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{{redirect|Matla}}
In [[Persian poetry|Persian]], Turkic and [[Urdu poetry|Urdu]] poetry, the '''matla{{'}}''' (from [[Arabic]] {{lang|ar|مطلع}} {{Transliteration|ar|maṭlaʿ}}; {{langx|fa|مطلع}}; {{langx|az|mətlə}}; {{langx|tr|matla}}; {{langx|uz|matla}}; {{langx|ur|مطلع}}) is the first ''[[Bayt (poetry)|bayt]]'', or couplet, of a ''[[ghazal]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Urdu For Pleasure For Ghazal Lovers: Intekhab O Lughat: 500 Selected Verses & 10,000 Urdu Words, English Hindi|last=Nathani|first=Sultan|publisher=Sultan Nathani|year=1992|isbn=8190025309|location=Bombay|pages=XVI}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/164447/history-art-performance-ghazal-hindustani-sangeet/|title=The history, art and performance of ghazal in Hindustani sangeet|date=2017-12-21|website=Daily Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-18}}</ref> In this sense, it is the opposite of the ''[[maqta']]''. It is possible, although extremely rare, for there to be more than one ''matla{{'}}'' in a ''ghazal''; in this case the second is referred to as husn e Matla. It is important part because it establishes the overall form and mood of the entire ''ghazal''.

The defining feature of the ''matla{{'}}'' is that both verses of the couplet rhyme, or expressed in technical terminology, both verses end with the ''[[qafiya]]'' and ''[[radif]]'' of the ''ghazal''. In fact, the purpose of the ''matla{{'}}'' is to define the qafiya and radif for the rest of the ''ghazal''.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Urdu poetry}}
{{Persian literature}}

[[Category:Ghazal]]
[[Category:Urdu-language poetry]]