"And [by] the even and the odd" (al-Fajr: 3). Qatadah’s interpretation: The 'even' (al-shaf') is the creation, and the 'odd' (al-watr) is Allah, the Exalted.
Muhammad said: Among their linguistic usage is the expression: 'Zayd added [shafa'a] Khalid,' meaning he was one and he made him two. The dialect of Tamim is 'al-witr' with a kasrah (i) on the waw, while the people of the Hijaz pronounce it with a fathah (a). As for 'al-witr' derived from 'al-tirah,' it is with a kasrah, as it is said: 'watarahu yatiruhu tiratan,' which means injustice.
﴿وَالشَّفْع وَالْوتر﴾ تَفْسِيرُ قَتَادَةَ: الشَّفْعُ: الْخَلْقُ، وَالْوَتْرُ: اللَّهُ - تَعَالَى.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: وَمِنْ كَلامِهِمْ: شَفَعَ زَيْدٌ خَالِدًا، أَيْ: كَانَ وَاحِدًا فَصَيَّرَهُ اثْنَيْنِ وَلُغَةُ تَمِيمٍ: الْوِتْرُ بِكَسْرِ الْوَاوِ، وَأَهْلِ الْحِجَازِ بِالْفَتْحِ، وَأَمَّا الْوِتْرُ مِنَ الترة فبالكسر يُقَال: وَتَرَهُ يَتِرُهُ تِرَةً، وَهُوَ الظُّلْمُ.
