The arab god... singular or plural

by Elsewhere 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  Elsewhere

  I was looking around on the ArabNews.com web site and I found the following "question from a reader"...

  The person writing the answer sounds a lot like a JW... "Oh no... just because god refers to himself in the plural does NOT mean he really is."

  Sadly, the very next QFR is where someone is wondering if it is ok to raise his hands while saying a prayer. I'm reminded of the legalistic BS of the Organization. Does this guy really think that his god gives a rats ass about the position of his hands while praying???

  http://www.arabnews.com/?page=5§ion=0&article=43211&d=18&m=4&y=2004

  Qur?anic References to God Edited by Adil Salahi

  Q. I have noticed when reading the Qur?an that God refers to Himself in the plural form ?We?. I know that Judaism and Christianity accept the plural formula in referring to God. Islam, on the other hand, insists on God?s oneness. Please explain. Brian Foust A. Your observation is correct. God often refers to Himself in the plural form, and this form is often interchangeable with its singular counterpart. There is no problem with that, because we treat this in the same way as the usage of the royal ?we? in many languages. It is often the case that a reigning monarch uses the plural form in referring to himself, or herself. While we are not comparing monarchs to God, for nothing bears any similarity to God, the usage of the pronoun is the same. The usage of the plural form does not imply any sense of plurality, and it has no particular benefit as far as God is concerned. However, it benefits the addressees, i.e. human beings, because it generates a stronger sense of God?s greatness and His control of all matters in the universe. On hearing it, a Muslim does not feel any sense of anyone being in a relationship of partnership with God. Yet he feels that God is too great to be fully comprehended by us. Prayer Positions and Movements. Q. In our home country people are taught not to raise their hands during prayer, while I have come across several Hadiths which suggest that this is a Sunnah. Could you please explain. Similarly, women are taught to put their arms on the ground when they prostrate themselves in prayer, while this is a posture the Prophet (peace be upon him) disapproved of. Please comment. N. Malik A. In your country the Hanafi school of Fiqh is followed, and it disapproves of raising the hands during prayer. Other schools recommend it on the basis of certain authentic Hadiths. The discrepancy results from the fact that the Hanafi scholars were not aware of these Hadiths. Now that people can be more aware of Hadiths, they should follow them, as the founders of these schools strongly urged, saying: ?If you come across an authentic Hadith, then implement it because I uphold the view it states.? Women pray in the same way as men, except that they should keep their bodies closer. This does not mean that they put their arms on the floor, but rather they should be kept close to their main bodies.
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  grows1

  This is what I found when perusing the Koran by topic.

  The Koran

  On Creation and on GOD

  Creation of everything

  - in due measure and proportion 54:49

  - in opposite duality 36:36,43:12,51:49

  4:41. But how (will it be with them) when We bring of every people a witness, and We bring thee (O Muhammad) a witness against these?

  16:40. And Our word unto a thing, when We intend it, is only that We say unto it: Be! and it is.

  17:71. On the day when We shall summon all men with their record, whoso is given his book in his right hand - such will read their book and they will not be wronged a shred.

  21:47. And We set a just balance for the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We bring it. And We suffice for reckoners.

  21:48. And We verily gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion (of right and wrong) and a light and a Reminder for those who keep from evil,

  21:30. Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?

  21:31. And We have placed in the earth firm hills lest it quake with them, and We have placed therein ravines as roads that haply they may find their way.

  21:32. And we have made the sky a roof withheld (from them). Yet they turn away from its portents.

  21:34. We appointed immortality for no mortal before thee. What! if thou diest, can they be immortal!

  21:35. Every soul must taste of death, and We try you with evil and with good, for ordeal. And unto Us ye will be returned.

  21:36. And when those who disbelieve behold thee, they but choose thee out for mockery, (saying): Is this he who maketh mention of your gods? And they would deny all mention of the Beneficent.

  26:208. And We destroyed no township but it had its warners 26:209. For reminder, for We never were oppressors.

  36:65. This day We seal up their mouths, and their hands speak out to Us and their feet bear witness as to what they used to earn.

  36:66. And had We willed, We verily could have quenched their eyesight so that they should struggle for the way. Then how could they have seen?

  36:67. And had We willed, We verily could have fixed them in their place, making them powerless to go forward or turn back.

  41:39. And of His portents (is this): that thou seest the earth lowly, but when We send down water thereon it thrilleth and groweth. Lo! He Who quickeneth it is verily the Quickener of the Dead. Lo! He is Able to do all things.

  41:40. Lo! those who distort Our revelations are not hid from Us. Is he who is hurled into the Fire better, or he who cometh secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do what ye will. Lo! He is Seer of what ye do.

  42:52. And thus have We inspired in thee (Muhammad) a Spirit of Our command. Thou knewest not what the Scripture was, nor what the Faith. But We have made it a light whereby We guide whom We will of Our bondmen. And lo! thou verily dost guide unto a right path,

  43:55. So, when they angered Us, We punished them and drowned them every one.

  43:56. And We made them a thing past, and an example for those after (them).

  43:57. And when the son of Mary is quoted as an example, behold! the folk laugh out,

  43:58. And say: Are our gods better, or is he? They raise not the objection save for argument. Nay! but they are a contentious folk.

  43:59. He is nothing but a slave on whom We bestowed favour, and We made him a pattern for the Children of Israel.

  43:60. And had We willed We could have set among you angels to be viceroys in the earth.

  50:30. On the day when We say unto hell: Art thou filled? and it saith: Can there be more to come?

  51:47. We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof).

  51:48. And the earth have We laid out, how gracious is the Spreader (thereof)!

  51:49. And all things We have created by pairs, that haply ye may reflect

  76: 2. Lo! We create man from a drop of thickened fluid to test him; so We make him hearing, knowing.

  76: 3. Lo! We have shown him the way, whether he be grateful or disbelieving

  95: 4. Surely We created man of the best stature

  Pickthal's Quran Translations

  (Who is the WE in these verses if the Divineness of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are not being expressed here as being of and in the ONENESS of the GODHEAD) ??????????

  This is a tract that I use to approach Muslims. Gives them something to think about.
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  dh

  The person writing the answer sounds a lot like a JW... "Oh no... just because god refers to himself in the plural does NOT mean he really is."

  just a point about using the term 'we'... in households in south asia & arabia it is normal for elders (parents etc) to be referred to in plural, parents/unlces.aunts etc are 'we' and 'they' and kids have it instilled in them from a young age that it is disrespectful to refer to an elder in singular 'you'... this is a sign of respect, so that children know their place in the world, it is also common for full grown adults to refer to their parents in plural as long as they live, and even after they are dead, so the plurality goes beyond childhood, it is part of the whole structure of respect for elders, if this was the case pre Islam which it probably was, then it's only natural that in the Quran, Allah is referred to in plural.

  another thing to bear in mind is that the Her Britanic Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (as she's called on my passport) never speaks of herself in singular, she always speaks in plural, because of her status as Queen, it's protocol, she will always say 'we' instead of 'i', in england i've often heard it referred to as 'The Royal We'

  for billions of people it's normal to refer to individuals in plural.

  anyways, those are my observations,

  .

  (edited to add . )
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  Elsewhere

  Then I guess we will be on our way then.

  I wonder what our therapist will have to say to us about this. Speaking of which, does anyone know of a good therapist we could use?
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  Carmel

  Cute Else, but then you were only being didactic with your question anyway!

  carmel
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  Amazing1914

  I love the plural ... hi Moms, I love you mothers! Hey dads, can you all please take me fishing ... come on dads, play catch with me. Sounds like a lot of legalistic BS to avoid beliwving that my parents are part of a trinity. You know what would have happened to me if I would have said, "you mothers" to my mother? She would have kicked my ass.
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  SixofNine

  (Who is the WE in these verses if the Divineness of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are not being expressed here as being of and in the ONENESS of the GODHEAD) ??????????

  This is a tract that I use to approach Muslims. Gives them something to think about.

  lol, too bad it didn't give the writer of the tract very much too think about!