Something else to note about this middle section is how many times the Quran references itself. In fact, it does so four times in the same context, at the end of the first four “disbeliever” examples. Each of these four lines (54:17,22,32,40) reads: “We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran: will anyone take heed?” Some versions interpret this line to say: “And certainly We have made the Quran easy to remember, but is there anyone who will mind?” The difference here is important because of the connotation of the Arabic word "dhikr", which can refer to lessons, the act of remembering, memorization, recalling, and many other meanings that come from the same root, which is used over 200 times in the Quran. This aya could be referring to the lessons of faith and morality and the ease with which they can be gleaned from the Quran, as a book. However, it could also be using the word "Quran" here to refer to its more literal Arabic meaning—which is “recitation”—rather than referring to the book itself. There is no doubt that this is an occasion where the Quran is self-referential, but it is interesting that in other sections of the Quran (12:2, 15:1), the word "Quran", itself, seems to refer to the word of Allah as it is recited, which includes vowels (thus clarifying much of the meaning). (It is important to note that the Quran in its earliest written forms lacked most vowels and the written consonants served as a reminder for those reciting the Quran.) Thus, the verse could mean that the surahs are easily remembered because of their poetic and song-like form in their spoken versions: their rhyming schemes, cadences, and robust structure. According to the scripture, Allah then asks (rhetorically) who will take on the task of remembering or internalizing these words. The purpose of the middle section of this Surah, then, is to draw attention to examples from the past of unbelievers and their punishments, challenging the people of Muhammad's time to finally heed and recognize Allah's Prophet.