The Virtue of Tawakkul
According to the above Tradition, Sayyidna Auf Ibn Malik Ashja’i (RA) and his wife were advised to recite (There is no strength nor power but with Allah) abundantly to avert afflictions and obtain benefits. Mujaddid Alf Thani says that abundant recitation of this formula is a proven prescription to avert all kinds of religious and mundane afflictions and to obtain all religious and mundane objectives and benefits. According to him, its proper way is to recite five hundred times لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله , and to recite Salah (durud) one hundred times before, and one hundred times after the formula, and then to supplicate to Allah for one’s need. [Tafsir [Mazhari]] Imam Ahmad, Hakim [grading the chain as sahih], Baihaqi, Abu Na’im and others have transmitted on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Dharr (RA) that one day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) continuously recited the verse (And whoever fears Allah, for him Allah brings forth a way out, and gives him provision from where he does not even imagine… 2/3) until the reporter started feeling sleepy. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Abu Dharr, if all people choose only this verse, it would be sufficient for them all.” [Ruh-ul-Malni] ‘Sufficient’ in this statement means it would be sufficient for all people to accomplish their religious and mundane objectives, if they practice it.
[Above section from Mariful Quran Vol 8 p 507]
Placing One’s Trust in Allah (SWT)
Even after having made all preparations, when you finally decide to go ahead and do what has to be done, then that is the time when you do not simply (place your) trust in your reason, opinion, plans or preparedness but, instead of that, you should place your trust in Allah alone, for all these considered plans are in the direct control of the supreme Planner of all affairs and matters. With this in view, the less is said about human beings and their plans is better. Man himself is witness to the futility of his plans in the thousands of events in his life-time.
The statement, “then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).” also clarifies that placing one’s trust in Allah does not mean that the efforts to provide means and make plans should be abandoned. The fact is that placing one’s trust in Allah while leaving off means near at hand is contrary to the blessed practice of prophets, and against the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. However, if one sits idle dreaming about distant means and irrelevant concerns, or if one relies solely on means and plans as effective agents and ignores the Prime Causer of means and the Planner-par-Excellence of all affairs and plans, then this would certainly be against tawakkul, the placing of trust in Allah.
[Above section from Mariful Quran Vol 2 p 238]