What Is a Qasida?
Qasida (قَصِيدَة — from qasada: to aim at, to pursue with purpose) is the classical Arabic poetic form — a long monorhyme poem with a consistent meter throughout. Each line (bayt — literally, a “house”) consists of two hemistichs that rhyme with each other (in a monorhyme throughout the poem) and scan to the same metrical pattern.
The classical Arabic qasida had specific structural conventions:
- Al-Nasib (prelude, often elegiac/amatory) — the opening section
- Al-Rahil (journey section) — transition
- Al-Ghard (purpose section) — the main body (praise, petition, elegy)
In the Islamic religious tradition, the qasida form was adapted for devotional purposes: celebrating the Prophet (madih al-nabi), elegizing the martyrs (marsia/ritha’), and praising the Imams and Dais.
In the Bohra tradition, “qasida” is used broadly for devotional poems across multiple languages and forms.
Languages of Bohra Devotional Poetry
Lisan al-Dawat (لِسَانُ الدَّعوَة)
The primary language of Bohra devotional poetry is Lisan al-Dawat — the community’s liturgical language. Lisan al-Dawat developed over centuries in Gujarat, India, as a blending of:
- Arabic (religious vocabulary, core theological terms)
- Gujarati (base grammar, everyday vocabulary, syntax)
- Persian (poetic vocabulary, mystical terminology)
- Elements of Urdu and Hindi
Lisan al-Dawat is written in the Arabic script (like Urdu and Persian, reading right to left) and has its own distinctive script conventions. It is the language of the community’s religious instruction, majlis texts, and most devotional poetry.
See also: Lisan Ud Dawat
Arabic
Many of the most important Bohra qasidas are in classical Arabic — composed by Dais and scholars who were trained in classical Arabic poetry. These Arabic qasidas are often of high literary quality and engage the classical tradition of Islamic poetry.
Notable Arabic composers: Qadi al-Nu’man himself composed Arabic poetry; many of the Fatimid-era Dais and scholars were accomplished Arabic poets.
Persian
The Persian poetic tradition — with its rich vocabulary of mystical love poetry, its ghazal form, and its sophistication in expressing spiritual longing — contributed significantly to Ismaili devotional poetry, especially through Nasir-i Khusraw’s celebrated body of work and through the Persian-influenced Dais of the later Ismaili tradition.
See also: Nasir Khusraw
The Major Genres of Bohra Devotional Poetry
1. Madih — Panegyric (Praise Poetry)
Madih (مَدِيح — praise) celebrates the virtues and qualities of the Prophet, the Imams, or the Dais. This is the most common form of Bohra qasida.
Topics of madih:
- Praise of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) — his character, his mission, his beauty, his station
- Praise of the Ahl al-Bayt — Sayyidna ‘Ali, Sayyidatna Fatima al-Zahra, the Imams
- Praise of the Dai al-Mutlaq — celebrating his qualities, ‘ilm, and walayah to the Imam
- Celebration of specific religious occasions
Function: The madih is not merely celebratory but pedagogical — it teaches the community about the Prophet’s and Imam’s qualities through the vehicle of beautiful language and meter, making theology emotionally accessible.
See also: Mawlid Al Nabi, Ahl Al Bayt, Salawat On The Prophet
2. Marsia / Ritha’ — Elegy
Marsia (مَرثِيَة — from ratha’: to mourn the dead) is poetry of lamentation — mourning the deaths of the Ahl al-Bayt, especially the martyrs of Karbala.
The marsia tradition in the Bohra community is intimately connected with the Muharram observances:
- Marsias are composed and recited in the majalis of Muharram
- They describe the events of Karbala in emotionally powerful language
- They mourn Imam Husayn (AS), his family, his companions
- They arouse the communal grief that is the spiritual core of Ashura observance
The marsia tradition in Ismaili-Bohra literature is ancient — marsias mourning the Imam’s martyrdom exist in Fatimid-era sources. The Bohra community’s marsia tradition is a living continuation of this ancient heritage.
See also: Ashura Karbala Commemoration, Imam Al Husayn, Arbaeen
3. Na’t — Praise of the Prophet
Na’t (نَعت — description, attribute) is a specific genre of poetry praising the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) — describing his physical beauty, his moral perfection, his unique station.
The na’t tradition draws on the Quran’s own descriptions of the Prophet (“And indeed, you are of a great moral character” — 68:4) and the prophetic hadith literature. The most famous na’t in the Arabic tradition is the Burda (cloak poem) of Imam al-Busiri (d. 696 AH / 1296 CE) — “Burdatu al-Madih” or “Qasidatu al-Burda” — which the Bohra community recites on occasions celebrating the Prophet.
4. Hajv / Naqd — Polemical Poetry
Less prominent in contemporary Bohra practice but historically significant: poetry that polemically argues against theological opponents (Sunni positions, Ismaili schismatics, political enemies of the da’wa). The Fatimid poets produced extensive polemical poetry defending the Imamate and attacking the Abbasids.
5. Ginans (in related Khoja tradition)
The Nizari Ismaili tradition (particularly the Khoja community) has a related but distinct tradition of devotional poetry called ginans — devotional poems in Indian languages (Sindhi, Punjabi, Gujarati) composed by early Ismaili preachers to the Indian Subcontinent. While the Bohra tradition is distinct from the Nizari, the gnan/gaan tradition represents the shared Indian Ismaili poetic heritage.
Occasions for Reciting Qasidas
Muharram and Ashura
Marsias and poems of lamentation dominate the Muharram month. The majalis of Muharram alternate between waaz (sermon) and the recitation of marsias and elegies.
Mawlid al-Nabi
The Prophet’s birthday is celebrated with madih poems praising the Prophet — na’ts, qasidas about his birth and early life, poems expressing the community’s love for the Prophet.
Eid al-Ghadir (18 Dhu al-Hijja)
The most important Bohra festival — celebrating the Prophet’s designation of Imam ‘Ali at Ghadir Khumm — is accompanied by qasidas praising Imam ‘Ali, the event of Ghadir, and the doctrine of walayah.
Installation of the Dai / Milad al-Dai
When a new Dai al-Mutlaq is installed, or on the anniversary of the current Dai’s milad (birthday), qasidas praising the Dai’s qualities and walayah are composed and recited.
Laylat al-Qadr / Ramadan
Special devotional poetry for the night of power and the Ramadan nights.
See also: Ashura Karbala Commemoration, Mawlid Al Nabi, Eid Al Ghadir, Laylat Al Qadr
The Poetic Tradition in Practice
The Role of the Mu’allim (Teacher of Qasidas)
In the Bohra community, the recitation of qasidas is an art with its own tradition of teaching and transmission. The mu’allim (teacher) who trains young people to recite qasidas — with proper pronunciation, meter, melody (laḥn), and meaning — plays an important role in the community’s cultural and religious life.
Maqamat (Melodic Modes)
Qasidas are recited to traditional melodic modes (maqamat) — specific musical scales and patterns that have been passed down through the community. Different occasions call for different maqamat: the maqam for a Muharram marsia conveys grief; the maqam for a mawlid na’t conveys joy; the maqam for a Ghadir qasida conveys celebration.
The Nashid Tradition
Alongside formal qasidas, the Bohra community has a tradition of nasheeds (singular: nashid — from nashada: to sing) — shorter, more singable devotional songs. Nasheeds may be in Lisan al-Dawat, Arabic, or Urdu, and are sung collectively at gatherings.
The Spiritual Function of Devotional Poetry
Why does the community invest so much care in devotional poetry? The answer lies in the nature of poetry itself:
Poetry bypasses the rational mind’s defenses: Theological propositions can be intellectually accepted while emotionally inert. Poetry, through its rhythm, rhyme, imagery, and beauty, reaches the heart directly — conveying the same content but making it felt, not merely known.
Poetry creates community: Singing or reciting together creates a shared emotional experience — the community’s love for the Prophet and the Imams is expressed collectively, reinforcing the bonds of walayah through the shared act of praise and mourning.
Poetry preserves knowledge across generations: In a community where many members are not scholars, devotional poetry transmits theological content (the Prophet’s qualities, the events of Ghadir, the facts of Karbala) in a memorable form — what is known in poetry is not forgotten.
Poetry is itself a form of ‘ibada (worship): The sincere praise of the Prophet and the Imam is not merely culture — it is a form of worship, an expression of the soul’s love for the divine’s representatives, and a means of drawing near to them.
See also: Dhikr, Salawat On The Prophet, Understanding Walayah, Ahl Al Bayt, Ashura Karbala Commemoration, Mawlid Al Nabi, Lisan Ud Dawat
See also: Lisan Ud Dawat, Ahl Al Bayt, Salawat On The Prophet, Mawlid Al Nabi, Eid Al Ghadir, Ashura Karbala Commemoration, Imam Al Husayn, Arbaeen, Dai Al Mutlaq Institution, Understanding Walayah, Nasir Khusraw, Dhikr, Laylat Al Qadr, Sayyida Fatima Al Zahra