Why is seeking refuge by an attribute permissible, while supplicating to it is not?

The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, the text states: seeking refuge by an attribute, “I seek refuge in the majesty and power of Allah, and I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah.”

The Shaykh:
Seeking refuge by an attribute is seeking refuge in the One who possesses it. Seeking refuge by an attribute is seeking refuge in the One who possesses it, and the attribute is a means to Him, Glorified and Exalted is He. Yes.

The questioner:
Then he says, may Allah preserve you, why do we prohibit supplicating to the attribute? Is it not like seeking refuge by the attribute?

The Shaykh:
We do not supplicate to the attribute; rather, we supplicate to the One who possesses the attribute, so we seek nearness to Him through His attribute. You say, “O Merciful, have mercy on me,” seeking nearness to Him through His attribute of mercy. “O Provider, provide for me,” and so on. Yes.