Singular You

In the Arabic Quran, the term “you” can be singular or plural. Some argue that if the singular form is used in the context of a commandment, then this only applies to Muhammad and not the believers. This viewpoint is inaccurate because it would imply that much of the Quran would be exclusive to the prophet and not be incumbent upon the believers.

The reason this is inaccurate is that much of the Quran is dialogues between parties e.g. Moses talking to God, Moses addressing Pharoah, Moses dealing with the Children of Israel, Luquman providing advice to his son…, and it is from much of these exchanges that we extract the commandments and lessons from the Quran. A good example of this can be seen in the following verse regarding people’s response to Qaroon.

[28:77] “Use the provisions bestowed upon you by GOD to seek the abode of the Hereafter, without neglecting your share in this world. Be charitable, as GOD has been charitable towards you. Do not keep on corrupting the earth. GOD does not love the corruptors.”

وَٱبْتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِن كَمَآ أَحْسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ ٱلْفَسَادَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ

1	wa-ib’taghi	وَٱبْتَغِ	“But seek,
2	fīmā	فِيمَآ	through what
3	ātāka	ءَاتَىٰكَ	[He] gave you,
4	l-lahu	ٱللَّهُ	God
5	l-dāra	ٱلدَّارَ	the abode (of)
6	l-ākhirata	ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ	the Hereafter,
7	walā	وَلَا	and (do) not
8	tansa	تَنسَ	you forget
9	naṣībaka	نَصِيبَكَ	your share
10	mina	مِنَ	of
11	l-dun’yā	ٱلدُّنْيَا	the world.
12	wa-aḥsin	وَأَحْسِن	And be good / generous / charitable
13	kamā	كَمَآ	as
14	aḥsana	أَحْسَنَ	[He] was good / generous / charitable
15	l-lahu	ٱللَّهُ	God
16	ilayka	إِلَيْكَ	to you.
17	walā	وَلَا	And (do) not
18	tabghi	تَبْغِ	you seek
19	l-fasāda	ٱلْفَسَادَ	[the] corruption
20	fī	فِى	in
21	l-arḍi	ٱلْأَرْضِ	the earth.
22	inna	إِنَّ	Indeed,
23	l-laha	ٱللَّهَ	God
24	lā	لَا	not
25	yuḥibbu	يُحِبُّ	[He] loves
26	l-muf’sidīna	ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ	the corrupters.”

Extracting commandments from these other dialogues that God placed in the Quran is not different from extracting commandments to when God addresses the prophet using the singular you. Even though these verses were originally addressing the prophet specifically the mere fact they are encompassed in the Quran implies that they are for us to reflect upon and apply. Below is a simple example of this, where the singular you is used, but the commandment is applicable to all believers.

[2:149] Wherever you go, you shall turn your face (during Salat) towards the Sacred Masjid. This is the truth from your Lord. GOD is never unaware of anything you all do.

(١٤٩) وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

1	wamin	وَمِنْ	And from
2	ḥaythu	حَيْثُ	wherever
3	kharajta	خَرَجْتَ	you go forth,
4	fawalli	فَوَلِّ	[so] turn
5	wajhaka	وَجْهَكَ	your face
6	shaṭra	شَطْرَ	(in the) direction
7	l-masjidi	ٱلْمَسْجِدِ	[the] Masjid
8	l-ḥarāmi	ٱلْحَرَامِ	the Sacred
9	wa-innahu	وَإِنَّهُۥ	And indeed, it (is)
10	lalḥaqqu	لَلْحَقُّ	surely the truth
11	min	مِن	from
12	rabbika	رَّبِّكَ	your Lord.
13	wamā	وَمَا	And not (is)
14	l-lahu	ٱللَّهُ	God
15	bighāfilin	بِغَـٰفِلٍ	ever unaware
16	ʿammā	عَمَّا	of what
17	taʿmalūna	تَعْمَلُونَ	you [all] do.

The only exception to this rule is when the Quran addresses an individual directly e.g. when it states, “O you prophet” ( يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ ). In these examples where the Quran calls out the prophet specifically, then these are commandments directed solely to him.

[66:1] O you prophet, why do you prohibit what GOD has made lawful for you, just to please your wives? GOD is Forgiver, Merciful.

 يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكَ تَبْتَغِى مَرْضَاتَ أَزْوَٰجِكَ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

However, even in these examples, we can still pull wisdom and understanding because otherwise, there would be no point in these statements being preserved in the Quran if there was nothing to be gained from them.