One of distinctive phenomena of the Quran is blocking the way in the face of ideological and doctrinal deflection. In the Quran, there is a single Verse sufficient enough to reveal falsity of their faith of resting upon the extrinsic meanings of aspects of texts regarding the divine attributes. It is God's saying, (Everything is perishable saving His face. 28:88). What should Wahabists and anthropomorphists, their forefathers, argue about this Verse? Should they pursue majority of Muslims who stress that 'His face' is metaphoric which stands for 'his essence' or 'his prophets and their disciples'? Or should they importunately insist on claiming the statement's proposing physical face, and claiming that Allah, the Exalted, will be terminated totally except His face?! Glory and exaltation be to Allah against their imputation.
On this very point, ship of Wahabists and anthropomorphists break down, and all its engines stand still. Although they are stormed and drowned to the chins, they keep up their insistence on their controversy, challenging the result, whatever it shall be. We seek God's guardian against their sayings.
They said, "Termination will affect Allah, the Exalted, totally except His face. For solving this problem, they repeated the same, "He terminates in a form fitting His glory, and perishes in a form fitting his glory."
Keeping on path of transgression, they denied that any of the worthy ancestors had interpreted 'His face' into 'His essence' or 'His prophets.' They denied reports registered in AlBukhari's book so that falsity of their faith should not be emerged, and aberrance and atheism of AlBukhari should not be proved for them.
The story is, herewith, introduced totally:
AlAlbani's AlFetawi, page 522:
Q. Before I introduce my variant questions, I would like to provide this question which I could not attach with the other. Yesterday, I mentioned that AlBukhari, in his book of hadith, records that 'His face' in the Verse, (Everything is perishable except His face.), was interpreted into 'His property'. As a matter of fact, I quoted this claim from a book written by Ahmed Isam and named Dirasetun Tahliliyatun Li EqidetibniHajar. I still claim this man communicates this relation authentically. However, I would like to introduce before you the following implication mentioned in the forecited book,
"AlBukhari interpreted 'face' mentioned in God's saying, (Everything is perishable except His face) of sura of Qassas, into 'His property' or 'What is only offered for the sake of Allah'. Regarding the earlier interpretation, it was cited by AlHafiz in a narrative related by AnNesfi. Muemmar Abu Ubeida Bin AlMuthenna, in his MejazulQuran, states that 'His face' stands for 'His Person'."
Today, I myself referred to FetihulBari Fi Sharhi SahihilBukhari and other books explaining AlBukhari's reference book of hadith. Surprisingly, I could not perceive any signal of that text ascribed to AlBukahri. It seems that Ahmed Isam intends to state that the matter involved in situated in AnNesfi's narrative communicated by AlBukhari. Would you please provide us with your reply on this question?
A. Our reply has been previously cited.
Q. I only intend to explicate so in order that I should not impute such words to AlBukhari.
A. Well, may God reward you worthily.
Q. You have heard me raise doubt to the matter that AlBukhari might say such statement that the meaning of 'face' in God's saying, (And there will endure for ever the [face] of your Lord, the Lord of glory and honor.), is property.
A. O brother! A believer Muslim should never state such words!
Q. I also said that this statement is available in certain versions of books commentating on AlBukhari's reference book of hadith.
A. Then, the answer is already provided. May God reward you worthily for your wording about emphasis that AlBukhari's reference book is barren from such an interpretation which is core of Tatilism denuding the Lord from His entire divine attributes, for ruling of nonexistence.
Q. It seems there is a part of such a statement in FetihulBari Fi Sharhi SahihilBukhari. As much as I retain, I could find such an evidentiary argumentation in a certain point in the book to which a friend of mine lead me. This asserts that some versions of the book comprise this statement. I argued that existing things are only Allah, the Exalted, and His creatures. Considering 'face' stands for 'property', what shall be perishing, then?
A. O brother! Invalidity of this matter needs an evidentiary argument. The most important thing, however, is saving AlBukhari from claims of interpreting the Verse. AlBukhari is a head master in hadithology and theology. Thanks to God, his faith is following the worthy ancestors.
These were words of AlAlbani, the most leading Wahabist in hadithology.
It is noticeable that it is not problematic for Sheik AlAlbani to rest upon the extrinsic physical meaning of 'face' mentioned in God's saying, (Everything is perishable except His face). He undertakes that everything, including his god's hand, foot, side and every organ, is perishable except the face.
For AlAlbani, this horrible saying and disastrous calamity, which is refuted even by the Jew and Christian corporalists a part of whom is still kept by AlAlbani in Syria, is not the problem. He states that the real problem is saving AlBukhari, his acquaintance, from claim of interpreting the divine attributes, since, as Ibn Teimiya expresses, this deed is deemed unlawful and reckoned as the most dangerous ill sayings of the heretic and atheists. AlAlbani describes it as 'core of Tatilism and aberrance', and 'a believer Muslim should never state such words!' AlBukhari, however, is a believer Muslim.
I doubted AlAlbani's words about AlBukhari. While I was taking a review on AlBukhari's reference book of hadith, I found what that 'connoisseur hadithist, the retainer and tutor of AlBukhari's reference book of hadith' had just negated and raised AlBukhari against, was recorded on page 17, part 6 of that reference book. Instead of a single interpretation of the Verse, there are various sorts of interpretation written there.
AlBukhari's book of hadith, part 6 page 17:
'His face' mentioned in God's saying, (Everything is perishable except His face.), stands of His property. Some interpreted into 'what is intended for the sake of Allah.'…
Ibn Hajar's FetihulBari Fi Sharhi SahihilBukhari, part 9 page 410:
'Face' mentioned in God's saying, (Everything is perishable except His face.), in sura of Qassas, is interpreted into 'His property' or 'What is offered only for the sake of Allah'. Regarding the earlier interpretation, it was cited by AlHafiz in a narrative related by AnNesfi. Muemmar Abu Ubeida Bin AlMuthenna, in his MejazulQuran, states that 'His face' stands for 'His Person'.
AtTabari relates these very meanings to some linguists. AlFerra records the same.
IbnutTin: Abu Ubeida states: 'Face' stands for God's glory. Some mention God's Person. The Arabic saying 'God may honor your face' means 'God honor you.'.
AtTabari relates the interpretation of 'face' into 'what is offered only for the sake of God' to some linguists. The same is related by Ibn Abi Hatem to Khassif to Mujahid and Sufian AtThawri. Both said, "God's face implies what is intended only for the sake of Allah; like virtuous deeds and the like."
Different opinions, depending upon the sect, were introduced for these questions. Some permitted accrediting the expression 'thing' to Allah. They assert that the exception in the Verse involved is connected to the previous sentence. Hence, 'face' stands for 'person'. The Arab, however, used to use the most dignified part for expressing the whole substance. Others impermitted ascribing the expression 'thing' to Allah. They claim exception in the Verse is separated. This makes meaning of the Verse be the following, "But Allah is not perishable." Others claim 'face' stands for 'what is done only for the sake of Allah'.
The statement, then, is recorded in AlBukhari's reference book. Revisers of that book asserted this fact. It is originally refutable to ascribe the statement to Muemmar. AlBukhari himself emphasized that Muemmar said that 'His face' stands for 'His Person'.
From this cause, we do suggest to AlAlbani, Bin Baz and the somewhat fair Wahabists to opt for interpretation so that they would not be having to decided termination of their god to the neck, saving the face, and aberrance or atheism of AlBukhari for committing the offense of interpreting the divine attributes. Will they accept our suggestion?!
