to the man whom he taught the supplication to recite before sleep:

“O Allah, I have submitted myself to You and turned my face towards You.”

Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl said:

“I have submitted my face to Him
To whom the clouds submit, bearing water sweet and pure.”

These, then, are three expressions: “he submitted his face,” “he turned his face,” and “he set his face aright.”

The early Quran commentators explained the words of Allah Most High, “submits his face,” as meaning that he devotes his religion and deeds sincerely to Allah. Some said that he entrusts his affairs to Allah; it has also been explained as submitting and humbling himself before Allah. This third interpretation is appropriate to the intransitive use of “submit.” For his “face” is his intention and orientation, which form the foundation of his deeds. This is the action of his heart, which has command over his body. When his heart turns towards something, his face follows, turning towards it as well. Thus the intention, which is primary and proceeds from the heart—the foundation of action—brings with it the dependent action of the face and the rest of the body, which likewise follow. He has therefore submitted his inward and outward deeds, and his inward and outward organs, to Allah: that is, he has surrendered them to Him and devoted them sincerely to Him. The same meaning is conveyed by the intransitive use of “submit,” as in His words:

“I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds.”

And His words concerning Bilqīs:

“Indeed, I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”

And His words concerning Abraham and Ishmael:

“Our Lord, make us both submissive to You, and from our descendants a community submissive to You.”

That is, obedient and sincere in their devotion.

Likewise, turning one’s face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth means directing one’s intention, will, and worship towards Him. This brings the face and the other bodily members with it. Otherwise, merely turning the bodily organ, without any action of the heart, achieves nothing.