Is the Face of God Created or Everlasting?

It is not that they are already passing away, but that they are destined to pass away, by the will of annihilation.

The Face of God is God’s religion and His proofs.

The Lord’s will is set upon the abiding of “the Face of God”; and His will that “all other than the Face of God” perish will be fulfilled whenever He so desires.

Nothing is independent; all things come to pass by His will, whether through effacement or confirmation!

Al-Raʿd: 39 يَمْحُوا اللَّهُ ما يَشاءُ وَ يُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتابِ
God effaces whatever He wills and confirms whatever He wills; with Him is the Mother of the Book!

ٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ السَّلَامِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ الْهَرَوِيِّ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا ع يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا تَقُولُ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي يَرْوِيهِ أَهْلُ الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَزُورُونَ رَبَّهُمْ مِنْ مَنَازِلِهِمْ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَقَالَ ع يَا أَبَا الصَّلْتِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فَضَّلَ نَبِيَّهُ Muhammad [مُحَمَّداً] ص عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ جَعَلَ طَاعَتَهُ طَاعَتَهُ وَ مُتَابَعَتَهُ مُتَابَعَتَهُ وَ زِيَارَتَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ زِيَارَتَهُ فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطاعَ اللَّهَ وَ قَالَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُبايِعُونَكَ إِنَّما يُبايِعُونَ اللَّهَ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص مَنْ زَارَنِي فِي حَيَاتِي أَوْ بَعْدَ مَوْتِي فَقَدْ زَارَ اللَّهَ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ وَ دَرَجَةُ النَّبِيِّ ص فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَرْفَعُ الدَّرَجَاتِ فَمَنْ زَارَهُ إِلَى دَرَجَتِهِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ فَقَدْ زَارَ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَمَا مَعْنَى الْخَبَرِ الَّذِي رَوَوْهُ أَنَّ ثَوَابَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ النَّظَرُ إِلَى وَجْهِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ ع يَا أَبَا الصَّلْتِ مَنْ وَصَفَ اللَّهَ بِوَجْهٍ كَالْوُجُوهِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَ لَكِنَّ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ أَنْبِيَاؤُهُ وَ رُسُلُهُ وَ حُجَجُهُ ص هُمُ الَّذِينَ بِهِمْ يُتَوَجَّهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ إِلَى دِينِهِ وَ مَعْرِفَتِهِ وَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْها فانٍ وَ يَبْقى‏ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ وَ قَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ هالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ فَالنَّظَرُ إِلَى أَنْبِيَاءِ اللَّهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ وَ حُجَجِهِ ع‏ فِي دَرَجَاتِهِمْ ثَوَابٌ عَظِيمٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ قَدْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص مَنْ أَبْغَضَ أَهْلَ بَيْتِي وَ عِتْرَتِي لَمْ يَرَنِي وَ لَمْ أَرَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة
Al-Amālī (al-Ṣadūq), text, p. 460

Imam al-Riḍā (peace be upon him)—ʿAbd al-Salām ibn Ṣāliḥ al-Harawī relates: I said to Imam al-Riḍā (peace be upon him): “… O son of the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family)! What is the meaning of this report, in which it is said that ‘the reward for saying “There is no god but God” is to gaze upon the face of God Most High’?” He replied: “O Abā al-Ṣalt! Whoever describes God as having a face like other faces has, in truth, disbelieved. Rather, the face of God Most High is His prophets, messengers and proofs—may God’s blessings be upon them all. It is through them that a person turns towards God, Mighty and Glorious, and is guided to His religion and knowledge of Him. God Most High has said: کُل مَنْ عَلیْهَا فَانٍ، و یَبْقَی وجْهُ رَبِّکَ And He has also said: Everything shall perish except His [holy] Essence (al-Qaṣaṣ: 88). Thus, for the believers, gazing upon God’s prophets, messengers and proofs (peace be upon them) in their station on the Day of Resurrection is a great reward. The Prophet (may God bless him and his family) indeed said: ‘Whoever bears enmity towards my family and my progeny will not see me on the Day of Resurrection, nor will I see him.’”