Core terms
- Matlaʿ
- The opening couplet of a ghazal. It sets the rhyme (qāfiya) and the refrain (radeef) when those devices are used.
- Radeef
- A word or short phrase repeated at the end of both lines of every couplet. It follows the rhyme syllables.
- Kaafiya
- The rhyming portion immediately before the radeef. It must remain consistent across couplets in a classical ghazal.
- Qaafiya
- Another term for the rhyme scheme carried by the kaafiya; editors sometimes distinguish fine points of rhyme quality, but in ordinary use it overlaps with kaafiya.
- Behr
- The metrical pattern (prosody) governing syllable length and foot division in a line. Urdu meters derive largely from the Arabic–Persian system of ʿarūż.
- Behr-e-Hazaj
- A common meter built on the foot مَفَاعِیلُنْ (mafāʿīlun). In classroom notation the repeated pattern is often written as 1–2–2–2 (four feet per miṣraʿ in this analysis). The same foot pattern applies to miṣraʿ ul-ūlā and miṣraʿ uṣ-ṣānī when the line is scanned in four segments.
- Sher
- A couplet; the ghazal is composed of an uninterrupted sequence of independent couplets sharing meter, rhyme, and refrain.
- Maqtaʿ
- The closing couplet, where the poet may insert a takhalluṣ (pen name).
- Miṣraʿ ul-ūlā / Miṣraʿ uṣ-ṣānī
- The first and second half-lines of a couplet: the ūlā (“upper”) and ṣānī (“second”) lines. In scansion exercises, each is often marked with the same rhythmic formula (e.g. 1–2–2–2 in Behr-e-Hazaj).
- ʿArūż (Urooz)
- The classical system of Arabic–Persian–Urdu prosody; in shorthand notes “urooz” refers to the balance of the couplet—how the two miṣraʿ match in meter and weight.
- Majāzī
- Figurative or “worldly” sense: the image as metaphor, story, or human situation—before the tanzīl (unveiling) of a deeper reading.
- Ḥaqīqī
- The “real” or spiritual sense: the inward, unseen dimension (often ishq or divine address) that Sufi and classical readers hear beneath the majāzī surface.
- Khāliq
- The Creator.
- Makhlooq
- Creation (creatures, the created world).
- Tasawwuf
- Islamic mysticism (Sufism): the path of inward purification, discipline, and love-centered knowledge of God. In poetry, Sufi registers often overlap with ḥaqīqī meaning, not only majāzī romance.
Tasawwuf
Tasawwuf (Arabic تصوّف) names the Sufi tradition: ethical and spiritual practice (often through love, remembrance, and guidance) aimed at polishing the heart. In Urdu and Persian ghazal, vocabulary of wine, cup, idol, and beloved frequently slides between majāzī worldly love and ḥaqīqī meaning, a doubleness classical readers are trained to hear.
Behr-e-Hazaj: pattern
In one common teaching notation, each line of Behr-e-Hazaj divides into four feet summarized as 1–2–2–2 for both the first and second miṣraʿ:
| Line | Foot pattern |
|---|---|
| Miṣraʿ ul-ūlā | 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 |
| Miṣraʿ uṣ-ṣānī | 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 |
Example (in this meter): “Na jāne kyun huī mujhe ko tasallī hai na jāne kyun” — the line is scanned as ūlā in Behr-e-Hazaj with the 1–2–2–2 weight across the four folds.
ʿArūż (urooz): balance of the couplet
“Urooz” here is shorthand for the prosodic system (ʿarūż) that ensures the two halves of a sher agree in meter: the ūlā and ṣānī lines carry the same behr (here, Behr-e-Hazaj).
Majāzī & ḥaqīqī
Majāzī: the “worldly” or figurative layer — the poem as human story, image, or wit. Ḥaqīqī: the spiritual or “unseen” layer — address to the Real, or the inward meaning of the same images.
Khāliq & makhlooq
Khāliq is the Creator; makhlooq is creation. In complaint and praise poems, the voice often moves between these poles (see Iqbal below).
Example couplets (ūlā / ṣānī)
Rhyme in radeef “nikle”
چلو دیدی اجازت ہے جو اب تک ہے وہ تیرا ہے
Chalo daedī ijāzat hai jo ab tak hai woh terā hai — ūlā
نہ مانگو اب دعا مجھ سے ادا وہ اب لطیفہ ہے
Na māngo ab duā mujh se adā woh ab laṭīfah hai — ṣānī
“Hazāroñ bāar jalne…”
ہزاروں بار جلنے پہ ملی ہے روشنی تجھ کو
Hazāroñ bār jalne pe milī hai roshnī tujh ko — ūlā
کرے کیوں غیر اب یہ طے کہ کتنا جگمگانا ہے
Kare kyun ghair ab ye tae ki kitnā jagmagānā hai — ṣānī
“Na jāne kyun…” (Behr-e-Hazaj)
نہ جانے کیوں ہوئی مجھے کو تسلی ہے نہ جانے کیوں
Na jāne kyun huī mujhe ko tasallī hai na jāne kyun — ūlā in Behr-e-Hazaj
Iqbal: Shikwa & Jawāb-e-Shikwa
In Shikwa, the complaint runs from makhlooq to Khāliq — from creation to the Creator. In Jawāb-e-Shikwa (the answer), the reply runs from Khāliq to makhlooq — from the Creator back to creation.
Ghalib — Hazāroñ khwāhisheñ (taqṭīʿ & rhythm)
Below is a line-by-line scansion (taqṭīʿ) with rhythmic weighting as in the notes supplied. The ghazal is often counted as nine couplets; here the material is divided into ten blocks because two consecutive couplets were analyzed separately (former items 6 and 7 in the original notes).
ہزاروں خواہشیں ایسی کہ ہر خواہش پہ دم نکلے
Hazāroñ khwāhisheñ aisī ki har khwāhish pe dam nikle
Taqti
[ha-zā-roñ-khwā] | [hi-sheñ-ai-sī] | [ki-har-khwā-hish] | [pe-dam-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
بہت نکلے مرے ارمان لیکن پھر بھی کم نکلے
Bahut nikle mire armāñ lekin phir bhī kam nikle
Taqti
[ba-hut-nik-le] | [mi-re-ar-māñ] | [la-kin-phir-bhī] | [kam-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (2 - 2 - 2)
ڈرے کیوں میرا قاتل کیا رہے گا اس کی گردن پر
Dare kyuñ merā qātil kyā rahegā us kī gardan par
Taqti
[da-re-kyuñ-me] | [ra-qā-til-kyā] | [ra-he-gā-us] | [kī-gar-dan-par]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
وہ خون جو چشم تر سے عمر بھر یوں دم بدم نکلے
Voh khūn jo chashm-e-tar se umr bhar yūñ dam-ba-dam nikle
Taqti
[vo-khūñ-jo-chash] | [me-tar-se-um] | [ra-bhar-yūñ-dam] | [ba-dam-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
نکلنا خلد سے آدم کا سنتے آئے ہیں لیکن
Nikalnā khuld se Ādam kā sunte aae haiñ lekin
Taqti
[ni-kal-nā-khul] | [da-se-ā-dam] | [kā-sun-te-ā] | [ye-haiñ-le-kin]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
بہت بے آبرو ہو کر ترے کوچے سے ہم نکلے
Bahut be-ābrū ho kar tire kūche se hum nikle
Taqti
[ba-hut-be-ā] | [ba-rū-ho-kar] | [ti-re-kū-che] | [se-hum-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
بھرم کھل جائے ظالم تیرے قامت کی درازی کا
Bharam khul jāe zālim tere qāmat kī darāzī kā
Taqti
[bha-ram-khul-jā] | [e-zā-lim-te] | [re-qā-mat-kī] | [da-rā-zī-kā]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
اگر اس طرۂ پر پیچ و خم کا پیچ و خم نکلے
Agar is turra-e-pur-pech-o-kham kā pech-o-kham nikle
Taqti
[a-gar-is-tur] | [ra-e-pur-pe] | [cho-kham-kā-pe] | [cho-kham-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
مگر لکھوائے کوئی اس کو خط تو ہم سے لکھوائے
Magar likhvāe koī us ko khat to hum se likhvāe
Taqti
[ma-gar-likh-vā] | [e-ko-ī-us] | [ko-khat-to-hum] | [se-likh-vā-e]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
ہوئی صبح اور گھر سے کان پر رکھ کر قلم نکلے
Huī subah aur ghar se kān par rakh kar qalam nikle
Taqti
[hu-ī-sub-haur] | [gha-re-kān-par] | [ra-kha-kar-qal] | [am-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (2 - 2 - 2)
ہوئی اس دور میں منسوب مجھ سے بادہ آشامی
Huī is daur meñ mansūb mujh se bāda-āshāmī
Taqti
[hu-ī-is-daur] | [meñ-man-sū-ba] | [mu-jhse-bā-da] | [ā-shā-mī]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2)
ثابت ہوا کہ ہوں میں بادہ آشامی
Sabit huā ki hūñ maiñ bāda-āshāmī
In many editions of Diwan-e-Ghalib, this line completes the couplet; taqṭīʿ for the second line was not in the notes above.
پھر آیا وہ زمانہ جو جہاں سے جام جم نکلے
Phir aayā voh zamāna jo jahāñ se Jām-e-Jam nikle
Taqti
[phi-rā-yā-voh] | [za-mā-na-jo] | [ja-hāñ-se-jā] | [me-jam-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
The notes above only scanned this first line; the second line of this couplet appears in your printed diwān or teacher’s handout.
ہوئی جن سے توقع خستگی کی داد پانے کی
Huī jin se tavaqqa khastagī kī dād pāne kī
Taqti
[hu-ī-jin-se] | [ta-vaq-qa-khas] | [ta-gī-kī-dād] | [pā-ne-kī]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (2 - 2 - 2)
وہ ہم سے بھی زیادہ خستہ تیغ ستم نکلے
Voh hum se bhī zyāda khasta-e-tegh-e-sitam nikle
Taqti
[vo-hum-se-bhī] | [zi-yā-da-khas] | [ta-e-te-ghe] | [si-tam-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
محبت میں نہیں ہے فرق جینے اور مرنے کا
Mohabbat meñ nahīñ hai farq jīne aur marne kā
Taqti
[mo-hab-bat-meñ] | [na-hīñ-hai-far] | [qa-jī-ne-aur] | [mar-ne-kā]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (2 - 2 - 2)
اسی کو دیکھ کر جیتے ہیں جس کافر پہ دم نکلے
Usī ko dekh kar jīte haiñ jis kāfir pe dam nikle
Taqti
[u-sī-ko-dekh] | [ka-ra-jī-te] | [haiñ-jis-kā-fir] | [pe-dam-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
کہاں مے خانے کا دروازہ غالب اور کہاں واعظ
Kahāñ maikhāne kā darvāza Ghālib aur kahāñ vāiz
Taqti
[ka-hāñ-mai-khā] | [ne-kā-dar-vā] | [za-ghā-lib-aur] | [ka-hāñ-vā-iz]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2)
پر اتنا جانتے ہیں کل وہ جاتا تھا کہ ہم نکلے
Par itnā jānte haiñ kal voh jātā thā ki hum nikle
Taqti
[pa-rit-nā-jān] | [te-haiñ-kal-voh] | [jā-tā-thā-ki] | [hum-nik-le]
Rhythm
(1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (1 - 2 - 2 - 2) | (2 - 2 - 2)
Scansion labels (taqṭīʿ, rhythm) reproduce the notes as given; some splits (e.g. subah aur as sub-haur) follow the original teaching copy.