The condition of the supplicant

[1] The type of asking being discussed here is supplication to Allah, the supplication of request. Allah Exalted is He says: “Ask Allah for His bounty” [Surah an-Nisa’ (4): 32]

And the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "When you ask, ask only of Allah and when you seek help, seek help only from Allah"; recorded by at-Tirmidhi. 1bn Rajab, find' [1/ 481] says, 'Know that asking of Allah and not the creation is what is necessary. This is because to ask is to display humbleness and submissiveness before the one being asked as well as dependence upon him; it also contains an implicit acknowledgment that the one being asked has the ability to remove this harm, grant the object of desire, and promote benefit. It is not allowable to show humility, submissiveness and need except to Allah alone because these matters exemplify the reality of worship. Aljimad used to supplicate, "O Allah! Just as You have pre-vented my face to prostrating to other than You, also prevent it from asking other than You." None is able to remove harm or promote the good save Him as He says: 

“If Allah afflicts you with harm, no one can remove it ex-cept Him. If He desires good for you, no one can avert His favour [Surah Yunus (10): 107]'

As for asking of human beings, in general this is not preferable unless needed, and to ask them for something that is outside of normal human capability constitutes shirk. However, even if someone were to ask another human in a permissible way, he still must have the belief that his request will only be satisfied if Allah allows it.

[2] The author, may Allah have mercy upon him, here digresses to discuss the meanings of hope and fear as understood by the Sufis, this discussion has been relegated to Appendix 1.

[3] This is a phrase commonly used by the author, may Allah have mercy upon him, to show that he is returning to the point of discussion after having digressed.

[4] Meaning: none has the right to be worshipped save Allah.

[5] Meaning: all praise and thanks are for Allah.

[6] at-Tirmidhi [#3383], ibn Majah [#3800] and ibn Abi ad-Dunya, ash-Shukr [#102].

It was declared sahib by ibn Hibban, as-Sahib [#846]; al-Hakim [#1834,1852] with adh-Dhahabi agreeing and hasan by at-Tirmidhi, al-Baghawl,  Sharb as-Sunnah.