Al Waqidi

Biography

Al-Waqidi was born in Medina in (c. 130 – 207 AH; c. 748 – 822 AD). He was mawla (client) to ‘Abd Allah ibn Burayda of the Banu Aslam of Medina. According to Abu Faraj al-Isfahani, al-Waqidi’s mother was the daughter of ‘Isa ibn Ja‘far ibn Sa’ib Khathir, a Persian, and the great-granddaughter of Sa’ib, who introduced music to Medina. Amongst his prominent teachers were Ibn Abi Thahab Ma'mar bin Rashid, Malik ibn Anas and Sufyan al-Thawri. He lived in Medina at the time of Abu Hanifa and Ja'far al-Sadiq and studied in Al-Masjid an-Nabawi as a student of Malik ibn Anas. Al-Waqidi also had access to the grand-children of Muhammad's companions. Since many of Muhammad's companions settled in Medina both the Umayyads and their successors the Abbasids used the Medina fiqh in the early days. Malik ibn Anas was later asked by Al-Mansur the Abbasid ruler to compile this fiqh into a book form which became known as Muwatta Imam Malik. The Abbasids later tried other approaches like the Mu'tazila. For his livelihood in Medina, al-Waqidi earned a living as a wheat trader, but when a calamity struck at the age of 50 he migrated to Iraq in 180 AH during the reign of Ma'mun ar-Rashid. There Yahya al-Barmaki welcomed him due to his great learning and he was appointed a judge and he held the post until his death on 11 Dhul Hijjah 207 AH. He is buried in the graveyard of Khayzuran.

Al-Waqidi concentrated on history and is acknowledged as a master in history. He wrote some of the earliest history books on the early conquests. His books on the early expeditions and conquests are extremely detailed and predate much of the Sunni and Shia literature of the later Abbasid period. They illustrate the involvement of the early Muslim women and young boys in campaigns in distant lands against the huge Roman armies. He is relied upon regarding the battles of Muhammad and the Companions and history in general by Muslim scholars. Western orientalists who enjoy his writings include Martin Lings.

His main area of specialization was history. His hadith narrations need to be scrutinized before acceptance. In regards to hadith, al-Waqidi has been frequently criticized by later Muslim writers, who claim that he is unreliable. Al-Shafi'i is reported to have said that al-Waqidi's books are "lies."

Because al-Waqidi lived at the time of Abu Hanifa, Malik ibn Anas and Ja'far al-Sadiq in Medina and was taught by Malik ibn Anas and had access to the children and the grand-children of many of the companions of Muhammad in Medina, initially he was accepted by the greatest scholars of his time and is still accepted for his history, but on the hadiths, since he did not retain the chains of narration, there is debate.

Works

Al-Waqidi's work predates most of the Sunni and Shia books, which were written in the later Abbasid period. Only Abu Hanifa and Malik predate him. Al-Waqidi's chronicles are some of the earliest ones on Islam. They cover a period in history before Shari'a became rigid; a time when the Quran and the example of Muhammad were the only source of law before the Sunni and Shia schools of fiqh developed. They cover a period in history that saw the greatest expansion of the Islamic state. Al-Waqidi is more in line with the other early historians on the Islamic State like Al-Baladhuri and also more in line with the independent Roman history books of the time. Al-Waqidi, along with early historians like al-Baladhuri, illustrates the important role early Muslim women played in society.

According to his literature, women played a leading role in Muslim society and it was due to their support during the Battle of Yarmouk and other battles that the Muslims defeated the Roman and Persian empires. He covers these battles in great detail. The Battle of Yarmouk is regarded as one of the most decisive battles in military history where the Muslims were outnumbered by the Romans but, with the help of the women and the young boys amongst them, defeated the Roman army.

They show how early Muslim women, including Hind bint Utbah and Asma bint Abi Bakr, were instrumental in the Battle of Yarmouk.

Al-Waqidi wrote "As for Asma' bint Abi Bakr, she tied her horse's reins to the reins of her husband's, az-Zubayr bin Awwam. Whenever he struck (the enemy), she would equal him. Under desperate circumstances and heavily outnumbered, every time the men would flee, the women would sing:

"O you who flee from his loyal lady "She is beautiful and stands firmly "Your abandoning them to the Romans "to let them the forelocks and girls seize "They will take what they want from us to the full "And start fighting among themselves."

After seeing the women fight the men would return and said to each other "If we do not fight then we are more entitled to sit in the women's quarter than the women."

One of al-Waqidi's works, Kitab al-Tarikh wa al-Maghazi ("Book of History and Campaigns"), describes the battles (Arabic "Ghazwat") fought by Muhammad.

Another work ascribed to al-Waqidi is Futuh al-Sham ("Conquests of Syria"). It is extremely detailed and shows the extent to which early Muslims went to in order to defeat the huge Roman armies which outnumbered them. It illustrates the extraordinary involvement of the early Muslim women in the campaigns against the huge Roman armies. Muslim scholars believe that the book was written by al-Waqidi but over time as handwritten copies were produced, slight variations and additions were introduced. Sulayman al-Kindi, the translator of the book, says "It must be noted that different companies of ancient manuscripts often differ widely. This should be borne in mind when comparing the translation with the Arabic originals, if differences are found. However, if any clear mistakes are found the translator would appreciate being informed thereof." Some modern Western authors say that some copies of the book contain characters from the sixth Islamic century and could have been changed later.

Criticism

Waqidi has faced criticism regarding his scholarly reliability from many Islamic scholars, including:

1. al-Shafi’i (d. 204 A.H.) said "All the books of al-Waqidi are lies. In Medina there were seven men who used to fabricate authorities, one of which was al-Waqidi."

2. Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 A.H.) said "He is a liar, makes alternations in the traditions"

3. Al-Nasa’i (d. 303 A.H.) said "The liars known for fabricating the hadith of the Messenger of Allah are four. They are: Arba’ah b. Abi Yahya in Medina, al-Waqidi in Baghdad, Muqatil b. Sulayman in Khurasan and Muhammad bin Sa’id in Syria."

4. Al-Bukhari (d. 256 A.H.) said "al-Waqidi has been abandoned in hadith. He fabricates hadith"

5. Al-Dhahabi (d. 748 A.H.) said "Consensus has taken place on the weakness of al-Waqidi"

6. Yahya ibn Ma'in (d. 233 A.H.) said "He is weak. He is nothing. Not reliable!"

7. Ishaq ibn Rahwayh (d. 238 A.H.) said "According to my view, he is one of those who fabricate Hadith"

8. Abu Dawood (d. 275 A.H.) said "I do not write his hadith and I do not report (hadith) on his authority. I have no doubt that he used to make up hadith"

9. Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Idris al-Razi (d. 277 A.H.) said "He fabricates hadith. We have abandoned his hadith"

10. Al-Daraqutni (d. 385 A.H.) said "There is weakness in him (in his reporting)"

11. Ali ibn al-Madini (d. 241 A.H.)said "He fabricates Hadith"

12. Ibn ‘Adi (d. 365 A.H.) said "His traditions are not safe and there is danger from him (in accepting his traditions)"

13. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (d. 852 A.H.)said "He has been abandoned in spite of vastness of his knowledge"

14. Abu Zur’a al-Razi (d. 264 A.H.) said "(Waqidi's writing) Abandoned, Weak"

15. Al-Nawawi (d. 676 A.H.): said "Their (muhaddithin scholars) consensus is that al-Waqidi is weak"

16. Al-Albani (d. 1999 C.E.) said that al-Waqidi is a liar.

Although Al-Waqidi had many detractors he also had many supporters including but not limited to:

1. al-Darawardi (d. 186 A.H.): al-Waqidi is a master of traditions.

2. Yazid ibn Harun (2. 206 A.H.): al-Waqidi is reliable.

3. Abu ‘Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Salam (d. 224 A.H.): Reliable.

4. al-Musayyibi (d. 236 A.H.) Reliable.

5. Ibn Numayr (d. 234 A.H.) Here his tradition is alright but for the traditions of the Madinites, they know it better.

6. ‘Abbas al-Anbari (d. 246 A.H.) I like him more than al-Razzaq.

7. Ya’qub ibn Shaybah (d. 264 A.H.) Some of our people have told me that he was reliable.

8. Mus’ab al-Zubayri (d. 236 A.H.) He is reliable and safe.

9. Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Saghani (d. 270 A.H.) Had he not been reliable to me I would have not reported from him.

10. Ibrahim al-Harbi (d. 280 A.H.) al-Waqidi is a trustee of the people of Islam

11.Muhammad bin Salam Al-Jumahi said: ‘al-Waqidi is the scholar of his time’.

Even among those who found rejected Al-Waqidi in hadith many of those same people still considered him a pillar in history and accepted his narrations in this regard. Ibn Hajar Asqalani records:

‘He is acceptable in the narrations of the battles according to our companions and Allah knows the best.