What is a Ghazal?

Ghazal in short, is a collection of Shers which follow the rules of Matla, Maqta, Beher, Kafiya and Radif.
So to know what a Ghazal is, it is necessary to know what each of these terms mean.


Sher
It's a poem of two lines. Basically every Sher is a poem in itself. A Sher does not need anything around it to convey the message.

Eg. -
Har Ek Baat Pe Kehte Ho Tum Ki Tu Kya Hai
Tumhi Kaho Ki Yeh Andaaz-E-Guftgu Kya Hai

So Ghazal is necessarily a collection of two-line poems called Sher.


Beher
Beher is the meter of the Sher. Both the lines in a Sher must be of same Beher. And all the Shers in a Ghazal must be of the same Beher.
So Ghazal is a collection of Shers of same Beher.

Eg. -
Apne Hothon Par Sajana Chahta Hoon
Aa Tujhe Main Gungunana Chahta Hoon

Thak Gaya Main Karte-Karte Yaad Tujhko
Ab Tujhe Main Yaad Aana chahta Hoon


Radif
In a Ghazal, second line of all the Shers must end with the same word(s). This repeating common word is the Radif of the Ghazal. This tradition though is not found anymore in modern poetry.

Eg. -
Aaye Hain Samjhane Log
Hain Kitne Deewane Log

Dair-O-Haram Mein Chain Jo Milta
Kyun Jate Maikhane Log

Jaan Ke Sab Kuchh, Kuchh Bhi Na Jaane
Hain Kitne Anjane Log

Log is the Radif here.


Kafiya
Kafiya is the rhyming pattern which all the words before Radif must have.

Eg. -
Samjhane, Deewane, Maikhane, Jaane, Anjane in the example stated above.


Matla
The first Sher in the Ghazal must have Radif in its both lines.
This Sher is called Matla of the Ghazal and the Ghazal is usually known after its Matla. There can be more than one Matla in a Ghazal.

Eg. -
Sarakti Jaye Hain Rukh Se Naqab Ahista-Ahista
Nikalta Aa Raha Hai Aftab Ahista-Ahista

Ahista-Ahista is Radif in the Matla (the first Sher) here.


Maqta
A Shayar usually has an alias. There is generally a Sher in a Ghazal, usually the last one, which has the Shayar’s alias in it.

Mirza Asadullah Khan used Ghalib and is popularly known by that name.

Eg. -
Humko Maloom Hai Jannat Ki Haqeeqat Lekin
Dil Ke Khush Rakhne Ko Ghalib Yeh Khayal Achha Hai


To summarize :
A Ghazal is a collection of Shers (independent two-line poems), in which there is atleast one Matla, one Maqta and all the Shers are of same Beher and have the same Kafiya and Radif.


Few Points To Note :
1. Ghazal is just a form. It is independent of any language. Thus we may have Ghazals in Marathi, Tamil, French or any other language.

2. Some Ghazals may not have any Radif.

3. Although, every Sher should be an independent poem in itself. It is possible that all the Shers are on the same theme.
Eg. - Chupke Chupke Raat Din Aansoo Bahana Yaad Hai.

4. Modern poetry may not have a Maqta at all. Many Ghazals do have a Maqta just for the sake of having it.