Wikipedia's first sentence called it “known as abu nowas”. Today it says “classical arabic poet”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “8th century Arabic poet”. It now reads “8th-century classical Arabic poet”.
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Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2005
Abu-Nawas Hassan-lbn-Hauni-Khuzestani ( 750 ?– 813 ?) was an early Arabic language poet , probably born at Ahwaz in Persia . He was of Persian descent. Abu Nuwas is also known as Abu Nowas , Abu Nu'as and Abu Nuwaz , and was nicknamed "Father of Curls" because of his long flowing hair. Due to the protection of powerful patrons, among whom the Barmaki family, enlightened advisors to caliph Harun al-Rashid , Abu Nuwas was able to celebrate wine and the love of youths, pleasures tolerated in Islamic society only when tasted quietly. This tolerance is often presented as an example of the tolerance of the Islamic religion. However, Nuwas was also severely persecuted, had to go into exile for a period of time after the fall of the Barmakis, and allegedly died a violent death in prison. His commissioned work, the 'mu'annathat', includes poems on the topic of hunting, the love of women, and panegyrics to his patrons. The majority of his work is referred to as 'mudhakkarat' and 'mujuniyyat', and it is addressed to males. There are also two distinct sub-categories of poems: the first about young girls who disguise themeselves as boys, the 'ghulamiyyat'; and the second wine & drinking songs, the 'khamriyyat'. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest of classical Arabic poets , if not the very best.1Abu Nuwas has entered the folkloric tradition, and he appears several times in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights .2His freedom of rhetorical expression, and his celebration of transgressive love, continues to excite the animus of censors. In January 2001 the Egyptian Ministry of Culture burned 6,000 books of poetry by Abu Nuwas, after pressure from Islamic fundamentalists .3
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The opening as it stood in 2010 11 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Abu Nuwas, Drawing by Khalil Gibran , al-Funun 2, no. 1 (June 1916) Abu-Nuwas al-Hasan ben Hani Al-Hakami ( 756 – 814 ), known as Abū-Nuwās ( ; , Abu Novas ), was one of the greatest of classical Arabic poets, who also composed in Persian on occasion.Born in the city of Ahvaz in Persia , of an Arab father and a Persian mother, he became a master of all the contemporary genres of Arabic poetry, although his fame rests principally on his poems in praise of pederasty. Abu Nuwas has entered the folkloric tradition, and he appears several times in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights .
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The opening as it stood in 2015 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
( Learn how and when to remove this message ) Abū Nuwās al-Ḥasan ibn Hānī al-Ḥakamī ( 756 – 814 ), known as Abū Nuwās ( ; , Abū Novās ), was one of the greatest classical Arabic poets, who also composed in Persian on occasion.Born in the city of Ahvaz in modern-day Iran , to an Arab father and a Persian mother, he became a master of all the contemporary genres of Arabic poetry. Abu Nuwas has also entered the folkloric tradition, and he appears several times in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights .
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Abū Nuwās al-Ḥasan ibn Hānī al-Ḥakamī – variant: Al-Ḥasan ibn Hānī 'Abd al-Awal al-Ṣabāḥ, Abū 'Alī ( الحسن بن هانئ بن عبد الأول بن الصباح ،ِابو علي ), known as Abū Nuwās al-Salamī ( أبو نواس السلمي ) or just Abū Nuwās ( أبو نواس Abū Novās ) – ( c. 756 – c. 814), was a classical Arabic poet . Born in the city of Ahvaz , in modern-day Iran , to an Arab father and a Persian mother, he became a master of all the contemporary genres of Arabic poetry. He also entered the folkloric tradition, appearing several times in One Thousand and One Nights .He died during the Great Abbasid Civil War before al-Ma’mūn advanced from Khurāsān in either 199 or 200 AH (814–816 AD).
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The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 2 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
8th-century classical Arabic poet For the crater, see Abu Nuwas (crater) .Abū Nuwās al-Ḥasan ibn Hānī al-Ḥakamī (variant: Al-Ḥasan ibn Hānī 'Abd al-Awal al-Ṣabāḥ, Abū 'Alī ( أَبُو عَلِي اَلْحَسَنْ بْنْ هَانِئْ بْنْ عَبْدِ اَلْأَوَّلْ بْنْ اَلصَّبَاحِ اَلْحُكْمِيِّ اَلْمِذْحَجِي ), known as Abū Nuwās al-Salamī ( أبو نواس السلمي ) or just Abū Nuwās ( ); c. 756 – c. 814 ) was a classical Arabic poet , and the foremost representative of the modern ( muhdath ) poetry that developed during the first years of Abbasid Caliphate . He also entered the folkloric tradition, appearing several times in One Thousand and One Nights .
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The opening as it stood in 2025
8th-century classical Arabic poet For the crater, see Abu Nuwas (crater) . Abu Nuwas ( أبو نواس , Abū Nuwās ) (756-8 – c. 814 ) was a classical Arabic poet , and the foremost representative of the modern ( muhdath ) poetry that developed during the first years of the Abbasid Caliphate . He also entered the folkloric tradition, appearing several times in One Thousand and One Nights . Of mixed Arab and Persian heritage, he studied in Basra and al-Kufah, first under the poet Walibah ibn al-Hubab, and later under Khalaf al-Ahmar.He also studied the Qur'an , Hadith , and grammar.He earned the favour of the Abbasid caliphs Harun ar-Rashid and al-Amin .He is best known for his wine poetry, and Diwan , his collected volume of poetry that explored religion, pleasure, and homoeroticism .There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).
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Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “known as abu nowas”. Today it says “classical arabic poet”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “8th century Arabic poet”. It now reads “8th-century classical Arabic poet”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
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2020
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2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
known as abu nowas
Now
classical arabic poet
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
