among bodies, and Allah called him “one soul,” it follows that a body can be described as one. Still more emphatic is the verse cited by Imam Ahmad and others:

“Leave Me with the one I created alone.” {11} [al-Muddaththir 11]

The word wahīd (“alone”) is an intensive form of wāhid (“one”). If an individual human being is described as “alone,” then he may all the more readily be described as “one,” even though he is a body among bodies. Allah Most High says:

“Allah instructs you concerning your children: a male shall have the share of two females. If there are more than two daughters, they shall have two-thirds of what he leaves; if there is only one, she shall have half.” [al-Nisā’ 11]

Thus He describes the woman as one. Here a body is described as one because there is no other daughter of the deceased. Allah Most High says:

“If any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, grant him protection so that he may hear the speech of Allah.” [al-Tawbah 6]

Allah Most High also says:

“Two young men entered prison with him. One of them said, ‘I see myself pressing grapes for wine.’” [Yūsuf 36]

—and the verses that follow. Allah Most High says:

“They said, ‘O chief, he has a very elderly father, so take one of us in his place.’” [Yūsuf 78]

And the term “single”