If a person's asking of other than Allah for that which only Allah is capable of is major shirk, then how do we respond to those who claim that this is from the karamat (miraculous acts) of the awliya' (saints), and that a wali might revive the dead or heal the sick? And how do we differentiate between the miracles of the prophets, such as Isa's (Jesus') reviving of the dead, and the karamat of the awliya' regarding the same matter? And are the karamat of the awliya' by their own choice, or are they a divine affirmation? And what are the books that have elaborated in refuting these misconceptions?

There is a clear difference between asking a righteous man to do something and asking him to supplicate to Allah Almighty for that thing to be achieved. The former is not permissible unless the requested act is within the man's capability, whereas the latter is permissible for anything that can be asked of Allah Almighty. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah permits seeking intercession through the supplication of the righteous, but not through their very essence. A created being asks another created being for what he is capable of, but what only Allah Almighty is capable of cannot be requested except from Him.

As for seeking succor from angels or jinn, it is seeking succor from other than Allah, and it is polytheism with Allah Almighty. No sound evidence has established its permissibility. Succor should only be sought from the living, present, and capable. What only Allah is capable of should be sought from Allah alone. This does not apply to the guardian and recording angels, as there is no authentic tradition from the pious predecessors affirming seeking succor from them, and because they act only by Allah's command.

As for the difference between a miracle and a karamah (a spiritual marvel bestowed upon a saint), miracles are for prophets, and karamat are for the righteous as an affirmation of the prophets' miracles, not in opposition to them. A karamah is one of the prophet's miracles that appears through his saint as a result of the saint's adherence to him. The karamat of saints can even extend to bringing the dead back to life.