What is the ruling on one who says, "O the Gentleness of Allah, O the Face of Allah"?
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The questioner : What is your opinion regarding some people saying, "O the Gentleness of Allah, O the Face of Allah"?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : O the Gentleness of Allah.
The Shaykh : O what?
The questioner : O the Gentleness of Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : O the Face of Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes, if he says only "O the Gentleness of Allah" and does not say "Be gentle with me," there is no harm, because the "ya" here is for wishing, meaning I wish for the gentleness of Allah. But if he says "O the Face of Allah," he is seeking Allah the Exalted, because Allah is described by His Face as His Essence, as Allah the Exalted said:[Ar-Rahman 55:27].
The important point is that since the Face is used to refer to the Essence, and the Face is established as a reality, it is permissible to say "O the Face of Allah" when calling upon Allah the Exalted. As for gentleness, it is an abstract attribute. If he limits himself to saying "O the Gentleness of Allah," meaning I wish for the gentleness of Allah, there is nothing wrong with it. But if he calls upon the attribute itself, saying "O the Gentleness of Allah, be gentle with me" or "forgive me," that is not permissible.
Rather, the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Calling upon one of the attributes of Allah is disbelief by consensus". Yes.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : O the Gentleness of Allah.
The Shaykh : O what?
The questioner : O the Gentleness of Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : O the Face of Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes, if he says only "O the Gentleness of Allah" and does not say "Be gentle with me," there is no harm, because the "ya" here is for wishing, meaning I wish for the gentleness of Allah. But if he says "O the Face of Allah," he is seeking Allah the Exalted, because Allah is described by His Face as His Essence, as Allah the Exalted said:
And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.
وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِThe important point is that since the Face is used to refer to the Essence, and the Face is established as a reality, it is permissible to say "O the Face of Allah" when calling upon Allah the Exalted. As for gentleness, it is an abstract attribute. If he limits himself to saying "O the Gentleness of Allah," meaning I wish for the gentleness of Allah, there is nothing wrong with it. But if he calls upon the attribute itself, saying "O the Gentleness of Allah, be gentle with me" or "forgive me," that is not permissible.
Rather, the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Calling upon one of the attributes of Allah is disbelief by consensus". Yes.