al-Dunyā and others in a report traced back to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said:

“The best remembrance is ‘There is no god worthy of worship except Allah,’ and the best supplication is ‘Praise be to Allah.’”

In al-Muwattaʾ and elsewhere, it is reported from Talhah ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Kathīr that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The best that I and the prophets before me have said is: ‘There is no god worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner. His is the dominion and His is all praise, and He has power over all things.’”

Those who claim that this is the remembrance of ordinary people, that the remembrance of the elite consists of the name alone, and that the remembrance of the elite of the elite consists of the pronoun are astray and mistaken.

Some of them cite His words as evidence for this:

“Say, ‘Allah,’ then leave them to amuse themselves in their vain discourse.”

This is among their most obvious errors, for the name is mentioned in a command to answer a question, namely His words:

“Say, ‘Who sent down the Book that Moses brought as a light and guidance for mankind?’”

Through to His words:

“Say, ‘Allah.’”

That is: Allah is the One who sent down the Book that Moses brought. The name is therefore the subject of a nominal sentence, whose predicate is indicated by the question. This is like other such expressions: you ask, “Who is his neighbour?” and someone answers, “Zayd.”

As for the name on its own, whether expressed as a noun or a pronoun, it is neither a complete utterance nor a meaningful sentence. It conveys neither faith nor disbelief, neither a command nor a prohibition. None of the early generations of the Muslim community mentioned this practice, nor did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prescribe it. In itself, it gives the heart neither beneficial knowledge nor a beneficial spiritual state. It merely provides a bare conception, without affirming or denying anything about it. So if it is not accompanied by something in the heart’s knowledge and state that is beneficial in itself,