45 jyl ǵumyrynda san ǵasyrǵa azyq bolarlyq mol qazyna qaldyrǵan aqyn Muqaǵali Maqataev Almaty oblysy Raiymbek aýdany Qarasaz aýylynda 1931 jyly 9 aqpanda dúniege kelgen. Aqynnyń azan qoiyp shaqyrǵan aty — Muhametqali. Biraq ata-anasy paiǵambar atymen júrý aýyr tiedi dep sábi kúninen "Muqaǵali" dep erkeletken. Muqaǵaliden keiin bir qyz, úsh ul dúniege keledi. Osylardyń ishinde bir ul men qyz sábi kúninde shetineidi.
Muqaǵalidiń ákesi Súleimen qarapaiym sharýa adamy bolyp júrip, keiin otandastarymen birge maidanǵa attanady. Al anasy Naǵimanǵa aqyn asa jaqyn bolmaǵan. Ony jeńge esebinde kórgen. Bul otbasyndaǵy tuńǵysh uldyń ata-áje qolynda ósýimen bailanysty bolsa kerek. Ózinen keiingi inileri Toqtarbai men Kórpeshke erekshe qamqor bolyp, erte eseiedi.
Muqaǵali jastaiynan ádebi shyǵarmalardy súiip oqyp, 14-15 jasynan óleń jaza bastaidy. Qazaq klassikterinen bólek, Esenin, Pýshkin, Blok, Geine, Gete, Diýma, Draizer, Bairon, Balzak, Shekspir jáne Londondy súiip oqidy. Narynqoldaǵy orta mektep internatta bilim alyp, keiin Qazaq memlekettik ýniversitetiniń filologiia fakýltetinde, shet tilder institýtynda, keiin QazMÝ-dyń zań fakýltetinde oqidy. 1973 jyly Máskeý qalasyndaǵy Maksim Gorkii atyndaǵy ádebiet institýtynyń stýdenti atanady. Biraq bul oqýyn da sońyna deiin támamdamai, bir jyldan keiin elge oralady. Óziniń aitýynsha, buǵan balalaryna degen saǵynyshy men oqý baǵdarlamasyna kóńiliniń tolmaýy sebep bolǵan.
Ýniversitet qabyrǵasynda bilim almaýdy jón kórgen aqyn aýyldyq keńes hatshysy, týǵan aýylynda orys tili pániniń muǵalimi, aýdandyq gazet tilshisi qyzmetin atqarady. Óleńderi respýblikalyq baspasóz betterinde 1950 jyldan bastap jaryq kóre bastaidy. Keiin óziniń shyǵarmashylyq qarym-qabiletine úlken senim artyp, 1962 jyly Almaty qalasyna qonys aýdarady. Alyp shaharǵa kelgen soń "Qazaq" radiosynda diktor, "Sotsialistik Qazaqstan" gazetinde tilshi, "Juldyz", "Mádeniet jáne turmys" jýrnalynda mádeni qyzmetker bolyp jumys isteidi. Sondai-aq, jazýshylar odaǵynyń poeziia bóliminde keńesshi qyzmetin atqarady. Almatyda qarjylai qiyndyqtarǵa tap bolǵanyna qaramastan, osylaisha aqyn árdaiym qara óleńge degen mahabbat otyn tutatyp otyrdy.
Muqaǵali Maqataevtyń alǵashqy jyr jinaǵy 33 jasynda shyqqan. Budan keiin 1964-76 jyldar aralyǵynda segiz jyr jinaǵy jaryq kóredi. Búginde aqynnan 1 000-nan astam óleń men poema qaldy. Aqynnyń "Qyrman basynda", "Qoishy bala — Ákitai" óleńderi 1949 jyly "Sovettik shekara" gazetinde basylyp shyqty. Budan keiin 1951 jyly "Inimniń oiy", "Sheber" óleńderi "Jastyq jyry" atty jinaqqa endi. Muqaǵali Maqataev poema men poeziiadan bólek, aýdarma da jasaǵan.
