is well known among scholars generally. As for the first interpretation, it is reported from Qatādah, who said: “One verse resembles another, and letters resemble other letters.” In Arabic usage, the term harf (“letter”) can denote a word, as in the saying of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Whoever recites the Quran and articulates it correctly will receive ten good deeds for every letter. I do not mean that Alif Lām Mīm is one letter; rather, alif is a letter, lām is a letter, and mīm is a letter.”

Perhaps Qatādah meant that complete verses and individual words resemble one another in wording and meaning, as others have said. Thus, resemblance in meaning excludes opposition and contradiction, which are referred to