View point of Ibn Sa‘ad, one of Ahl Hadith, about the history of the beginning of Islam A case study about the biography of Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) in the book “al-Tabaqat al-Kubra” ١ MuhammadAli Kazim Beyki ٢ Mustafa Guhari FakhrAbad ٢٠١۶ .Article acceptance date: June Abstract: al-Tabaqat al-Kubra by Muhammad Ibn Sa‘ad ( ۲۳۰ A.H.) is of the significant ancient books about the biography of Prophet Muhammad, his companions, Tabi‘in (companions of his companions), and tradition narrators till the beginning decades of the third Hijrah century. The present study in a case study on the biography of imam ‘Ali included in this book explained the differences among records of historians and tradition narrators about the events at the beginning of Islam. The findings show that Ibn Sa‘ad as a tradition narrator ( Muhaddith) and a historian due to his commitment to the beliefs of Ahl Hadith in explaining the events at the beginning of Islam pictured the course of events different from other historians. Key words: historiography, Ashab Hadith, Ibn Sa‘ad, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, ‘Ali Associate professor, Tehran university ١ Downloaded from safinah-al-nejat.ir at 16:44 +0330 on Wednesday September 29th 2021 Assistant professor, Ferdusi university, Mashhad ٢ ٢٣ Safinah al-nejat. Vol. ۱, No. ۳ Waqidi’s students attended all his Introduction classes and adhered to him in such a In the third Hijrah century, tradition way that he was known as “Katib al- ٣ recorders and great historians of the Waqidi” (the scriber of Waqidi) , ٤ history of Islam came into existence. “Sahib Waqidi” and “Ghulam ٥ One of these historians and Waqidi”. Ibn Sa‘ad after the death of A.H.) stayed in Baqdad ٢٠٧) traditionalists of Sunnah who was Waqidi succeeded to write a complete series of and was among the first biography books about the biography of Prophet writers who was from out of Medina. Muhammad, Companions (Sahabah) , The prior biography writers such as ibn A.H.) and Waqidi both were ١۵١) Tabi‘in, and tradition narrators till his Ishaq ٦ time is Ibn Sa‘ad. The book al-Tabaqat from Medina. He wrote another book al-Kubra by him due to including details besides al-Tabaqat al-Kubra titled al- ٧ of life of people and Islamic cultural Tabaqat al-Saghir. Finally Ibn Sa‘ad in A.H. in his ۶٢ ٢٣٠ and social aspects, is considered as a passed away in ٨ political, social and religious book till Baqdad. the beginning of the third century. The The first issue regarding Ibn Sa‘ad is to present study deals with the differences clarify in which groups of Muhaddithan, among Ahl Hadith view points and Akhbaris or historians he can be historians and tries to explain these classified. Though in the book “al- differences by reviewing the records of based ٩ Fihrist”, he is known as Akhbaris Ibn Sa‘ad regarding biography of Imam on his approach in recording history ‘Ali. which is based on documentation, he Abu ‘Abdullah ibn Sa‘ad ibn Mani’ al- can be regarded as Muhaddith ١٠ Basari al-Hashimi known as “Katib al- (traditionalist) as Fuck said. Caetani A.H. in Basra. also introduced him as an influential ١۶٨ Waqidi” was born in He benefited from the masters of that individuals in revolution of ١١ Then he traveled to other Hadith documentation of Hadith. He reached ١ .time scholars in Kufa, Medina, and Baqdad. to the level of “Hafiz” in Ilm al- Hadith He said, I visited some scholars in and ibn Hujr mentioned him as he Medina and I benefited from their enjoyed both groups’ traditions, Akhbaris and Muhadittan, and by ٣٠ knowledge. Finally when he was years old, he traveled to Baqdad to learn mixing them he could prepare his book Downloaded from safinah-al-nejat.ir at 16:44 +0330 on Wednesday September 29th 2021 ,Ibn Sa‘ad after joining as a historical work. Therefore ٢ .from Waqidi according to my opinion, he should be ٢٤ Ibn Saad , Ahl Hadith’s view point to the history of the beginning of Islam regarded as a traditionalist-historians. these disagreement can bring their His interest in traditions and believes of justice under question. The best attempt traditionalists are clear in this book. He had been done to cover up these wrote this book to introduce the disagreement which was against the biography of tradition recorders. Due to approach of Akhbaris. Shaykh Mufid, this, traditionalists generally knew him the great Shia scholar, at the beginning as a thiqqah narrator unlike his master of the book “al-Jamal” pointed out to Waqidi. The trend of traditionalists in this group of traditionalists and said, the first half of third A.H. century was the common trend among Sunnis and According to a group of them, it his look towards history of Islam had shouldn’t be studied and searched about fundamental differences with other disputes among companions of Prophet historians. One of the beliefs of Ahl- or even listen to them. So anyone who Hadith was “justice of Sahabah” which ignores this advice makes a change in was mentioned in his book Tabaqat. religion and is standing against the According to Ahl-Hadith, all religion; because it is narrated from companions of Prophet are just and Prophet who said, do avoid of what will there is not even a little doubt about occur among my companions. “ them. For example the story of Hatib ibn Abi Bal‘atah can be mentioned: Because according to them, speaking about some events like Saqifah, When it was cleared that he had secret ‘Uthman murder, Jamal and Siffin are ١٤”.correspondent with infidels of Mecca, distortion ‘Umar asked for permission from Prophet to behead him. The holy This belief of keep quite regarding Prophet said, “Isn’t he the one who took disputes among companions of Prophet part in Badr battle?... We don’t know. sometimes causes their discord with God knows him the best. Do whatever Akhbariyun. Because Akhbariyun wrote you want that heaven is guaranteed for a lot of books about some events like According to this, the tradition Jamal, Siffin, ‘Uthman murder,… or ١٢”.you “Asharah Mubashshirah” is accepted by like Tabari and Biladhuri talked about And the virtues of companions these events in details which was not ١٣ .them of Prophet should be mentioned. interesting to traditionalists. This causes Therefore, mentioning whatever against them to become weak or sometimes ١٥ Downloaded from safinah-al-nejat.ir at 16:44 +0330 on Wednesday September 29th 2021 them, criticizing them or disputes they were accused of being Shia. among them is not suitable. Because Asserting this point is what Ibn Salah ٢٥ Safinah al-nejat. Vol. ۱, No. ۳ found as a fault in the book al-Isti‘ab amongst the mistakes of traditionalists ibn ‘Abdulbar because of its including we can say mixing events with each disputes among companions and other, tribe-bound honors, … he ,benefited from various historical ١٦ .traditions of Akhbariyun traditional and interpretational sources This difference can be seen in the book and depicted explicitly that a tradition in Tabaqat ibn Sa‘ad. The reader not only the way of its perfection, or as he put “ does find himself reading a historical process of redaction” underwent book but also a theological book of Ahl- changes and evolutions. Hadith. In the present article, it has been tried to compare and contrast the Jones in his two essays compared and information in this book about Imam contrasted Sirah by ibn Ishaq and ‘Ali and other historians’ to prove this Maghazi. In the first titled “the book is written based on his religious Chronology of the Maghazi- A Textual tendencies towards traditionalists; survey” studied “chronology” in these therefore in accepting his words two books and at the end concluded that specifically regarding disputes among any date mentioned only by Waqidi is “ In the second article, titled ١٧ .companions should act wisely. doubtful Ibn Ishaq and al-Waqidi: the dream of Those scholars who are studying about Atika and the Raid to Nakhla in relation Islam were always interested in history to the charge of plagiarism” he studied recorded in Sirah, Maghazi and later these two events. According to him, in events in the beginning of Islam. the report by Waqidi which included Accordingly, they prepared some more details than Ibn Ishaq’s, Though ١٨ .researches. for example, Ella Landau- storytelling is more apparent Tasseron in an introduction titled these stories were appeared at the time .٢nd century process of redaction: a case study over of Ibn Ishaq and about early“ Wafad Tamim approaching Muhammad” compared and contrasted Motzki also gathered a collection of traditions by Waqidi and ibn Ishaq ( articles from various authors on the mentioned in Sirah ibn Hisham), cited reviewing Sirah source books. A few of his coming towards Prophet as the them are related to the topic at hand: Uri ٩th year (‘Am al- Rubin in an essay titled “the life of biggest Wafad of Wafad) and showed the difference Muhammad and Islamic self-portrait: a Downloaded from safinah-al-nejat.ir at 16:44 +0330 on Wednesday September 29th 2021 among traditions and their reasons. He comparative analysis from events of knew several factors involving in this: Badr and Hudaybiyah” reviewed the ٢٦ Ibn Saad , Ahl Hadith’s view point to the history of the beginning of Islam war council that Prophet had with his in Maghazi’s traditions are not from companions. Various verses described reports and not adapted with them but in this event and each one offered different contrast they are prior to them.