الواقدي بين نقد المحدثين واعتماد المؤرخين

This study examines the scholarly figure of Imam Muḥammad ibn ʿUmar al-Wāqidī (130–207 AH), one of the most prominent historians, transmitters of ḥadīth, and judges of the second Islamic century. He is regarded as a foundational source in the fields of maghāzī (the Prophet's military expeditions) and sīrah (Prophetic biography). Nevertheless, al-Wāqidī faced severe criticism from leading ḥadīth scholars such as Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn (d. 233 AH), ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī (d. 234 AH), and Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh (d. 238 AH), who questioned his reliability and impugned his narrations. Despite this, his historical accounts remain indispensable in the study of ḥadīth and early Islamic history. This research analyzes the reasons behind the discrediting of al-Wāqidī by classical critics, while simultaneously exploring why historians continued to rely on his narratives, particularly in reconstructing events related to maghāzī, sīrah, and early Islamic historiography. It also investigates the divergent scholarly stances toward al-Wāqidī, comparing the arguments of his defenders – who upheld his credibility – with those of his detractors, and examines the methodological and contextual factors that shaped these evaluations. The study employs an inductive-critical methodology, systematically collecting and analyzing the critiques leveled against al-Wāqidī, scrutinizing the evidences cited by his critics, and ultimately presenting a balanced perspective grounded in scholarly evidence. This thesis contributes to a nuanced re-evaluation of al-Wāqidī's legacy through an equitable analytical framework that reconciles the tension between criticism and the empirical reliance on his works. It also advances the understanding of al-jarḥ wa al-taʿdīl (criteria for impugning or validating narrators), particularly when applied to historians who played a pivotal role in documenting Islamic history. Furthermore, it offers a critical model for assessing historical and ḥadīth narratives, enriching scholarly discourse in both fields.