Explanation of the author's statement: He said, "Say: 'Were it not for Allah, then so-and-so,' and do not say: 'Were it not for Allah and so-and-so.'"

The Shaykh :"And say: 'Were it not for Allah, then so-and-so,' and do not say: 'Were it not for Allah and so-and-so.'"
As mentioned previously, saying "Were it not for Allah, then so-and-so" is permissible because the word "then" indicates order and delay. However, "and so-and-so" indicates equality between the two parties. This is the report we mentioned regarding the issue of seeking refuge; I find no difficulty in it except for the statement of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him), who argued that the Qur'an is not created by saying: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

I take refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He created

أعوذ بكلمات الله التامات من شر ما خلق

Sunan Abi Dawud 3898Sahih (Al-Albani)

And he said that seeking refuge is not done with a created thing". The statement of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) is understood to mean that seeking refuge is not done with created speech, but only with uncreated speech. Speech is undoubtedly attached to the speaker; if the speaker is created, the speech is created, and if the speaker is Allah, His speech is uncreated. Otherwise, the hadith in Sahih Muslim in the chapter on trials is: This is the wording of the hadith.