Qaafiye

Qaafiye, also transliterated qafiyah, is the rhyming element at the end of lines in many classical Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and related poetic traditions. The word derives from Arabic qāfiya, meaning "rhyme" or "to be in rhyme." In broad terms, qaafiye refers to the recurring sound pattern that gives a poem its cohesion.

In Arabic poetry, the qaafiye is the fixed rhyme that closes each line. It is studied together with arud, the metrical framework, but qaafiye denotes the end-sound that remains constant throughout a poem or section. Poets often choose a qaafiye to shape imagery and word choice, sometimes restricting vocabulary to fit the rhyme.

In Urdu and Persian poetry, qaafiye has a technical role in the ghazal form. Each sher ends with a rhymed word from the qaafiye; in ghazals this rhyme is typically followed by a refraining word, the radif, which is repeated across lines. The combination of qaafiye and radif creates the distinctive musical ending of the ghazal. The first couplet often establishes both the qaafiye and the radif for the entire poem.

Beyond Arabic and South Asian poetry, qaafiye is also found in Turkish and other Ottoman-era literatures, and can be used more generally to describe end rhymes in traditional verse of these traditions. In modern poetry, the term remains descriptive, though poets may experiment with near rhymes and flexible forms.

Usage notes: qaafiye is distinct from meter, though related; the rhyme’s position and consistency shape composition, diction, and meaning. Understanding qaafiye helps readers recognize the poem’s sound pattern and craft.