Is what was attributed to Imam Ahmad in his saying, "O slaves of Allah, guide me to the path," and the Hadith, "Indeed, Allah Almighty has angels other than the حافظة (guardian angels) who record what falls from the leaves of trees. So, if one of you is afflicted with lameness in a desolate land, let him call out, 'Help, O slaves of Allah, may Allah Almighty have mercy on you,'" used as evidence for the desirability of seeking intercession through prophets in supplication?

The aforementioned hadith is weak, and the preponderant view is that it is a saying of Ibn Abbas, not of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Some scholars have used it because experience has shown its truthfulness. Seeking help from other than Allah is shirk (polytheism) if it is in matters that none but Allah can do. However, seeking help from a living, present, and capable creature in matters they are capable of is not shirk. The angels mentioned in the narration are living beings who are able to guide the lost, and this is not like seeking healing or sustenance from a dead person or an absent one, which none but Allah can do.