Manqabat — Rawzat

The Meaning of Manqabat

The word manqabat (مَنقَبَة, pl. manaqib) derives from the root n-q-b, meaning to search deeply, to investigate, to find the hidden virtues — like mining for precious ore. The manaqib of a person are their noble deeds, the virtues hidden within their character that deep inquiry reveals. Poetry called manqabat is thus not mere flattery but a serious devotional act: searching for and declaring the true virtues of the beloved.

The distinction between na’at and manqabat:

Na’at: praise of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) — the Seal of Prophethood
Manqabat: praise of the Imams from Imam Ali (AS) onward, and of the Duat Mutlaqeen — the inheritors of the prophetic ‘ilm

These are not competing loyalties but a single chain: loving the Prophet’s inheritors is part of loving the Prophet. The Prophet (SAW) himself declared at Ghadir Khumm: “Whoever considers me their mawla, Ali is also their mawla.” Manqabat is the poetic expression of this walayah. See also: Naat Devotional Poetry, Understanding Walayah

The Subjects of Manqabat

Manqabat of Imam Ali (AS)

Imam Ali (AS) is the most celebrated subject of manqabat across the broader Islamic world. His virtues — his knowledge, his courage, his justice, his poetry, his night prayers, his love for the poor — have inspired devotional poetry across 14 centuries and countless languages. In the Bohra tradition, manqabat of Imam Ali often focuses on:

His precedence in Islam (the first male to accept the Prophet’s call)
His position as the gate of the city of knowledge (ana madinat al-‘ilm wa ‘Aliyyu babuha)
His relationship with the Prophet — brothers in spirit, brothers by covenant
His governance and its model of justice
His night prayers and his intimate conversations with Allah (al-Munajat)

See also: Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib

Manqabat of the Ahl al-Bayt

Manqabat of the Prophet’s family — Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (SA), Imam Hasan (AS), Imam Husain (AS) — form a major strand of the Bohra devotional canon. The manqabat of Sayyida Fatima is particularly beloved: it meditates on her grief after her father’s passing, her dignity, her knowledge, and her intercessory role.

The manqabat of Imam Husain (AS) at Karbala overlaps with marsiya (elegy) — the boundary between praise and lamentation dissolves when the subject is the Lord of the Martyrs. Karbala manqabat praises Imam Husain’s courage, his sacrifice, his love for Allah, his refusal to compromise — while the grief of Karbala runs beneath every line.

Manqabat of the Duat Mutlaqeen

One of the most distinctive features of Bohra manqabat is the tradition of composing praise poetry for the Duat Mutlaqeen — the representatives of the Imam during the period of satr. This means the Bohra devotional canon contains manqabat for all 53 Duat, from Syedna Zoeb ibn Musa al-Wadi’i (1st Dai, d. 546 AH) to the present 53rd Dai.

Manqabat of the Duat celebrates:

The Dai’s ‘ilm (divine knowledge) and his connection to the Imam
His khidmat (service) to the community
His scholarly works and their contribution to the Dawat
Specific events from his life that demonstrated divine support or blessing
His wafat and the community’s grief at his passing

The most celebrated manqabat of recent Duat are those for Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (RA) — his 50 years of global Dawat leadership generated an extraordinarily rich corpus of praise poetry in Arabic, Lisan ud-Dawat, and Urdu.

Forms and Meters of Bohra Manqabat

Arabic Qasida

The classical Arabic qasida (ode) form — lines of equal meter with a rhyme scheme — is used for formal manqabat compositions. The Duat themselves have composed qasidas in classical Arabic, and these are recited at urs and wiladat programs with the same reverence as classical na’at.

Lisan ud-Dawat Manqabat

The largest body of Bohra manqabat is in Lisan ud-Dawat — the community’s liturgical Gujarati-Arabic language. These compositions range from simple quatrains memorisable by children to complex multi-verse poems with internal rhyme schemes and elaborate imagery. The Lisan ud-Dawat manqabat is the heartbeat of Bohra devotional gatherings — the form most immediately accessible to the community, in a language that feels both sacred and domestic.

Urdu Marsiya and Manqabat

The Urdu tradition of marsiya (lamentation) — associated with Lucknow’s classical culture — has also influenced Bohra devotional poetry, particularly in the subcontinental communities. Some Bohra families have a tradition of Urdu manqabat alongside the Arabic and Lisan forms.

When Manqabat Is Sung

At Urs Programs

The urs (death anniversary) of an Imam or Dai is the primary occasion for manqabat of that personality. The manqabat at an urs typically:

Opens with hamd (praise of Allah) and na’at
Moves to manqabat of the relevant Imam or Dai
Includes marsiya (if the occasion calls for grief)
Closes with salawat and collective Fatiha

The waaz of the urs is framed by the manqabat sung before and after it.

At Wiladat Programs

The wiladat (birth anniversary) of an Imam or Dai is a joyful occasion for manqabat. Wiladat manqabat focus on the celebrated one’s qualities, the joy of their arrival, and the barakah they brought to the world.

During Ashara Mubaraka

The ten days of Ashara Mubaraka are saturated with marsiya and manqabat of Imam Husain (AS) and the other Karbala martyrs. Every waaz is preceded and followed by devotional poetry. Some jamats hold dedicated manqabat evenings between the waaz sessions.

In Private Devotion

Many Bohras recite manqabat in private — particularly after salah, during the wee hours, or in moments of grief or longing. The manqabat serves as a form of dhikr (remembrance), orienting the soul toward the Imams and Duat and thereby toward Allah.

The Role of the Maddah

In the Bohra community, the person who performs manqabat at gatherings is called the maddah (poet-praiser, from madh — praise). The maddah occupies an important role: they are not merely performers but transmitters of devotional tradition. A skilled maddah can move the congregation to tears during a Karbala manqabat, to joy during a wiladat manqabat, and to spiritual alertness during a manqabat of the Dai.

The maddah’s skills include:

Memorisation of a large repertoire across occasions and personalities
Knowledge of appropriate tunes (lahn) for different emotional contexts
Sensitivity to the congregation’s state and the program’s flow
The capacity to adjust delivery to deepen the impact

Ta’wil of Manqabat

The zahir of manqabat is the devotional performance — the poem, the melody, the gathering, the collective emotional response.

The batin of manqabat is the re-enactment of walayah in the soul: by meditating on the Imam’s virtues, the mumin’s heart re-orients itself toward the Imam. Manqabat is not merely remembering the past — it is renewing the present relationship. The mumin who sings manqabat of Imam Ali is not celebrating a historical figure but strengthening their present walayah to the one whose ‘ilm continues to guide through the Dawat.

The Quran says: “We make secure your heart with this [the stories of the prophets].” (Quran 11:120) Manqabat is the community’s equivalent: the stories and virtues of the Imams and Duat, wrapped in beauty and melody, secure the heart and deepen its rootedness in walayah.

Manqabat — Devotional Poetry in Praise of the Imams and Awliya