[Submitting One’s Face to Allah and Ihsan Are the Two Foundations of the Sharia]

The verb is also used transitively when joined with ihsan (excellence), as in the Almighty’s words:

“They say, ‘None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.’ Those are their wishful fancies. Say, ‘Produce your proof, if you are truthful.’ 111 On the contrary, whoever submits his face to Allah while excelling in deeds shall have his reward with his Lord; no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.” 112 (Surah al-Baqarah, 111–112)

And His words:

“Who could have a better religion than one who submits his face to Allah while excelling in deeds and follows the way of Abraham, pure in faith? Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend.” (Surah al-Nisāʾ, 125)

Here Allah negates the possibility of any religion being better than this—namely, submitting one’s face to Allah together with ihsan—and He declares that every person who submits his face to Allah while excelling in deeds shall have his reward with his Lord; no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve. This all-inclusive statement refutes the claim of those who pretended that no one would enter Paradise except a Jew or a Christian.

These two qualities—submitting the face to Allah and ihsan—are the two previously mentioned foundations: that a deed be done sincerely for Allah and that it be correct, in accordance with the Sunnah and the Sharia. Submitting the face to Allah inherently carries the sense of turning one’s aim and intention wholly toward Him, as one of the pious said:

I seek Allah’s pardon for a sin whose count I cannot know;
Lord of the servants—toward Him are the face and the deed.

Four expressions are employed here: “submitting the face,” and “setting the face aright,” as in the Almighty’s saying,

“And set your faces aright at every mosque.” (Surah al-Aʿrāf, 29)