Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "

The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said in the book *Riyad al-Salihin*, quoting from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and him): “I was behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him),” meaning riding with him. He said to me: He said to him, “O boy,” because Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and him) was young. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away when he had reached the age of puberty, meaning between fifteen and sixteen years old, or less. So he was riding with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) behind him, and he directed this call to him: “O boy.” “Fear Allah” is a noble and great word. Fear Allah by preserving His Shari'ah and His religion, by complying with His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Also, by learning from His religion and His Shari'ah (Glorified and Exalted is He) what establishes your acts of worship and your transactions, and by which you call people to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). For all of this is part of fearing Allah. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) Himself does not need anyone to protect Him, but the intended meaning is to preserve His religion and His Shari'ah, as Allah the Exalted said: The meaning is not that you protect the Self of Allah, for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is rich in Himself and needs no one. Therefore, He said in another verse: and they do not overcome Him . So, is a phrase indicating that whenever a person preserves the religion of Allah, Allah protects him. But in what does He protect him? He protects him in his body, in his wealth, in his family, and in his religion. And the most important of these is that Allah protects you in your religion, keeping you safe from deviation and misguidance. For whenever a person is guided, Allah increases him in guidance, as the Exalted said: And whenever he strays, may Allah protect us from that, he increases in straying. As it came in the hadith that when a person commits a sin, a black spot appears in his heart. If he repents, it is erased. If he sins again, a second spot joins it, then a third and a fourth, until his heart is sealed over. We ask Allah for safety. So, He protects you in your religion, in your body, in your wealth, and in your family, and the most important is preserving the religion. We ask Allah to preserve our religion and yours. In another wording: “Fear Allah” also by preserving His Shari'ah, by carrying out His command and avoiding His prohibition, “you will find Him before you.” “Tihahak” (before you) and “Amamak” (in front of you) mean the same thing, meaning you find Allah in front of you, guiding you to every good and warding off every evil from you, especially if you fear Allah by seeking His help. For when a person seeks help from Allah and relies on Allah, Allah is sufficient for him, meaning He is his protector. And whoever Allah is sufficient for does not need anyone after Allah. Meaning, and sufficient for the believers who follow you. So, if Allah is sufficient for a person, meaning He is his protector, then no harm will reach him. Therefore, he said: or The intended meaning of fearing Him is preserving His Shari'ah, especially in relying on Him and seeking His help. Then he said to him: meaning, do not rely on anyone, on any created being. If you ask, ask Allah. For example, a poor person who has no money asks Allah, saying: “O Allah, provide for me. O Allah, prepare for me a provision.” And the provision comes to him from where he does not expect. But if he asks people, they may give him or withhold from him. Therefore, it came in the hadith: So likewise, when you ask, ask Allah. Say: “O Allah, provide for me. O Allah, make me rich by Your bounty, independent of others,” and similar words that direct you to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Also, Seeking help is asking for assistance. Do not ask for assistance from any human being except in the most extreme necessity. And even if you are forced to seek help from a created being, make that a means and a cause, not a pillar you rely on. Make the true pillar be Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
In these two phrases, there is evidence that it is a deficiency in tawhid (the oneness of Allah) for a person to ask other than Allah. Therefore, it is disliked to ask other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic), whether for a little or a lot. Do not ask except Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and do not seek help except from Allah. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), if He wills to help you, will make help easy for you, whether through known causes or through unknown causes. Allah may help you through a cause unknown to you, repelling from you an evil that no one has the power to repel. And Allah may help you through the hand of one of His creation, making him subservient to you and humble before you until he helps you. But even so, it is not permissible for you, when Allah helps you through the hand of someone, to forget the Causer, who is Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as some ignorant people do now.