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Is it mentioned in the Holy Quran (the attribute in singular form and the described in plural form, or the described in singular form and the attribute in plural form)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The fundamental rule for an adjective is that it must match the noun it describes in singularity/plurality and gender. This is obligatory if the adjective refers to a hidden pronoun, whereas it differs if it refers to an explicit noun, exactly like a verb.

However, the Qur’an contains instances that deviate from this rule, such as in His Almighty’s saying: (As if their faces had been covered with pieces of the night, dark). Here, "pieces" (qita'an), which is plural, is described by "dark" (muẓliman), which is singular. Some interpret this by considering "dark" as a حال (circumstantial adverb) or an adjective for it, and that its حال or adjective was singularized due to its interpretation as numerous. Another example is in Hamza's recitation of His Almighty’s saying: (And We sent the wind impregnating [awaqiḥ]), where the singular "wind" (ar-rīḥ) is described by the plural "impregnating" (lawāqiḥ). This follows the eloquent styles of the Arabic language, which combine words that are similar in meaning, even if they differ in some aspects.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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