And its shortening is within human ability,

but if he leaves it to its nature and innate disposition

without extension, stretching, or shortening,

then it has a special extension.

And when man begins to breathe,

he finds lightness, joy, and vigor,

then the breath subsides bit by bit

until it stops completely,

and man is forced to take a new fresh breath.

Indeed, this special extension of the human breath

cannot be limited by a specific known limit,

rather it is limited by a vague limit,

and estimated by a fluctuating amount among individuals of mankind,

it may differ by an increase of two or three words

or the measure of a quarter or a third of a word for a person,

and with a decrease of two or three words

or the measure of a quarter or a third of a word for another,

and that does not take it out of the common limit.

Just as a difference in the number of cords and causes is allowed in it,

and the precedence of some pillars over others as well.

And in any case, God - Glorified and Exalted be He -

has considered this extension of the breath

(in its common middle limit) as the meter in His Noble Book,

and He divided it into three parts.

1 - The Long.

2 - The Medium.

3 - The Short.