of the kind as a whole. Negating just one instance requires a contextual indication. This is why most singular nouns in possessive constructions in the Quran likewise denote a kind as a whole, as in His words, “the night of fasting” and “the blessing of Allah,” and similar expressions.

Accordingly, His words, “In Your hand is good” and “In His hand is dominion,” denote the kind represented by “hand,” encompassing whatever the One to whom it is ascribed has, whether one hand or two. Alternatively, the expression may be unrestricted, indicating neither generality nor particularity. Likewise, His words, “And so that you might be brought up under My eye,” encompass whatever the One to whom it is ascribed has in this respect.

The statements, “Then the Lord will uncover His shin” and “until the Lord of Might places His foot in it,” may also be regarded as unrestricted expressions. For a generic noun in a possessive construction sometimes conveys generality and sometimes denotes the kind without qualification. The point is that this does not entail a single, particular instance.

As for the plural form and its use in the sense of the dual, we have already given