Intermediate
Rhetoric
Surah: Al-Hijr (9)
Plural Pronouns in the Quran — "Inna" and "Nahnu" as the Pronoun of Majesty
إِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ
— الحجر الآية 9
The question:
The Quran uses first-person plural pronouns — "We," "Indeed We," "We revealed," "We created" — referring to Allah alone.
Why the plural?
This is what rhetoricians call "the pronoun of majesty" (damir al-azamah) — a classical Arabic form used by the powerful to indicate their greatness and capability, not plurality.
Evidence it indicates majesty, not plurality:
The Quran uses first-person plural pronouns — "We," "Indeed We," "We revealed," "We created" — referring to Allah alone.
Why the plural?
This is what rhetoricians call "the pronoun of majesty" (damir al-azamah) — a classical Arabic form used by the powerful to indicate their greatness and capability, not plurality.
Evidence it indicates majesty, not plurality:
- The Quran alternates between plural and singular in consecutive verses: "Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed We are its Guardian." (15:9) — then uses singular forms nearby.
- Explicit singular statements: "And your God is one God" (2:163); "Say: He is Allah, the One." (112:1)
Source: Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjani, Dala'il al-I'jaz (p.401); Al-Tabari, Tafsir (1/63); Al-Razi, Mafatih al-Ghayb (1/167)
Test Yourself
What is meant by the "pronoun of majesty" in the Quran? How is the argument from it for the Trinity refuted?
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