وَهَذَاAnd thisمَعْنَىmeaningصَحِيحٌcorrectمُوَافِقٌconformableلَظَاهِرِto the apparentالْآيَةِverse
And this is a correct meaning that conforms to the apparent meaning of the verse.
وَالْمَعْنَىAnd the meaningالْأَوَّلُthe firstلَاdoes notيُخَالِفُهُoppose itفِيinالْوَاقِعِreality
And the first meaning does not oppose it in reality.
إِذَاIfقُلْنَاwe sayفَثَمَّthen there isجِهَةٌa directionاللَّهُAllahوَكَانَand there wasهُنَاكَthereدَلِيلٌevidenceسَوَاءٌwhetherكَانَwasهَذَاthisالدَّلِيلُevidenceتَفْسِيرَinterpretationالْآيَةِof the verseالثَّانِيَةِthe secondفِيinالْوَجْهِthe contextالثَّانِيthe secondأَوْorكَانَwasالدَّلِيلُthe evidenceمَاwhatجَاءَتْcameبِهِwith itالسُّنَّةُthe SunnahفَإِنَّكَFor youإِذَاifتَوَجَّهْتَyou turnإِلَىtowardsاللَّهِAllahفِيinصَلَاتِكَyour prayerفَهِيَthen it isجِهَةٌa directionاللَّهِAllahالَّتِيto whichيَقْبَلُacceptsاللَّهُAllahصَلَاتَكَyour prayerإِلَيْهَاto itفَثَمَّthen there isأَيْضًاalsoوَجْهٌthe faceاللَّهِof Allahحَقًّاindeed
If we say that there is a direction, Allah, and there was evidence, whether this evidence is the interpretation of the second verse in the second context, or if the evidence is what the Sunnah brought; for when you turn to Allah in your prayer, it is the direction that Allah accepts your prayer towards; then there is, indeed, the face of Allah as well.
وَحِينَئِذٍAnd thenيَكُونُit becomesالْمَعْنَيَانِthe two meaningsلَاnotيَتَنَافَيَانِcontradict
And then the two meanings do not contradict each other.
وَاعْلَمْAnd knowأَنَّthatهَذَاthisالْوَجْهُthe faceالْعَظِيمُthe greatالْمَوْصُوفُdescribedبِالْجَلاَلِby majestyوَالْإكْرَامِand honorوَجْهٌfaceلَاcannotيُمْكِنُbe encompassedالإِحَاطَةُcomprehensionبِهِof itوَصْفًاin descriptionوَلَاnorيُمْكِنُbe graspedالإِحَاطَةُencompassبِهِof itتَصَوُّرًاin conceptionبَلْratherكُلُّeverythingشَيْءٍthingتَقْدِرُهُyou predicateفَإِنَّfor indeedاللَّهَAllahتَعَالَىMost Highفَوْقَaboveذَلكَthatوَأَعْظَمُand greaterكَمَاasقَالَHe saidتَعَالَىMost Highوَلَاand do notيُحِيطُونَthey encompassبِهِwith Himعِلْمًاknowledge
And know that this great face described by majesty and honor is a face that cannot be encompassed by description nor can it be grasped in conception; rather, everything you can attribute, Allah Most High is above that and greater, as He Most High said: "And they do not encompass Him in knowledge."
فَإِنْIfقِيلَit is saidمَاwhatالْمُرَادُis meantبِالْوَجْهِby the faceفِيinقَوْلِهِHis sayingكُلُّeverythingشَيْءٍthingهَالِكٌperishingإِلَّاexceptوَجْهُهُHis face[الْقَصَصِ: ٨٨]؟[Al-Qasas: 88]?
If it is said, 'What is meant by the face in His saying: "Everything is perishing except His face" [Al-Qasas: 88]?
إِنْIfقُلْتَyou saidالْمُرَادُthe meaningبِالْوَجْهِby faceالذَّاتُthe essenceفَيُخْشَىIt is fearedأَنْthat it may beحُرِّفَتْalteredوَإِنْAnd ifأَرَدْتَyou meantبِالْوَجْهِby faceنَفْسَthe sameالَّصِفَةِattributeأَيْضًاalsoوَقَعْتَyou have fallenفِيinمَحْظُورٍprohibitionوَهُوَand it isمَاwhatذَهَبَwentإِلَيْهِto itبَعْضٌsomeمِنْofلَاnotيُقَدِّرُونَunderstandاللَّهَAllahحَقًّاtruthfulقَدْرُهُHis dueحَيْثُwhereقَالُواthey saidإِنَّthat indeedاللَّهَAllahيَفْنَىperishesإِلَّاexceptوَجْهَهُHis faceفَمَاذَاthen whatتَصْنَعُdo you do
If you say the meaning of the face is the essence, it is feared that it may be altered. And if you meant by face the attribute itself, you have fallen into prohibition, which is what some who do not understand Allah's due said, where they said: 'Indeed, Allah perishes except for His face; so what will you do?'
فَالجَوَابُThe answerإِنَّis thatأَرَدْتَyou meantبِقَوْلِكَby sayingإِلَّاexceptذَاتَهُHis essenceيَعْنِيmeansأَنَّthatاللَّهَAllahتَعَالَىThe Most HighيَبْقَىremainsهُوَHeنَفْسَهُHimselfمَعَwithإِثْبَاتِestablishingالْوَجْهَthe faceلِلَّهِfor Allahفَهَذَاthen thisصَحِيحٌis correctوَيَكُونُand it isهُنَاhereعَبَّرَتْexpressedبِالْوَجْهِby the faceعَنْaboutالذَّاتِthe essenceلِمَنْfor someoneلَهُhe has
The answer is that if you meant by saying 'except' His essence; it means that Allah Most High remains Himself with affirming the face for Allah; then this is correct, and here 'face' is expressed as 'the essence' for someone who has a face.
وَإِنْAnd ifأَرَدْتَyou meantبِقَوْلِكَby sayingالذَّاتُthe substanceأَنْthatالْوَجْهُthe faceعِبَارَةٌis a statementعَنْaboutالذَّاتِthe essence
And if you meant by saying that the face is a statement about the essence; this is another interpretation.