Explanation of the Book of Tawhid-09a

The reciter: The chapter on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Qutaybah ibn Sa'id narrated to us, saying: Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us from Amr from Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: لما نزلت هذه الآية : قل هو القادر على أن يبعث عليكم عذابا من فوقكم قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : أعوذ بوجهك أو قال من تحت أرجلكم فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : أعوذ بوجهك قال أو يلبسكم شيعا فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : هذا أيسر When this verse was revealed: "Say: He is the One who is able to send down upon you a punishment from above you," the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I seek refuge in Your Face," or he said: "Or from beneath your feet," and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I seek refuge in Your Face." He said: "Or He will cause you to be divided into factions," and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is the easiest."

The Shaykh : Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The chapter on the saying of Allah the Exalted: "perishing" means vanishing, except the Face of Allah. The intended meaning of "perishing" is being subject to perishing, even if it does not actually perish. Therefore, among the created things are some that do not perish and do not cease, such as Paradise, the Fire, the soul, and whatever Allah (Mighty and Majestic) wills. So the intended meaning of "perishing" here is either actually perishing or being subject to perishing, except the Face of Allah. The exegetes differed regarding His saying: It was said that what is intended by it is His Face. On this view, the meaning of the verse is that everything a person does or performs has no benefit in it except what is intended for the Face of Allah. These scholars supported their view with the saying of the Exalted: He said: This is the command for sincerity, so "except what is intended for His Face" means except what is pure. This undoubtedly has a valid aspect in terms of the context of the verse. It was also said that the intended meaning is meaning vanishing and ceasing, except the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). On the first view, the perishing is conceptual, and on the second view, the perishing is physical, except the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).