Said the council of those of his people who were disdainful of believing ‘Surely we will expel you O Shu‘ayb and those who believe with you from our city unless you return to our creed’ our religion the plural person predominates over the singular in their address to Shu‘ayb because Shu‘ayb was never part of their religious community; and so in the same plural way he responded He said ‘What should we return to it even though we are averse to it? the interrogative is meant as a disavowal.