matla'

In Arabic, Persian, Turkic, and Urdu poetry, the matla (from Arabic , lit. 'rising place'; ; ; ; ; ) is the first bayt, or couplet, of a classical poem such as a qasida or a ghazal. 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 poem; in this case, the second is referred to as husn-e-matla. It is an important part of the composition because it establishes the overall meter, form, and mood of the entire piece.