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The 16 Meters (البحور الستة عشر)

The meters of Arabic poetry are grouped into 5 "Circles" (Dawa'ir). Al-Khalil discovered that meters in the same circle are actually permutations of the same rhythmic sequence. If you shift the starting point of one meter's pattern, you generate the others in the circle.

1. Da'irat al-Mukhtalif (دائرة المختلف)

The Circle of the Differing - Named because its feet differ in length (some 5-letter, some 7-letter).

A. Al-Tawil (البحر الطويل)

"The Long" - Named for its length; it is the longest meter in usage. It is the most dignified and widely used meter in classical poetry (Mu'allaqat).

  • Key (Muftah):

    طَوِيلٌ لَهُ دُونَ الْبُحُورِ فَضَائِلُ *** فَعُولُنْ مَفَاعِيلُنْ فَعُولُنْ مَفَاعِيلُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Fa'ulun Mafa'ilun Fa'ulun Mafa'ilun (x2)
  • Binary: 11010 1101010 11010 1101010
  • Usage: Never used in Majzoo (shortened) form. Always full.
  • Common Zihafs:
  • Qabadh: Fa'ulun (11010) -> Fa'ulu (1101). Very common, especially in the Hashw.
  • Kaff: Mafa'ilun (1101010) -> Mafa'ilu (110101). Rare.
  • Arudh & Dharb:
  • Salima (Healthy): Arudh Mafa'ilun / Dharb Mafa'ilun. (Rare).
  • Maqbudha (Contracted): Arudh Mafa'ilun -> Mafa'ilun (Qabadh) / Dharb Mafa'ilun. (Most Common).
  • Mahdhufa (Deleted): Dharb Mafa'ilun -> Mafa'il (Fa'ulun).

B. Al-Madid (البحر المديد)

"The Extended" - Named because the Sababs are extended in its feet. Rare in classical poetry.

  • Key:

    لِمَدِيدِ الشِّعْرِ عِنْدِي صِفَاتُ *** فَاعِلاتُنْ فَاعِلُنْ فَاعِلاتُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Fa'ilatun Fa'ilun Fa'ilatun (x2)
  • Binary: 1011010 10110 1011010
  • Usage: Often used Majzoo (missing the last foot of standard circle pattern).
  • Common Zihafs: Khaban (Fa'ilatun -> Fa'ilatun), Qabadh (Fa'ilun -> Fa'il).

C. Al-Basit (البحر البسيط)

"The Expanded" - Named for the expansion of its Sababs. Very popular.

  • Key:

    إِنَّ الْبَسِيطَ لَدَيْهِ يُبْسَطُ الْأَمَلُ *** مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ فَاعِلُنْ مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ فَاعِلُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Mustaf'ilun Fa'ilun Mustaf'ilun Fa'ilun (x2)
  • Binary: 1010110 10110 1010110 10110
  • Common Zihafs:
  • Khaban: Mustaf'ilun -> Mutaf'ilun. Fa'ilun -> Fa'ilun. (Very common).
  • Tay: Mustaf'ilun -> Musta'ilun.
  • Variations:
  • Tam (Full): Standard.
  • Majzoo: Mustaf'ilun Fa'ilun Mustaf'ilun (x2).
  • Mukhalla: A variation of Majzoo with specific heavy defects.

2. Da'irat al-Mu'talif (دائرة المؤتلف)

The Circle of the Agreeing - Feet consist of 7 letters each. Uses the Fasila (///o).

A. Al-Wafir (البحر الوافر)

"The Abundant" - Very common. Known for its musicality due to the Mufa'alatun foot.

  • Key:

    بُحُورُ الشِّعْرِ وَافِرُهَا جَمِيلُ *** مُفَاعَلَتُنْ مُفَاعَلَتُنْ فَعُولُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Mufa'alatun Mufa'alatun Fa'ulun (x2)
  • Binary: 1101110 1101110 11010
  • Note: The last foot is actually Mufa'alatun reduced to Mufa'al -> Fa'ulun.
  • Common Zihafs:
  • Asab: Mufa'alatun (1101110) -> Mufa'altun (1101010) -> Mafa'ilun. This turns the Wafir rhythm into something resembling Hazaj.

B. Al-Kamil (البحر الكامل)

"The Perfect" - Named for its "perfection" in having 30 movements in its full form, more than any other.

  • Key:

    كَمُلَ الْجَمَالُ مِنَ الْبُحُورِ الْكَامِلُ *** مُتَفَاعِلُنْ مُتَفَاعِلُنْ مُتَفَاعِلُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Mutafa'ilun Mutafa'ilun Mutafa'ilun (x2)
  • Binary: 1110110 1110110 1110110
  • Common Zihafs:
  • Idmar: Mutafa'ilun (1110110) -> Mutfa'ilun (1010110). This makes the foot identical to Mustaf'ilun (Rajaz).
  • Rule: If a verse uses Mutafa'ilun even once, it is Kamil. If it is purely Mustaf'ilun, it is Rajaz.

3. Da'irat al-Mujtalab (دائرة المجتلب)

The Circle of the Imported - Uses the Sabab Khafif heavily.

A. Al-Hazaj (البحر الهزج)

"The Trilling" - Used for songs and light poetry.

  • Key:

    عَلَى الْأَهْزَاجِ تَسْهِيلُ *** مَفَاعِيلُنْ مَفَاعِيلُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Mafa'ilun Mafa'ilun (x2) (Majzoo by nature).

B. Al-Rajaz (البحر الرجز)

"The Trembling" (like a camel's leg). The "Donkey of the Poets" because it is easy to ride (compose).

  • Key:

    فِي أَبْحُرِ الْأَرْجَازِ بَحْرٌ يَسْهُلُ *** مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Mustaf'ilun Mustaf'ilun Mustaf'ilun (x2)
  • Forms:
  • Tam: 3 feet per line (x2).
  • Majzoo: 2 feet per line (x2).
  • Mashtoor: 3 feet total (1 hemistich).
  • Manhook: 2 feet total (1/3 of a line).

C. Al-Ramal (البحر الرمل)

"The Trotting". Soft and lyrical.

  • Key:

    رَمَلُ الْأَبْحُرِ يَرْوِيهِ الثِّقَاتُ *** فَاعِلاتُنْ فَاعِلاتُنْ فَاعِلاتُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Fa'ilatun Fa'ilatun Fa'ilatun (x2)
  • Common Zihafs: Khaban (Fa'ilatun -> Fa'ilatun 1011010 -> 1101010).

4. Da'irat al-Mushtabah (دائرة المشتبه)

The Circle of the Confused - Named because its meters resemble each other and are hard to distinguish. Uses Mustaf'i Lun and Fa'i Latun (split feet).

A. Al-Saree (البحر السريع)

"The Fast".

  • Key:

    بَحْرٌ سَرِيعٌ مَا لَهُ سَاحِلُ *** مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ فاعِلُنْ

  • Note: The last foot Maf'ulatu is folded (Tay) to Fa'ilun.

B. Al-Munsarih (البحر المنسرح)

"The Flowing".

  • Key:

    مُنْسَرِحٌ فِيهِ يُضْرَبُ الْمَثَلُ *** مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ مَفْعُولاتُ مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ

C. Al-Khafif (البحر الخفيف)

"The Light". Very popular for philosophical and refined poetry.

  • Key:

    يَا خَفِيفاً خَفَّتْ بِهِ الْحَرَكَاتُ *** فَاعِلاتُنْ مُسْتَفْعِ لُنْ فَاعِلاتُنْ

D. Al-Mudhari (البحر المضارع)

"The Similar" (to Munasrih). Rare.

  • Key: Mafa'ilun Fa'i Latun

E. Al-Muqtadhib (البحر المقتضب)

"The Cut Off". Rare.

  • Key: Maf'ulatu Mustaf'ilun

F. Al-Mujtath (البحر المجتث)

"The Uprooted".

  • Key: Mustaf'i Lun Fa'ilatun

5. Da'irat al-Muttafiq (دائرة المتفق)

The Circle of the Agreed - Meters built from a single 5-letter foot repeated.

A. Al-Mutaqarib (البحر المتقارب)

"The Near".

  • Key:

    عَنِ الْمُتَقَارِبِ قَالَ الْخَلِيلُ *** فَعُولُنْ فَعُولُنْ فَعُولُنْ فَعُولُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Fa'ulun x4 (x2).
  • Common Variations:
  • Hadhf: Last foot becomes Fa'u (110).
  • Batar: Last foot becomes Fa' (10).

B. Al-Mutadarak (البحر المتدارك)

"The Overtaken". Also called Al-Khabab (The Trot of the Horse). Discovered by Al-Akhfash.

  • Key:

    حَرَكَاتُ الْمُحْدَثِ تَنْتَقِلُ *** فَاعِلُنْ فَاعِلُنْ فَاعِلُنْ فَاعِلُنْ

  • Standard Pattern: Fa'ilun x4 (x2).
  • The Khabab Rhythm: Heavily uses Khaban (Fa'ilun -> Fa'ilun 11010). When the whole poem is 11010, it sounds like a galloping horse (Khabab).