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Qafiya Kya Hai? Understanding the Soul of Rhyme

Published on October 05, 2025

If you've ever been enchanted by an Urdu ghazal, you've felt the subtle magic of its structure. Beyond the profound meaning in each couplet (sher), there's a framework of rhyme and rhythm that gives the ghazal its unique, captivating quality. The most fundamental part of this framework is the Qafiya (قافیہ).

How to Identify the Qafiya

The best way to understand Qafiya is to see it in action. Let's look at a famous sher by Ahmed Faraz:

"Suna hai log use aankh bhar ke dekhte hain,
So us ke shahar mein kuchh din Thahar ke dekhte hain"

In this sher, the repeating phrase (Radif) is "ke dekhte hain". The words that come just before it are bhar and Thahar. These words rhyme perfectly. This rhyming pattern is the Qafiya.

Qafiya vs. Radif - The Key Difference

This is a common point of confusion for beginners. Remember this simple rule:

  • Qafiya: Changes in every sher, but always rhymes. (e.g., safar, nagar, khabar)
  • Radif: Stays exactly the same in every sher. (e.g., "mein rehta hai")

The Qafiya provides variety and showcases the poet's vocabulary, while the Radif provides a constant, meditative echo. Together, they create the musical soul of the ghazal. So, the next time you listen to a ghazal, try to identify the Qafiya. You'll find a new layer of appreciation for the poet's skill.