Ref. No. 2474/45-3746
In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful
The answer to your question is as follows:
The world we live in is a house of material resources; we all are forced to take help from one another, without one another's help the system of this world cannot run, obviously this kind of help seeking will not be called Shirk. However, the help that is specific to Allah, i.e. asking someone for help in matters that do not come under worldly causes, considering someone to be omnipotent and supreme, is special attribute of Allah. Regarding the matters of the hereafter or the issues of this world which are only in the control of Allah, if a person considers an angel, a prophet, a saint or a human being as omnipotent and sovereign as Allah Almighty, and asks the same for help in needs then it is considered shirk.
قال اللہ تعالی: وَلَا تَدْعُ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰہِ مَا لَا یَنْفَعُکَ وَلَا یَضُرُّکَ فَاِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَاِنَّکَ اِذًا مِنَ الظَّالِمِیْنَ․ (سورہٴ یونس آیت: ۱۰۶)، لَہُ دَعْوَةُ الْحَقِّ وَالَّذِیْنَ یَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِہِ (سورہٴ رعد آیت: ۱۴)
And Allah knows best
Darul Ifta
Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband
