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 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)
Theological warning: Some early Christians cited the plural pronoun to argue for the Trinity. The response: this construction exists in Arabic and other languages as a form of majesty, not plurality — similar to the "Royal We" in English.
Question: What is meant by the "pronoun of majesty" in the Quran? How is the argument from it for the Trinity refuted?
Answer: Pronoun of majesty: a classical Arabic form used by the mighty to indicate power, not plurality. Refutation: the Quran itself declares oneness explicitly — "one God" and "Ahad" — so the plural is for majesty.