Al-Waqidi

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Muslim historian
Name: Abu `Abdillah Muhammad Ibn Omar Ibn Waqid al al-Aslami Title: Al-Waqidi Birth: ca. 130AH / AD 748 Death: 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 ' ) (c. 130 - 207 AH; c. 748 - 822AD), commonly referred to as al-Waqidi (Arabic: ,)was an early Arab Muslim historian. 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. 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. Al-Waqidi was a tireless collector of traditions and the author of many books. 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. Only one of al-Waqidi's works has survived - "Kitab al-Tarikh wa al-Maghazi" ("Book of History and Campaigns") which describes the campaigns (Arabic "Ghazw") 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 alWaqidi 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".