بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Imam al-Qurtubi explains in his tafsir:

“Ibn Abbas explained that when this verse was revealed, the angels remarked, “The people of the earth are perished.” Subsequently, the verse was revealed: “Everything will perish except His Face” [Al-Qasas: 88]. This solidified the angels’ certainty about the impending destruction, as mentioned by Muqatil. The face of grace in the annihilation of creation lies in the equality among them in death, where all feet become leveled. It has also been suggested that the face of grace implies death as the cause of transportation to the abode of reward and recompense, while “the Face of your Lord remains” signifies the enduring existence of God. He has decreed death upon His creation. This is what the knowledgeable scholars among our scholars, such as Ibn Furak and Abu al-Ma’ali, and others, have accepted. Ibn Abbas said: ‘الوجه’ (the Face) refers to Him, as he said: ‘وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ’ (And your Lord’s Face will remain, Owner of Majesty and Honor). Abu al-Ma’ali said: As for ‘الوجه,’ what is meant by it, according to most of our Imams, is the existence of the Most High, which our Shaykh has accepted. Evidence for this is Allah’s statement: ‘وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ’ (And your Lord’s Face will remain), and the attribute of remaining indicates the existence of the Creator when the created faces annihilation.

It has already been mentioned in Al-Baqarah the discussion on this matter, where Allah says: “So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah” [Quran 2:115]. We have already mentioned this in the primary book in Allah’s name. Al-Qushayri said: Some people said: ‘الوجه’ is an additional attribute to the essence without anthropomorphism. Through it, one attains proximity to the Lord for whom honor is intended.

The correct statement is to say: “His Face is His existence and His essence.” It is said: This is the aspect of the matter, the aspect of correctness, and the essence of correctness. It is said: Meaning, what is apparent with its evidence, like the appearance of a person with his face. And it is said: The direction by which one draws near to Allah remains. It is said: “The Possessor of Majesty and Honor,” Majesty meaning greatness, pride, and deserving of qualities of praise. “جل” signifies magnificence and grandeur, while “جلال” is derived from “جل,” meaning His greatness. “الإكرام” means He is deserving to be honored, above what is inappropriate for Him, such as associating partners with Him. It is like saying, “I honor you above this,” and from it comes the honoring of Prophets and saints. We have detailed the linguistic and contextual meanings of these two names in the primary book.

Anas narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Invoke Allah using ‘O Possessor of Majesty and Honor.’” It is reported to be from the words of Ibn Mas’ud, and its meaning is to adhere to it in supplication. Abu Ubaid said: “Al-Ilfaadh” means adhering to something and persisting in it. It is also said: “Al-Ilzhaadh” means insistence. And from Sa’id al-Muqabari: A man persistently supplicated, saying, “O Allah, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor! O Allah, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor!” So we called out to him, “I have heard you, what is your need?”

[Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 20, pg. 132–133]

جَزَاكَ اللهُ خَيْرًا