The bahrs

mafā'īlun mafā'īlun mafā'īlun mafā'īlun

mafā'īlun mafā'īlun mafā'īlun mafā'īlun

Four identical feet of mafā'īlun. Broad and stately; a favourite of Ghalib and Iqbal.

mafā'īlun mafā'īlun fa'ūlun

mafā'īlun mafā'īlun fa'ūlun

Three feet, the last shortened to fa'ūlun. The classic metre of the masnavi.

maf'ūlu mafā'īlu mafā'īlu fa'ūlun

maf'ūlu mafā'īlu mafā'īlu fa'ūlun

maf'ūlu mafā'īlu mafā'īlu fa'ūlun. A flowing metre used for many radif-heavy ghazals.

maf'ūlu mafā'īlun maf'ūlu mafā'īlun

maf'ūlu mafā'īlun maf'ūlu mafā'īlun

maf'ūlu mafā'īlun maf'ūlu mafā'īlun: the line falls into two matching halves.

mafā'īlun mafā'īlun mafā'īlun

mafā'īlun mafā'īlun mafā'īlun

Three feet of mafā'īlun.

mafā'īlun mafā'īlun mafā'īlun fa'ūlun

mafā'īlun mafā'īlun mafā'īlun fa'ūlun

Three mafā'īlun and a closing fa'ūlun.

maf'ūlu mafā'ilun fa'ūlun

maf'ūlu mafā'ilun fa'ūlun

Maf'ūlu mafā'ilun fa'ūlun: the short, quick metre of many masnavis (Gulzar-e-Nasim).

fā'ilun mafā'īlun fā'ilun mafā'īlun

fā'ilun mafā'īlun fā'ilun mafā'īlun

Fā'ilun mafā'īlun twice, as in Ghalib's 'zikr us parii-vash kaa aur phir bayaañ apnaa'.

Attested line: “ban gayaa raqiib aakhir thaa jo raazdaañ apnaa”

Checked against: Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html)

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilun

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilun

fā'ilātun ×3 + fā'ilun. The metre of the first ghazal of Diwan-e-Ghalib.

fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilun / fa'lun

fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilun / fa'lun

fā'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilun. The first foot may be fa'ilātun and the last fa'lun. Perhaps the most used metre in the Urdu ghazal.

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilun

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilun

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilun. A short, singing metre.

fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilun / fa'lun

fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilun / fa'lun

fā'ilātun fa'ilātun fa'ilun (or fa'lun). Conversational and quick.

fa'ilātu fā'ilātun fa'ilātu fā'ilātun

fa'ilātu fā'ilātun fa'ilātu fā'ilātun

fa'ilātu fā'ilātun fa'ilātu fā'ilātun: two matching halves with a lilting swing.

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilātun

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilātun

Four feet of fā'ilātun.

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilātun

fā'ilātun fā'ilātun fā'ilātun

Three feet of fā'ilātun.

mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun

mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun

Four feet of mustaf'ilun.

muftaʼilun mafā'ilun muftaʼilun mafā'ilun

muftaʼilun mafā'ilun muftaʼilun mafā'ilun

Mustaf'ilun with its zihaafaat: muftaʻilun (tayy) and mafāʻilun (khabn), alternating. A swinging, buoyant metre, as in Ghalib's 'dil hii to hai na sang-o-khisht'.

mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun

mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun mustaf'ilun

Three feet of mustaf'ilun.

muftaʼilun muftaʼilun muftaʼilun muftaʼilun

muftaʼilun muftaʼilun muftaʼilun muftaʼilun

Four feet of mufta'ilun (mustaf'ilun with tayy).

mafā'ilun mafā'ilun mafā'ilun mafā'ilun

mafā'ilun mafā'ilun mafā'ilun mafā'ilun

Four feet of mafā'ilun (mustaf'ilun with khabn).

fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun mafā'ilun fa'ilun / fa'lun

fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun mafā'ilun fa'ilun / fa'lun

fā'ilātun mafā'ilun fa'ilun. The first foot may be fa'ilātun and the last fa'lun. Short, intimate, beloved of Mir.

fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'ūlun

fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'ūlun

Four feet of fa'ūlun. A marching, energetic metre (Iqbal, Hali's Musaddas).

fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'al

fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'al

fa'ūlun ×3 + fa'al. The epic metre of the Shahnama.

fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'al

fa'ūlun fa'ūlun fa'al

Two fa'ūlun and fa'al.

No Urdu couplet in this exact form was found in the sources checked; the pattern follows the Arabic and Persian handbooks.

fa'lu fa'ūlun fa'lu fa'ūlun

fa'lu fa'ūlun fa'lu fa'ūlun

Fa'lu fa'ūlun twice.

Checked against: Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html)

fā'ilun fā'ilun fā'ilun fā'ilun

fā'ilun fā'ilun fā'ilun fā'ilun

Four feet of fā'ilun.

fa'ilun / fa'lun fa'ilun / fa'lun fa'ilun / fa'lun fa'ilun / fa'lun

fa'ilun / fa'lun fa'ilun / fa'lun fa'ilun / fa'lun fa'ilun / fa'lun

Fa'ilun or fa'lun in each foot, counted in beats like the Hindi metre.

maf'ūlu fā'ilātu mafā'īlu fā'ilun

maf'ūlu fā'ilātu mafā'īlu fā'ilun

maf'ūlu fā'ilātu mafā'īlu fā'ilun. Rich and rhetorical; Dard, Zauq and Dagh used it often.

maf'ūlu fā'ilātun maf'ūlu fā'ilātun

maf'ūlu fā'ilātun maf'ūlu fā'ilātun

maf'ūlu fā'ilātun maf'ūlu fā'ilātun: two singable halves (Iqbal's Tarana-e-Hind).

mafā'ilun fa'ilātun mafā'ilun fa'ilun / fa'lun

mafā'ilun fa'ilātun mafā'ilun fa'ilun / fa'lun

mafā'ilun fa'ilātun mafā'ilun fa'ilun (or fa'lun).

mutafā'ilun mutafā'ilun mutafā'ilun mutafā'ilun

mutafā'ilun mutafā'ilun mutafā'ilun mutafā'ilun

Four feet of mutafā'ilun (= = − = −, opening with two shorts): rare in Urdu, used memorably by Iqbal.

Attested line: “kabhii ai haqiiqat-e-muntazar nazar aa libaas-e-majaaz meñ”

Checked against: Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Muhammad Usama Sarsari, 'Mashhoor nazmon aur naaton ke auzaan' (usamasarsari.com)

mufā'alatun mufā'alatun mufā'alatun mufā'alatun

mufā'alatun mufā'alatun mufā'alatun mufā'alatun

Four feet of mufā'alatun: an Arabic metre; Bahr-ul-Fasahat says it is not used in Urdu, and quotes a single couplet by Talib.

Attested couplet: “Daraa ke kahaa bhalaa be bhalaa khafaa jo zaraa hu'aa vo sanam / maraa bhii zaraa gila na rahaa hañsaa jo gayaa mujhe ye sitam” (Talib; Bahr-ul-Fasahat, p. 217)

Checked against: Najm-ul-Ghani Rampuri, Bahr-ul-Fasahat (1927 ed.), p. 217; Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

mufā'alatun mufā'alatun

mufā'alatun mufā'alatun

Two feet of mufā'alatun: the short form of Wāfir that Urdu naats use.

Attested line: “zamiin-o-zamaañ tumhaare liye”

Checked against: Muhammad Usama Sarsari, 'Mashhoor nazmon aur naaton ke auzaan' (usamasarsari.com)

muftaʼilun fā'ilun muftaʼilun fā'ilun

muftaʼilun fā'ilun muftaʼilun fā'ilun

Mufta'ilun fā'ilun twice.

Checked against: Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

muftaʼilun fā'ilātu muftaʼilun fa'

muftaʼilun fā'ilātu muftaʼilun fa'

Mufta'ilun fā'ilātu mufta'ilun fa', as in Ghalib's 'aa ki mirii jaan ko qaraar nahiiñ hai'.

Attested line: “aa ki mirii jaan ko qaraar nahiiñ hai”

Checked against: Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html)

muftaʼilun / maf'ūlun muftaʼilun / maf'ūlun fā'ilun

muftaʼilun / maf'ūlun muftaʼilun / maf'ūlun fā'ilun

Mufta'ilun mufta'ilun fā'ilun: a masnavi metre.

Checked against: Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

fā'ilātu muftaʼilun fā'ilātu muftaʼilun

fā'ilātu muftaʼilun fā'ilātu muftaʼilun

Fā'ilātu mufta'ilun twice (salim: maf'ūlātu mustaf'ilun). Its maqtū' form fā'ilātu maf'ūlun has the same weights as Hazaj ashtar, so Ghalib's 'zikr us parii-vash kaa' is read in either.

Attested couplet: “tujh baghair rashk-e-parii kab khush aa'ii sair-e-chaman / gul ho khaar dil ko mire dete haiñ ziyaada alam” (Sahar; Bahr-ul-Fasahat, p. 239)

Checked against: Najm-ul-Ghani Rampuri, Bahr-ul-Fasahat (1927 ed.), p. 239; Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

fa'ūlun mafā'īlun fa'ūlun mafā'īlun

fa'ūlun mafā'īlun fa'ūlun mafā'īlun

Fa'ūlun mafā'īlun twice: the great Arabic metre. Bahr-ul-Fasahat says no Urdu poem had been written in it and quotes two lone couplets made as specimens.

Attested couplet: “nigar to jafaa-kaarii nigar to ye 'ayyaarii / khudaa san sabhii meñ hai khudaa san sabhii meñ hai” (Kanhaiya Lal, author of Risala Bahr-ul-Aruz; Bahr-ul-Fasahat, p. 253)

Checked against: Najm-ul-Ghani Rampuri, Bahr-ul-Fasahat (1927 ed.), p. 253; Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

fā'ilātun fā'ilun fā'ilātun fā'ilun

fā'ilātun fā'ilun fā'ilātun fā'ilun

Fā'ilātun fā'ilun twice: common in Arabic, almost never used in Urdu; Bahr-ul-Fasahat quotes only a few specimen couplets.

Attested couplet: “aur to baateñ burii chhoR deñ sab khair se / par na us kuuche kii baaz aayaa ab tak sair se” (Qadeer; Bahr-ul-Fasahat, p. 255)

Checked against: Najm-ul-Ghani Rampuri, Bahr-ul-Fasahat (1927 ed.), p. 255; Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

mustaf'ilun fā'ilun mustaf'ilun fā'ilun

mustaf'ilun fā'ilun mustaf'ilun fā'ilun

Mustaf'ilun fā'ilun twice: Arabic, not used in Urdu except for specimen couplets. Its matvī form (mufta'ilun fā'ilun) has the same weights as Munsarih matvī makshūf.

Attested couplet: “ghabraa gayaa ghar meñ dil ulfat hu'ii dasht se / bahlaa'eñ dil ai junuuñ jangal kii ab gasht se” (Bahr-ul-Fasahat, p. 256)

Checked against: Najm-ul-Ghani Rampuri, Bahr-ul-Fasahat (1927 ed.), p. 256; Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun mustaf'ilun / mafā'ilun

fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun fā'ilātun / fa'ilātun mustaf'ilun / mafā'ilun

Fā'ilātun fā'ilātun mustaf'ilun, a Persian addition, usually makhbūn (fa'ilātun fa'ilātun mafā'ilun). Bahr-ul-Fasahat says later poets abandoned it, and gives the author's own Urdu specimens.

Attested couplet: “le gayaa vo be-muravvat aaraam-e-dil / kuchh nahiiñ baaqii rahaa ab juz naam-e-dil” (Najm-ul-Ghani's own specimen; Bahr-ul-Fasahat, p. 265)

Checked against: Najm-ul-Ghani Rampuri, Bahr-ul-Fasahat (1927 ed.), p. 265; Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

mafā'īlun / mafā'īlu mafā'īlun / mafā'īlu fā'ilātun

mafā'īlun / mafā'īlu mafā'īlun / mafā'īlu fā'ilātun

Mafā'īlu mafā'īlu fā'ilātun (salim: mafā'īlun mafā'īlun fā'ilātun), a Persian addition, rare in Urdu. Bahr-ul-Fasahat scans pyaare as pi-yaa-re here.

Attested couplet: “tire gham meñ piyaare nikal gayaa dil / sharaare se hai furqat ke jal gayaa dil” (Bahr-ul-Fasahat, p. 267)

Checked against: Najm-ul-Ghani Rampuri, Bahr-ul-Fasahat (1927 ed.), p. 267; Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Ashfaq Shaheen, 'Ilm-e-Arooz: bahr, wazn, taqti' (adabsaz.com, 2023)

fā'ilātun / fā'ilātu mafā'īlun / mafā'īlu mafā'īlun / mafā'īlu / fa'lun

fā'ilātun / fā'ilātu mafā'īlun / mafā'īlu mafā'īlun / mafā'īlu / fa'lun

Fā'ilātu mafā'īlu mafā'īlu, and in Urdu most often makfūf akhram mahzūf: fā'ilātu mafā'īlu fa'lun, a favourite metre of naats.

Attested line: “kyaa khabar kyaa sazaa mujh ko miltii”

Checked against: Roshan, 'Urdu prosody: meters and their derived forms' (oocities.org/roshbaby/prosody/derived.html); Muhammad Usama Sarsari, 'Mashhoor nazmon aur naaton ke auzaan' (usamasarsari.com)

faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts)

faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts) faʻ (long) / faʻa (two shorts)

Fifteen beats of fa'lun-style weight in which any long may be replaced by two shorts (fa'lun ×7 + fa'). Built on Hindi rhythm rather than Arabic feet; Mir made it his own.