أن هؤلاء الكفار إما أن يطمعوا بتلك الشفاعة من هذه الأصنام أو من أولئك العلماء والزهاد الذين جعلت هذه الأصنام تماثيل لها
The detailed answer to this is that these disbelievers either desired the intercession from these idols or from these scholars and saints upon whose forms these idols have been made. [Tafsir al Kabeer under 39 : 43]
2. Allah says in al Ahqaf.
46 : 5 And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocation, are unaware.
a) Qadi Baydawi (d. 685 AH) said:
{ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَائِهِمْ غَـٰفِلُونَ } لأنهم إما جمادات وإما عباد مسخرون مشتغلون بأحوالهم.
(And they, of their invocation, are unaware) They are either Inanimate objects or they are Men who are busy in their ahwaal.
[Anwar al-Tanzil wa-Asrar al-Ta’wil under 46 : 5]
In short according to al Baydawi those Inanimate objects AND MEN are unaware of your invocation to whom you call “O Gawth” “O Gunj Baksh” “O Ghareeb Nawaz” Help us.