Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the impact of the critical movement in the fourth century AH on the reception of the poetry of Abu al-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi, regarded as an exceptional poet whose works attracted the attention of critics and scholars in his time and beyond. The research seeks to analyze the cultural and intellectual context that fostered this intensive reception and to highlight the role played by the critical environment in shaping literary taste and reinforcing Al-Mutanabbi's prominence in the Arabic poetic tradition. Methodology: The study adopts an analytical-critical methodology based on the examination of the various commentaries, evaluations, and critical judgments found in classical literary sources. It also draws on the theoretical framework of reception theory to understand the dynamic interaction between the text and its reader, and to identify the mechanisms through which Al-Mutanabbi emerged as a lasting literary phenomenon. Conclusion: The findings reveal that Al-Mutanabbi was not merely a distinguished poet of his time but a central figure in a unique process of critical reception, fueled by his strong presence in royal courts, the polemical discourse surrounding his persona and poetry, and the widespread circulation of his works among scholars and readers. The study underscores the depth of the relationship between criticism and reception, and calls for renewed critical engagement with Al-Mutanabbi's poetry through contemporary interpretive approaches that move beyond traditional readings.