as though they were stand-ins for the overt nouns.

As for a single word uttered on its own, it never counts as meaningful speech in the eyes of anyone on earth—nor of anyone in heaven. Whenever it appears alone, some other element is necessarily understood implicitly, or the utterance is intended merely as an alert or a gesture, like the inarticulate noises that were never coined to bear meaning; it is not meant to convey the significations for which articulated speech is used.

For that reason people have regarded it as an innovation when certain devotees repeat the name “Allah” by itself without forming a sentence, for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

“The most excellent remembrance is: ‘There is no god but Allah,’ and the best supplication is: ‘Praise be to Allah.’” (Reported by Abū Ḥātim in his Ṣaḥīḥ.)

He also said, “The finest words that I and the prophets before me have ever spoken are: ‘There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is powerful over all things.’” (Related by Mālik and others.)

It has reached the level of mass transmission that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught his community to remember Allah with complete sentences, such as:

“Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah; Allah is greatest; and there is no power nor might except through Allah.”

In another report Muslim narrates: “The finest speech after the Qur’an is four phrases—and they are found in the Qur’an: ‘Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah; Allah is greatest.’” Muslim also relates that the Prophet, upon him be peace, said: “For me to say, ‘Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah…’”