and in which they discuss what attribute-affirming theologians, such as Abū Saʿīd ibn Kullāb, Abū al-Hasan al-Ashʿarī, and others like them, customarily discuss—affirming the attributes and denying corporeality—make this clear, just as these theologians and others like them have explained it concerning these particular attributes known through revelation, such as the face, the two hands, and others.

Among their best-known authors on this subject is Abū al-Hasan ibn al-Zāghūnī, who said in his book al-Īdāh fī Usūl al-Dīn (Clarification of the Foundations of Religion):

“Section. The Creator has described Himself in the Quran with His words, Most High:

‘Wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah.’ [al-Baqarah: 115]

And His words:

‘And there will remain the Face of your Lord, full of majesty and honor (27).’ [al-Rahmān: 27]

And with similar statements in the Book and the Sunnah. This is intended to affirm an attribute designated by a name that conveys something beyond our word ‘Essence.’ The Muʿtazilah hold that what is meant by the face is the Essence; they deny any attribute additional to that.”

He mentioned no disagreement with the Ashʿarīs, since their well-known position is to affirm this attribute.

He said:

“The evidence for this is that established usage among people, and their customary Arabic speech as agreed upon by the authorities on the language, show that the designation ‘face,’ wherever it occurs, whether literally or figuratively, conveys something beyond our word ‘Essence.’ As for living creatures, this is well known as a literal usage that cannot be