BENEFIT 505: Ta’wīl in the Context of Āyāt Not Pertaining to Divine Attributes

The questioner says regarding the saying of Allāh, the Exalted: “So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allāh” [2:115]: Why is the Ta'weel/interpretation of Face in this Āyah taken to mean facing the Qiblah, whereas in other Āyāt it is not interpreted this way? This is the claim of the innovators who distort the concept of the Face (of Allāh). Sheikh Yahya ḥafidhahullāh: This Āyah is not understood to establish the Attribute of the Face; rather, this Attribute is derived from other evidences, such as: “And the Face of your Lord, full of Majesty and Honour, will remain forever” [55:27], and “except seeking the Face of his Lord, the Most High; and He will be pleased” [92:20], among other evidences. [Phrases in the Sunnah] such as “seeking the Face of Allāh” or “...done seeking the Face of Allāh, except that Allāh will elevate you thereby in rank and honour”—in the context of spending in charity. These evidences establish the Attribute of the Face. Therefore, the statement “So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allāh” was interpreted to mean facing the Qiblah, in the sense that when a person stands to pray, he directs himself toward Allāh’s Face, as mentioned in the hadith reported from Al-Harith Al-Ash‘ari, may Allāh be pleased with him. It is said that one should follow what the Salaf said, adhering to the evidence, rather than relying on rational speculation or personal opinions. https://t.me/almanhajussalafi/2033