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The issue of seeking help from the pious votaries of Allah is supported by the Islamic evidence. We'll provide overwhelming daleels, that is, documents in our book to be published elsewhere (on the Net). Here, we'll only discuss about such an event where recourse to the Sufi Gnostic/dervish/A'alim-Haqqaniyy was taken by none other than the Prophet Sulaiyman (Solomon) himself.
The Koran states in Surah Naml, Ayahs 38-40, (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful), Qaala yaa ayyuhaal-malauu ayyukum ya'tiniyy bi-a'rshihaa qabla ayyatu'niyy muslimiina; qaala 'ifriitum-minal jinni anaa aatiika bihii qabla a'n taquuma mim-maqaamika wa inniyy a'laiyhi laqawiyyun amiinun; qaala alladhiyy i'ndahuu i'lmum-minal kitaabi anaa aatiika bihii qabla ayyartadda ilaiyka tarfuka - falammaa ra'a-hu mustaqirraan i'ndahuu qaala haadhaa min fadli rabbiyy, meaning Prophet Sulaiyman said (to his own men): "Ye Chiefs! which of you can bring Queen (of Sheba) Bilqis' throne before they (i.e. the queen and her people) come to me in submission?" Said an Ifrit (large and powerful one) of the Jinns (genii): "I will bring it to thee before thou rise from thy Council; indeed I have full strength for the purpose, and may be trusted." Said one who had knowledge of the Book: "I will bring it to thee within the twinkling of an eye!" Then when Sulaiyman saw it (i.e. the throne) placed firmly before him, he said: "This is by the grace of my Lord!"
According to the Koran, Prophet Sulaiyman wanted the queen Bilqis and her people to embrace the Islamic religion upon seeing a Divine Sign from the Prophet. So he made the above call to his own people. We can infer, from the story narrated by Allah, as follows:
1. Prophet Sulaiyman, though being a Prophet of Allah, sought help from his people - from the pious ones among his Ummah. The Prophet himself was a votary of Allah and could have asked Allah for the Sign himself, knowing fully well that his prayer wouldn't be turned down by his Lord, the Almighty. Moreover, as a Prophet, he too had the privileges of Divine Power. Yet, he asked for help from someone who was well-versed in the 'knowledge of the Book', and whose name was Asaf bin Barkhiya, the chief counsel at the Prophet's court. This person was spiritually enlightened and could work miracles (karaamat).
2. Asaf bin Barkhiya brought the throne of queen Bilqis from Sheba in Yemen to Damascus in Syria, and that too, in the twinkling of an eye! In order to carry it for such a long distance, he had to be haadir (omnipresent) and naazir (able to see the throne from Damascus all the way to Yemen). It is also termed as tayy-i makaan in Arabic. This Koranic account bears testimony in favor of Sufi/dervishes' special powers granted by Allah Almighty.
3. The chief counsel at Prophet Sulaiyman's court is quoted in the Koran as saying, "I will bring it to thee within the twinkling of an eye." He didn't say that he would bring it if Allah granted him permission or the power; he said he would bring it 'within the twinkling of an eye'. Thus, it is crystal-clear that he knew the extent of his spiritual power. The Awliya or Sufi/dervishes know about the Divine Powers they possess.
4. The Ayah also grants us the permission to say that the Awliya, that is, the Sufi/dervishes can have ta'thir or effect on matters of the world and the hereafter. This is also termed as tasarruf in Arabic. In other words, they can work miracles. It is not shirk or polytheism to describe such Ahwal i.e. spiritual states of the Awliya; rather, it is compatible with the Sharia. And
5. The Koranic verse pertains to Khabar, that is, narration of events, and henceforth, cannot be rescinded by any Hukm i.e. Law of the Sharia. In other words, the Koranic account of the event at the time of Prophet Sulaiyman stands throughout the prophet-hood of the last Prophet Hadrat Muhammad (sallallaahu alaiyhi wa sallam); meaning, till the End of the World.
To conclude, asking the pious Anbiya (Prophets) and Awliya (Sufi/dervishes) to help us spiritually is a valid issue in the light of Islamic evidences. There are many proofs in the Koran and the Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet of Islam) that permit Muslims to have recourse to the pious ones of Allah. We have shed light on one of those here. May Allah grant all Muslims the foresight to accept this laudable act/deed in His view, Ameen!
