GHAZALS

Ghazal originated in Iran in the 10th century A.D. It grew from the Persian qasida, which

 verse form had come to Iran from Arabia. The qasida was a panegyric written in praise

 of the emperor or his noblemen. The partof the qasida called tashbib got detached and

developed in due course

of time into the ghazal. Whereas the qasida sometimes ran into as many

 as 100 couplets or more in monorhyme, the ghazal seldom exceeded

 twelve, and settled down to an average of seven. Because

 of its comparative brevity and concentration, its thematic

variety and rich suggestiveness, the ghazal soon eclipsed

 the qasida and became the most popular form of poetry in Iran.