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Qasida

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A traditional Arabic poetic form with monorhyme and specific thematic development

Detailed Definition
Qasida is a classical Arabic poetic form, later adopted across Persian, Urdu, and other Islamic literary traditions, characterized by monorhyme, consistent meter, and a tripartite structure: an amorous prelude (nasib), a desert journey (rahil), and a panegyric or moral conclusion (madih or hija); traditionally used for praise, satire, or philosophical reflection, the qasida demands technical virtuosity and thematic progression, influencing poets from Imru’ al-Qais to modern writers like Adonis who reinvent its conventions for contemporary critique.
Example
Example in poetry:
Qasida: classical Arabic ode with nasib (lament), rahil (journey), and madih (praise); Imru’ al-Qais’ Mu’allaqat opens with desert ruins; Modern: Darwish’s qasidas mourn Palestine; “I weep for tents gone, ride dunes of loss, / praise the olive that outlives the tank.”
Additional Notes
Classical Arabic ode, often lengthy with complex structure. Traditional sections: nasib (nostalgia), rahil (journey), fakhr (boast). Foundation of Arabic poetry. Study pre-Islamic examples.
Also Known As
Arabic ode monorhyme poem
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