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Hello Eric. . .
This basically an issue of translation. You have to understand that Arabic is a very unique language, especially when it comes to grammar etc. Thus, english translations do not do justice to the actual meaning when comprehended in English. For example, many times . . .there is not a proper word to translate something from Arabic into English.
An example would be the word "God" for Allah. Now the word God, implies the male gender . . . whereas the word Allah does not imply gender. Allah is niether male NOR female. . . Allah is beyond our concepts of gender. Male/Female genders are only for living-things that have to reproduce . . . a Superioir, Divine Being is beyond those limitations. . .hence Allah in Arabic is a unique word, with no gender connotations. Unfort, I do not hav a reference for that right now, since this was a discussion by a scholar (Dr. Zakir Naik). I will try and post the link to the video later when I find it. Perhaps Arabic-Speakers can back me up on that . . .
That example was just to give an e.g of the complexity of the Arabic language. . . .thus when the English translation reads "We" , that does not neccessarily mean that the Arabic text is talking about mutilple persons! There may be another word for it altogether in Arabic that does not translate appropriatley in the english language hence the word "We"
I can give you another example from Urdu (a language spoken in South-Asia) There is a word "Main" for "Me" or "I" and then there is a word "Hum" which means BOTH "We" and "Me" (for a single person) ! ! ! !
For a single person, Hum is usually used by ppl of stature, or a respectful position. Elderly will usually refer to themselves as "Hum". Or Kings, leaders, scholars will use the word for themselves. . . . and when translated into english, the word "hum" is translated as "We". . . .does that mean mutiple people are involved? No.
I hope u get what I'm trying to say :) wish there was an easier way to explain.
Besides, if the word "We" used by Allah in the Qur'an, were meant to represent another partner/diety (or whatver you're referring to) It would have been stated so. According to Non-Muslims, Muhammad was an ordinary non-prophetic man, why didint he then hint at the plurality of God? Why not explicitly mention that certain partner somehwre? or even associate himself as one?
Thats because Allah has always been represented as the One and Only throughout the advent of Islam . . . .
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