Al-Waqidi
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2011) |
| Muslim historian Abu `Abdillah Muhammad Ibn Omar Ibn Waqid al al-Aslami |
|
|---|---|
| Title | Al-Waqidi |
| Born | ca. 130AH / AD 748 |
| Died | 207AH / AD 822 |
| Main interests | History of Islam |
| Works | "Kitab al-Tarikh wa al-Maghazi" ("Book of History and Campaigns") |
| Influenced | Ibn Sad |
Abu `Abdullah Muhammad Ibn ‘Omar Ibn Waqid al-Aslami (Arabic ' أبو عبد الله محمد بن عمر بن واقد ) (c. 130 - 207 AH; c. 748 - 822 AD), commonly referred to as al-Waqidi (Arabic: الواقدي), was an early Muslim historian and biographer of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad specializing in his campaigns. Al-Waqidi served as a judge (qadi) for Harun al-Rashid and Al-Ma'mun.
[edit] Biography
He was born and educated in Medina. When Harun al-Rashid made his hajj in 186 AH, and intended to visit Medina, he sent his vizier Yahya ibn Khalid ibn Barmak ahead to locate a suitable guide, and Yahya chose al-Waqidi.[citation needed] Al-Waqidi then followed the caliph back to Baghdad where he lived thereafter. At the time of his death he was qadi of the western side of Baghdad.[citation needed]
[edit] Works
Al-Waqidi was a tireless collector of traditions and the author of many books.[citation needed] His secretary, Muhammad Ibn Sa`d was also a famous historian. He made use of the information collected by al-Waqidi. Both of them wrote biographies of the prophet Muhammad that are important supplements to the "Sirat Rasul Allah" of Muhammad ibn Ishaq, but al-Waqidi's has survived only in part.[citation needed]
Only one of al-Waqidi's works has survived - "Kitab al-Tarikh wa al-Maghazi" ("Book of History and Campaigns") which describes the campaigns or more accurately "raids" (Arabic "Ghrazwat") made by Muhammad while he was ruling in Medina. Another work still often ascribed to al-Waqidi, "Futuh al-Sham" ("Conquests of Syria"), contains characters from the sixth Islamic century, long after the time al-Waqidi lived. al-Waqidi has been frequently criticized by Muslim writers, who claim that he is unreliable.[1] Imam Shafi'i says that"the books written by Al-Waqidi are nothing but heaps of lies".[citation needed]
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Muhammad", in P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs et al., Encyclopædia of Islam, 2nd Edition. (Leiden: E. J. Brill) 12 Vols. published between 1960 and 2005.
