The hadeeth “O slaves of Allah, help me” is not saheeh

This hadith was narrated by at-Tabaraani
in al-Mu‘jam al-Kabeer (17/117) via ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Shurayk who
said: My father told me, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Eesa, from Zayd ibn ‘Ali, from
‘Utbah ibn Ghazwaan, from the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) who said: “If one of you loses something, or one of you wants
help, and he is in a land in which there are no people, then let him say, ‘O
slaves of Allah, help me; O slaves of Allah, help me,’ for Allah has slaves
whom we do not see.” 

There are three problems with this hadeeth
which mean that it must be da‘eef. They are: 

1.‘Abd ar-Rahmaan
ibn Shurayk ibn ‘Abdullah an-Nakha‘i al-Kufi

Abu Haatim said: He is weak in narration
of hadeeth.

End quote from al-Jarh wa at-Ta‘deel
(5/244) 

Ibn Hibbaan mentioned him in
ath-Thiqaat (8/375) and said: He sometimes makes mistakes. 

Al-Haafiz said in at-Taqreeb (p.
342): He is sadooq (honest) but makes mistakes. 

See also: Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb
(6/176). 

2.Shurayk ibn
‘Abdullah an-Nakha‘i

The scholars highlighted his poor memory
and lack of precision. Al-Haafiz said concerning him: He is sadooq (honest)
but makes many mistakes; his memory changed after he was appointed as a
judge in Kufah.

End quote from Taqreeb at-Tahdheeb
(p. 266) 

3.Zayd ibn ‘Ali ibn
al-Husayn did not meet ‘Utbah ibn Ghazwaan or hear from him. Between the
death of ‘Utbah and the birth of Zayd there were approximately sixty years.

See: Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb (2/249,
4/64) 

Hence al-Haythami said concerning the
hadeeth: It was narrated by at-Tabaraani and its men were regarded as
trustworthy even though some of them were somewhat da‘eef (weak). But Zayd
ibn ‘Ali did not meet ‘Utbah.

End quote from Majma‘ az-Zawaa’id
(10/93) 

There is corroborating evidence for this
hadeeth in the marfoo‘ hadeeth of Ibn Mas‘ood: “If the mount of one of you
disappears in the wilderness, let him call out: ‘O slaves of Allah, bring it
back to me,’ for Allah has (angels) present on earth who will bring it back
to you.” 

This was narrated by at-Tabaraani in
al-Mu‘jam al-Kabeer (10/217); Abu Ya‘la in his Musnad (9/177). It
is also da‘eef; it was classed as such by al-Haythami in Majma‘
az-Zawaa’id (10/132), al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar in Sharh al-Adhkaar
(5/150); al-Haafiz as-Sakhkhaawi in al-Ibtihaaj bi Adhkaar al-Musaafir
wa’l-Haaj (p. 39). 

Shaykh al-Albaani discussed this hadeeth
in detail in as-Silsilah ad-Da‘eefah, where he (may Allah have mercy
on him) said: 

In addition to the fact that this hadeeth
is da‘eef (weak), there is nothing in the text to suggest that it is
permissible to seek the help of the dead, such as the awliya’ (“saints”;
close friends of Allah) and the righteous, because it clearly indicates that
what is meant by the slaves of Allah here is some creation other than human
beings. 

This is based on the fact that in the
first hadeeth he says: “for Allah has (angels) present on earth who will
bring it back to you,” and in this hadeeth he says: “Allah has slaves whom
we do not see.” 

This description can only apply to the
angels or the jinn, because they are the ones who we do not usually see. …
So it is not permissible to include with them Muslims among the jinn or
humans whom they call “men of the unseen,” such as the awliya’ and the
righteous, whether they are alive or dead. Seeking help from them and
seeking their aid is blatant shirk, because they cannot hear the
supplication, and even if they could hear it, they would not be able to
respond and fulfil the request. 

This is clearly stated in many verses,
including the passage in which Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“And those, whom you invoke or call
upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmeer (the thin membrane over the date
stone).

If you invoke (or call upon) them, they
hear not your call, and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant
it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown
your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad SAW) like Him Who
is the All-Knower (of each and everything)”

[Faatir 35:13-14]. 

End quote from Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth
ad-Da‘eefah wa’l-Mawdoo‘ah (656). 

And Allah knows best.