He replied:

“I fear that I may die between the negation and the affirmation.”

This is one of al-Shiblī’s lapses, forgiven him because of the sincerity of his faith, the intensity of his spiritual ecstasy, and the overwhelming hold of his spiritual state. He would sometimes lose his reason and be taken to the hospital, and would shave his beard. He did other things of this kind in which it is impermissible to follow his example, even if he himself was excused or rewarded. For if a person intended to say, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” but died before completing it, that would not harm him at all. Actions are judged by intentions; indeed, what he intended would be recorded to his credit.

Some may go to such extremes in this matter that they assign remembrance through an isolated name to the spiritual elite, and remembrance through a complete statement to ordinary people. Some may say:

“‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah’ is for the believers; ‘Allah’ is for those who know Allah; and ‘He’ is for those who have attained spiritual realization.”

One of them may restrict himself, whether in solitary retreat or with his group, to “Allah, Allah, Allah,” or “He,” or “O He,” or “There is no He but He.”

Some writers on the spiritual path may extol this practice, seeking to substantiate it sometimes through spiritual ecstasy, sometimes through personal opinion, and sometimes through a fabricated report. For example, some relate “that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught ʿAlī ibn Abī Tālib to say: ‘Allah, Allah, Allah.’” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said it three times, then instructed ʿAlī, who said it three times. This is a fabricated hadith by the consensus of hadith scholars.