Al Waqidi

Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Omar Ibn Waqid alAslami , commonly referred to as alWaqidi . His surname is derived from his grandfathers name Waqid and thus he became famous as alImam alWaqidi. AlWaqidi was an early Muslim historian and biographer of the Islamic prophet Muhammad specializing in his campaigns. AlWaqidi served as a judge for Harun alRashid and AlMamun. His history books are some of the earliest and most detailed history books on Islam.

AlWaqidi was born in Medina in . Amongst his prominent teachers were Ibn Abi Thahab Mamar bin Rashid, Malik ibn Anas and Sufyan alThawri. He lived in Madina at the time of Abu Hanifa and Jafar alSadiq and studied in AlMasjid anNabawi as a student of Malik Ibn Anas. AlWaqidi also had access to the grand children of Muhammads companions. Many of Muhammads companions settled in Medina therefore both the Umayyads and then the Abbasids in the early day used the Medina fiqh. Malik ibn Anas was later asked by AlMansur the Abbasid ruler to compile this fiqh into a book form which became known as Muwatta Imam Malik. The Abbasids later tried other things like the Mutazila. For his livelihood in Medina, alWaqidi 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 Mamun arRashid. There Yahya alBarmaki welcomed him due to his great learning and he was appointed a judge and he held the post until his death onDhul Hijjah

Source: Wikipedia