Religious and moral criticism of poetry and the relationship between poetry and Religious Law is one of the important issues that various poets and scholars have addressed in the history of literary criticism. One of these poets is Hakim Azari Esfarayeni, who wrote a treatise in defense of poetry (Meftah al-Asrar) in 830 AH, in which he raised significant points in defense of the value, status, and function of poetry, which are valuable from the perspective of the history of literary criticism in Persian Literature. In this treatise, he seeks to legitimize poetry by finding a place alongside revelation and hadiths (Narrations), and to shed light on the verses and hadiths that have been mentioned in denouncing and condemning the poets. To defend poetry, he cites reasons based on the sanctity of poetry, such as the prophets and saints being poets, the Prophet and Imams giving gifts to poets, the souls of poets believing in Islam, and supernatural stories based on the perfection of the spiritual level of poets. In addition to these reasons, he cites other reasons such as references to poetry in texts, the dependence of music on poetry, the reception of audiences, and the high status of poets among past kings. In addition to these, Azari, with the same religious perspective, mentions two characteristics for the poets of these poems, which are having research and success together and having access to divine perfection, beauty, and glory. 
1. Introduction
Ali ibn Hamze ibn Ali Malek, known as the Azari Esfarayeni, wrote an encyclopedia in 830 AH on the secrets of divine words, the secrets of the hadiths of the Prophet, the secrets of the words of saints and sheikhs, and the justifications of the words of poets, called Miftah al-Asrar. At the beginning of the fourth chapter, the author has included an introduction entitled “Introduction to the Description of Poetry and Poetry,” in which he has expressed his views on poetry. In fact, this introduction is a treatise in defense of poetry and in recalling its position, status, and supernatural foundations and its relationship with the Sharia, against the views of its opponents, namely the legislators who saw poetry in conflict with the Sharia and the foundations of Islam.
 
2. Research Background
There have been studies published about Azari Esfarayeni's poetry collection and the characteristics of his poetry, as well as the Masnavi of Ajayeb Va Gharayeb [Wonders & marvels], but so far no one has fully addressed his theory about poetry. Only Shafie'i Kadkani, in his article "Azari Tusi and Poetry Criticism" (1998), paid attention to the section on criticism and classification of poets in this work, but did not analyze his message. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze and examine Azari's views on poetry.
 
3.Discussion
Azari wants to find a place for poetry alongside revelation and hadiths, and in this way show the legitimacy of poetry, because the cultural environment that emerged in the early days of Islam was against poetry in two ways. On the one hand, several verses of the Quran criticize poets. On the other hand, some infidels who intended to contradict the Quran accused the Prophet of being a poet, and the Prophet's defense of himself against these opponents had a double effect on the stagnation of the poetry and poetics market. In the next section, to prove the value of poetry, Azari considers its source to be Islamic law and believes that poetry derives its meaning from Islamic law. Azari's next step in defending poetry is to interpret the verses and hadiths narrated in condemnation of the poets. In total, these verses of the Quran deal with poetry and poets: "Yasin 69, Al-Haqqe 41, Al-Safat 36 and 37, and Shoara 224 to 226." Azari believes that these verses are not absolute, but each one has an input reason. One of the reasons that he cites to prove the value of poetry is the historical anecdotes and narrations mentioned about the Prophet and Imams, which refer to gifts to poets and appreciation for their poetry, and he has mentioned some of them in his treatise. Another point that Azari mentions to honor Muslim poets is the conversion of their souls to Islam. The next point in defending the perfection of the poets' dignity is the supernatural stories that were narrated about the poets during their lifetime or after their death, which indicate the perfection of their spiritual status and divine approval. Also the importance that past monarchs, unlike the monarchs of the Azari period, gave to poets and honored them is, one of the reasons for the importance of poetry and the high status of poetry. He also considered the references to poetry in various books, even in religious books, as a strong proof of the high status and high value of poetry. The next point is the discussion of the acceptability of these poems and their reception by the audience, which can be analyzed and examined from the perspective of reader-response theory. Azari believes that the poems of Muslim poets are of interest to both specific and general audiences. Two other characteristics that Azari mentions for these poets are having research and success together that he believes these poets, with such characteristics, have access to divine perfection, beauty, and glory, and reflect it in their poetry.
 
4. Conclusion
One of the important issues in the history of Islamic thought is the religious and moral criticism of poetry and the relationship between poetry and the Sharia, which some poets and scholars have addressed. Thinkers who have had a relationship with philosophy, before entering this issue, have examined the category of poetry in an abstract manner or have viewed the Sharia as a type of wisdom, but by the ninth century this relationship apparently had diminished. In his treatise, Azari has raised significant points in defense of poetry against legislators who saw poetry in conflict with the Sharia and the foundations of Islam, which are valuable from the perspective of the history of literary criticism. He does not have a philosophical and abstract view of poetry, but rather wants to find a place for poetry alongside revelation and hadiths, and in this way show the legitimacy of poetry, and shed light on the verses and hadiths that have been cited in condemning the clan of poets.