The Qur'aan contains verses that are similar in meaning, in words and in verses, the Almighty Allah said:
"Allah has sent down the best statement, a Book (this Qur'aan), its parts resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah. He Guides there with whomever He pleases and whomever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide"
[Surah Az-Zumar Vs.23]
If the Holy Quran contains nearly six thousand verses and a little more, there are about two thousand similar verses in general that match, or differ in a single letter, or in a single word or two, or more. It is incumbent upon the reader of the noble Qur'aan to pay special attention to the similar verses, especially those that are almost identical.
An example of similar verses in the same surah:
Allah says in Al- Baqarah Vs. 144:
وَحَيۡثُ مَا كُنتُمۡ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ شَطۡرَهُۥۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ لَيَعۡلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡۗ
And Allah says also in Al- Baqarah Vs. 150:
وَمِنۡ حَيۡثُ خَرَجۡتَ فَوَلِّ وَجۡهَكَ شَطۡرَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِۚ وَحَيۡثُ مَا كُنتُمۡ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ شَطۡرَهُۥ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ فَلَا تَخۡشَوۡهُمۡ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِي
Note the repetition of the portion of the verse:
وَحَيۡثُ مَا كُنتُمۡ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ شَطۡرَهُۥ
Following this in the first ayah is an emphatic statement: (وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ)
and in the second ayah, an explanatory statement: (لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ حُجَّةٌ)
An example of similarities between chapters is seen in Surahs Al- Infitaar and At- Takwir, wherein there is a repetition of the same portion of a verse in the form:
عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ
In Surah At- Takwir Vs. 14, Allah says:
عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ أَحۡضَرَتۡ
and in Surah Al- Infitaar Vs. 5, Allah says:
عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٞ مَّآ قَدَّمَتۡ وَأَخَّرَتۡ
The addition in At- Takwir is: {what he has brought (of good and evil}, and in Al- Infitaar: {what he has sent forward and (what he has) left behind}.
In conclusion of this step, paying close attention to similar phrases or verses is pertinent to perfecting the memorization. Some people may complain about not understanding the Arabic Language, they may want to use this as an excuse not to be mindful of this very important step. We should remember that Allah has made it easy for us to read these words, He alone is capable of making it easy for us to learn the language as well. If we strive hard, with the correct intention for the sake of Allah, we can do all that we as humans deem impossible, regardless of our age.
In the meantime, all that is required of us is to be mindful of what comes after the similar phrases. Not mixing them up can be said to be the epitome of perfection in the memorization of the noble Qur'aan.
We ask Allah for steadfastness and the ability to perfect this step, aameen.
The source and main material used in preparing the content of this blog is the book, Ways of teaching the noble Qur'aan and memorizing it by Abu Abdrahman, Jamal ibn Ibrahim AlQirsh (طرائق تدريس القرآن الكريم وحفظه).