The pronoun 'we' as used in the Quran - Oneness and Multiplicity

(In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, all praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger)

In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has referred to Himself as ‘We’, which could have been mistaken with multiplicity. As the Holy Quran is available in different languages, the content of the Quran never changes. It has to be translated in the exact sense of the language to preserve its conformity.

Allah refers to Himself as ‘We’ which is an Arabic way referring to one’s self with respect. The literary Arabic style has to be followed for the same reason that was mentioned before. Look at some verses below:

“So We made it an example to their own time and to their posterity, and a lesson to those who fear Allah.”(Surah Al-Baqara)

“And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you the towering height of Mount (Sinai) (saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: perchance ye may fear Allah."(Surah Al-Baqarah)

These verses are used as an example of how Allah almighty refers to Himself with plurality which in fact is a royal way of communicating with an addressee. The purpose of the multiplicity of the reference is directed towards the Arabs to Glorify Allah Almighty and to refer himself so that the mankind would realize the sovereign nature of Allah Almighty.

The word ‘We’ or any other plural form used by Allah is not signifying any group or a class or a multiple being. In regular Arabic language, the meanings are very much depended on the context. The context decides if the words signify glory, or a grouping. The sovereignty of Allah is unchallenged and absolute. This fact underlies this way of referring Himself like this.

The Quran has Allah’s name in numerous places and every single verse is an indicator of glorification and mention the name of the Almighty with extreme respect and reverence. As Allah Almighty says in the Quran:

“Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself on the Throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil O'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws under His command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be Allah, the cherisher and sustainer of the Worlds!”(Surah Al-Araf)

In this verse Allah Almighty is referring to Himself as a third person which is also the synonymous with the fact that the message that the Almighty has granted us with mentions, the name of the sovereign power and exalts His Absolute power over the Universe in a respectful manner so that mankind would know that it’s the word of the Almighty Himself and He is the most Beneficent and Merciful.