شفع

شَفْعٌ ذ contr. of وِتْرٌ; (S, Mgh, O, K;) i. q. زَوْجٌ [i. e., like زَوْجٌ, it signifies One of a pair or couple; and sometimes, but rarely, a pair or couple together; and sometimes, (see for instance زَكَا) an even number, a number that may be divided into two equal numbers ]: (O, K:) also one with which another is made to be a pair or couple: (TA:) [and, as will be seen in what follows, one with which an odd number is made to be an even number: ] pl. شِفَاعٌ, (TA,) and app. أَشْفَاعٌ, whence الصَّلَاةُ بَيْنَ الأَشْفَاعِ, meaning التَّرَاوِيح [q. v. voce تَرْوِيحَةٌ]. (Mgh.) ― -b2- الشَّفْعُ also signifies The day of the sacrifice; (O, K;) thus in the words of the Kur [lxxxix. 2] وَا@لشَّفْعِ وَا@لْوِتْرِ; by الوتر being meant the day of 'Arafát: (O:) or in this instance it means the creatures of God, (O, K,) because of the saying in the Kur [li. 49], “ and of everything we have created two of a pair; ” (K;) الوتر meaning God: (O, K:) or Adam's wife; الوتر meaning Adam, who was made a pair with her: (I'Ab, O, TA:) or Adam's children: (TA:) or the two days after the sacrifice; الوتر meaning the third day: (O, TA:) or God; [and الوتر, those who compose an odd number;] because of the saying in the Kur [lviii. 8], “ there can be no secret discourse of three, but He is the maker of them, with Himself, to be four: ” (K:) or the meaning of الشَّفْعُ وَالوِتْرُ is the prayers; of which some are شَفْع [i. e. an even number of rek'ahs], and some are وِتْر [i. e. an odd number of rek'ahs]: (O, TA:) [for] it is said that all the numbers consist of شَفْع [i. e. even ] and وِتْر [i. e. odd ]. (TA.)