Remembering Allaah (dhikr) by saying His name by itself
Question

                I heard a student of knowledge mentioning the bida’ (innovations) of the Sufiyyah (Sufism). Amongst them was the innovation of mentioning Allah by his one name. He said that the prophet did not do this, neither did his honoured companions. I am wondering, did not the prophet (PBUH) say a Hadeeth (I do not remember it very well) that means that the hour will not begin as long as there is a slave saying, ‘Allah’ ‘Allah’. This is considered mentioning Allah by His One Name, and the prophet praised, as mentioned, who does this, as he excluded him of the evildoers whom the hour will begin with?.
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    Remembering Allaah by saying His name by itself, whereby the 
    worshipper says “Allaah, Allaah, Allaah,” is one of the bid’ahs 
    (innovations) of dhikr which have been invented by the ignorant Sufis and 
    those who follow them. It was not narrated from the Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from any of the Sahaabah. 

    We have discussed this matter in detail in the answer to 
    questions no. 9389 and 
    26867. 

    Secondly: 

    As for the reports quoted by some as evidence that this dhikr 
    is prescribed, this is a specious argument which does not indicate that this 
    kind of dhikr is prescribed at all. This evidence includes the following: 

    The report narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be 
    pleased with him), that the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be 
    upon him) said: “The Hour will not begin so long as it is said on earth, 
    ‘Allaah, Allaah.’”  

    This hadeeth does not indicate that dhikr means saying the 
    name of Allaah on its own. That is for several reasons: 

    1 – In some reports it says: “The Hour will not begin so long 
    as anyone says ‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah.’” 
This version 
    was narrated by Ahmad in al-Musnad (3/268) and by Ibn Hibbaan in his
    Saheeh (15/262) and al-Haakim (4/540). It is also one of the versions 
    narrated by Muslim, as was narrated by al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad from Ibn Abi Ja’far. 
    See: al-Nawawi, Sharh Muslim (2/178). 

    This version explains the first version. What it means is: 
    the Hour will not come upon those who believe in Tawheed and who say Laa 
    ilaaha ill-Allaah. 

    2 – The hadeeth cannot mean that the Hour will not come upon 
    the one who mentions Allaah by His name on its own, and it will come upon 
    those who mention Him by something other than that. The most that can be 
    said is that it is mustahabb to mention the name of Allaah on its own, but 
    it is not obligatory. How can the matter of salvation from the horror of the 
    onset of the Hour depend on something that is mustahabb? 

    3 – The Arabic language does not help the one who wants to 
    use this as evidence, because the name of Allaah on its own does not carry a 
    complete meaning, and remembrance of Allaah (dhikr) must also convey a sense 
    of praise of Him by mentioning some of His attributes.  

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) 
    said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (10/564): 

    The scholars of Arabic language and all other languages are 
    unanimously agreed that it is not proper to pause after mentioning the name 
    on its own and it is not a complete sentence and it does not convey any 
    meaning. End quote.  

    4 – The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) and the 
    Taabi’een who came after them did not understand from this hadeeth that it 
    is mustahabb to say dhikr by saying the name of Allaah on its own, and it is 
    not narrated that any of them derived this idea from this hadeeth. This is 
    sufficient indication that this idea is invalid. 

    5 – There are numerous scholarly comments about the meaning 
    of the hadeeth, but it is not narrated that any of them understood it as 
    referring to dhikr by saying the name of Allaah on its own. 

    Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Sharh 
    Muslim (2/178): 

    “says ‘Allaahu, Allaahu’” [i.e., nominative case] Some people 
    make a mistake and do not add the vowel at the end. End quote. 

    Al-Teebi said, as mentioned in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi 
    (6/375): 

    What is meant by “so long as it is said” is so long as the 
    name of Allaah is mentioned and He is worshipped. End quote. 

    Al-Manaawi said in Fayd al-Qadeer (6/417): 

    It does not mean that this word will not be spoken, rather it 
    means that Allaah will not be remembered in a true sense, and it is as if 
    the Hour will not begin when there is any perfect man on earth, or it is a 
    metaphor for there being no denunciation in the heart of evil, because 
    usually when a person denounces evil he says “Allaah, Allaah” in expression 
    of his disgust. So what is meant is that the Hour will not come when there 
    is still anyone who denounces evil. End quote. 

    Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in 
    Fataawa Jeddah (tape no. 6/minute 60): 

    This does not mean that the Muslim should sit remembering 
    Allaah by saying His name on its own, so he says one hundred times “Allaah, 
    Allaah, Allaah,” as is done by many tareeqahs. Its explanation is given in 
    the report narrated by Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad: “The Hour will not 
    begin so long as there is anyone on the face of the earth who says Laa 
    ilaaha ill-Allaah. 

    The mention of the name on its own in the first report is a 
    metaphor for Tawheed, and what that means is that the Hour will not begin 
    whilst there is still anyone on the face of the earth who worships Allaah. 

    This is stated clearly in the hadeeth of Abu Sam’aan that is 
    narrated in Saheeh Muslim, in which it says that when Allaah, may He 
    be glorified and exalted, wants the Hour to begin, He will send a good wind 
    which will take the soul of every believer, and there will be no one left on 
    the face of the earth except the most evil of mankind, and upon them the 
    Hour will come. 

    This dhikr is no more than something that is mustahabb, and 
    will the Hour come upon those who omit something mustahabb?! Do you mean 
    that if the Muslims continue to do all their obligatory duties and adhere to 
    sound belief, but they omit this mustahabb matter, the Hour will come upon 
    them?! End quote. 

    And Allaah knows best.