Pivotal Excerpt
❝Under the category of nouns, there are Ḍamā’ir (pronouns) such as (انا) “Ana” (I or Me) for singular, and (نحن) “Naḥnu” which can be used by one person to refer to themselves, indicating Taʿẓīm – Greatness, Respect and Glorification. It can be used, likewise, as a plural. In the Qur’ān, we find it in the verse:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
“Indeed, We revealed the Reminder (Qur’ān) and indeed We will preserve it.” [Sūrah Al- Ḥijr: 15:09]
Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) is using “Naḥnu Littaʿẓīm” for glorification and indicating His Greatness.❞
Question and Answer [2:50 Mins]
Question:
When I read the Qur’ān, I see that Allāh refers to Himself as “We” many times (Like in the verse in Sūrah Al-Naba’ 78:08). Why is this?
Answer:
The answer to this question is very simple. It requires us to just look at the Arabic language for a moment. The Arabic language is a beautiful language that every Muslim should try to learn because it is the key to understanding the Qur’ān and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. After all, the Qur’ān was revealed in Arabic.
The Arabic language comprises of three types of words,
- (اسم) an “Ism” (a noun),
- (فعل) a Fiʿl (a verb), and
- حرف)) a “Ḥarf” (a letter).
Under the category of nouns, there are Ḍamā’ir (pronouns) such as (انا) “Ana” (I or Me) for singular, and (نحن) “Naḥnu” which can be used by one person to refer to themselves, indicating Taʿẓīm – Greatness, Respect and Glorification. It can be used, likewise, as a plural. In the Qur’ān, we find it in the verse:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
“Indeed, We revealed the Reminder (Qur’ān) and indeed We will preserve it.” [Sūrah Al- Ḥijr: 15:09]
Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) is using “Naḥnu Littaʿẓīm” for glorification and indicating His Greatness.
Linguistically, we even find this in the English language. Previously, Kings and Queens would use what is known as the “Royal We”. The King would obviously be one person or individual, but he would use “we” to refer to himself, even though there was only one person speaking. Allāh (عز وجل) says in the Qur’ān:
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَىٰ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
“For Allāh is the highest description and He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.” [Sūrah Al-Naḥl 16: 60]