Ethics constituted a fundamental component of classical Arabic literary criticism, wherein Arabic poetry was not merely appreciated as an aesthetic product, but as a discourse imbued with social and religious values. This perception led to the emergence of ethical standards as influential critical tools in the reception of literary texts, shaping their legitimacy within the Arab-Islamic cultural framework. This study aims to explore how the poetry of Abu Nuwas was received through such ethical lenses, focusing on the ways in which classical criticism evaluated his work oscillating between condemnation and justification. It investigates the role of morality in literary assessment, questioning whether it served as a means of enriching and guiding the text or as a barrier limiting its creative potential. The significance of this topic lies in its departure from purely aesthetic readings, shedding light on the cultural and ethical dimensions that framed critical reception and contributed to the formation of concepts such as literary value, acceptance, and rejection. The central question posed by this research is: To what extent did ethical and religious standards shape the reception of Abu Nuwas's poetry among classical critics? And did this contribute to the enrichment of the literary experience or its restriction?

Reception, Ethics, Classical Criticism, Abu Nuwas, Arabic Poetry, Religion, Islamic Culture.