If he says of something that his friend did, “You made it happen,” is that regarded as shirk?

Firstly:

Undoubtedly for a Muslim to help his brother in his affairs, putting effort into meeting his needs, is a good and noble characteristic. The one who does that, seeking the pleasure of Allah, will inevitably be rewarded by Allah.

Secondly:

It is only by the help of Allah that a person is able to attain what he needs, by His help, His support, His decree and His inspiring good people who have influence to put in a good word for him, and so on.

Although Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has full control over everything and is the Creator, Lord and Possessor of everything, Who directs things however He wills, and He is the Provider Who gives or withholds, there is nothing to prevent us from describing someone as the one who makes things happen and meets people’s needs, for it is Allah  Who made him the means of that happening.

Muslim (2699) narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever removes a worldly hardship from a believer, Allah will remove one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection from him. Whoever is easy-going with (a debtor) who is in difficulty, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and in the Hereafter.”

Attributing help to a person and suggesting that he was the one who made something happen, even though it is Allah Who decreed that by His mercy, is valid.

Al-Minnaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The one who is easy-going with someone who is in difficulty by absolving him of debt, or giving him a gift or charity, or giving him respite until his situation improves, or helping him by putting in a good word for him, or issuing a fatwa that relieves him of some difficult situation, Allah will make it easy for him to attain what he is seeking and what he aspires to in this world and the hereafter." (Fayd al-Qadeer  6/243).

Al-Bukhaari (3038) and Muslim (1733) narrated from Sa‘eed ibn Abi Burdah, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent Mu‘aadh and Abu Moosa to Yemen, and said: “Make things easy and do not make them difficult, give glad tidings and do not put people off, cooperate and do not differ.”

Abu Dawood (380), at-Tirmidhi (147) and others narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “You have been sent to make things easy; you have not been sent to make things difficult.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

If someone says that So-and-so made things happen or met his needs, in the sense that he was no more than a cause that Allah decreed by His mercy should be the one to meet his needs and make something happen, there is nothing wrong with that.

But if he says that this person is the one through whose help his need was met, and that were it not for his help, his need would not have been met and the paperwork could not have been done, and he does not attribute this blessing to Allah, that is not permissible and it comes under the heading of shirk.

For more information, please see the answers to questions no. 48980 , 194533 and 118262 .

And Allah knows best.