There are certain phrases in praise of God that are favored by Muslims , including " Subḥān Allāh " ( Holiness am to God ) , " al @-@ ḥamdu lillāh " ( Praise be to God ) , " lā ilāha illā Allāh " ( There is no deity but God ) and " Allāhu akbar " ( God is greater ) as a devotional exercise of remembering God ( dhikr ) . In a Sufi practice known as dhikr Allah ( lit. remembrance of God ) , the Sufi repeats and contemplates on the name Allah or other divine names while controlling his or her breath .