المرداوي في الإنصاف ( 2:456 "... يجوز التوسل بالرجل الصالح على الصحيح من المذهب، وقيل: يُستحب. قال الإمام أحمد للمروذي : يتوسل بالنبي صلى اله عليه وسلم في دعائه وجزم به في المستوعب وغيره.."Al-Mardawi said: "The correct position of the [Hanbali] madhhab is that it is permissible in one's du'a to use as one's means a pious person (saalih), and it is said that it is desirable (mustahabb). Imam Ahmad said to Abu Bakr al-Marwazi: 'Let him use the Prophet as a means in his supplication to Allah.'" (Al-Insaf 2:456) This is also cited by Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmu' Al-Fatawa (1:140).