This has been discussed at length elsewhere.

The point here is that when a person recognizes that all blessings come from Allah and that none but Allah can bring them about—for He alone brings good and removes ill—and that:

“Whatever mercy Allah grants to people, none can withhold; and whatever He withholds, none can release thereafter,”

he directs his reliance, hope, and supplication to the Creator alone. Likewise, when he knows the gratitude that Allah deserves—which no one else deserves—his recognition that good things come from Allah leads him to sincerity in thanking Allah and relying upon Him.

To say that these good things come from the person himself would be mistaken, for some of them involve no contribution from his actions. Even where his actions do contribute, Allah is the One who bestows that blessing. There is no power or strength except through Allah, and there is neither refuge nor escape from Him except with Him.

He also recognizes that the cause of evil lies solely within his own soul. He thus understands this clearly and knows where he is vulnerable. He asks his Lord’s forgiveness for what he has done and repents, and he seeks Allah’s help and refuge in Him against wrongdoing he has not yet committed. As one of the early generations said:

“Let no servant hope in anyone but his Lord, and let no servant fear anything but his sin.”