وتر

Core meaning

To be single, without a second: the odd, what comes one by one, and the one left alone, stripped of what is his due.

Uses

1. ٱلْوَتْرِ → "the odd" : what remains alone, set against the even in the oath.

   • «وَٱلشَّفْعِ وَٱلْوَتْرِ» — "By the even, and the odd!" (89:3)

2. تَتْرَا → "one after another" : the coming of the envoys one by one, each alone in his turn.

   • «ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتْرَا» — "Then We sent Our messengers, one after another" (23:44)

3. يَتِرَكُمْ → "defraud of" : to leave someone alone, cut off from the fruit of what he did.

   • «وَلَن يَتِرَكُمْ أَعْمَٰلَكُمْ» — "and He will never defraud you of your works" (47:35)

Evidence from the text

The oath of 89:3 sets ٱلشَّفْع, what is joined to another, against ٱلْوَتْر, what remains alone: "By the even, and the odd!". In 23:44, تَتْرَا says the envoys came "one after another": each comes alone in his turn, with no other beside him.

In 47:35, the verbal form turns isolation into deprivation: "He will never defraud you of your deeds", He will never leave you alone, stripped of what you have accomplished. The three uses state the isolated element, without a second.

Distinctions

• شفع — شفع joins one element to another; وتر leaves it alone.