Is al-Waqidi's statement relied upon in establishing companionship and in histories?

The questioner : And as they say, a thing is remembered by its like, and it may be that we know that al-Waqidi is Ibn Sa'd's shaykh in this hadith status, meaning that he is accused or abandoned. But sometimes we find al-Waqidi's statements in history, such as that such a battle took place in such a year, and matters—we find historical matters that have no connection to narration, and that so-and-so is a Companion and so-and-so is not a Companion. Is al-Waqidi's statement relied upon in such cases?

The Shaykh : It is relied upon with caution.

The questioner : It is relied upon with caution.

The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.

The questioner : Meaning, as long as it does not contradict this purpose of caution.

The Shaykh : No more than that; one does not assert it definitively.

The questioner : One does not assert it definitively.

The Shaykh : Even if it does not contradict.

The questioner : So, the meaning of "one does not assert it definitively" is that one does not base an action upon it, so one does not act upon it.

The Shaykh : This is it, but you know that there are some scholars who not only distinguish between the hadiths upon which Islamic legal rulings are based and the hadiths they call those concerning the virtues of deeds.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : You know that there are scholars who distinguish between these two types.

The questioner : Okay.

The Shaykh : Even in the hadiths traced to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So there is another distinction where a man may be considered a proof in the biography but not a proof in hadith. This is something I do not adopt, but I am merely reporting it, and the one who reports an error is not mistaken.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : This is a quotation, so I say: if there are those who distinguish between the hadiths traced to the Messenger with that first consideration—meaning this is in worship and transactions, and these are in virtues—then it is better that they be lenient in what relates to the biography. As for me, it is not permissible for me, based on what my knowledge has reached and what my research has encompassed, to distinguish between the hadith of the Messenger and his action, because all of it is hadith, as you know well, and the biography is entirely the actions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, the distinction I mentioned earlier, in which some were lenient and relied upon the narration of one who is not trustworthy in hadith but is a proof in the biography—we leave that to them and do not adopt it.

The questioner : Is it possible, our Shaykh, may Allah bless you, that I came across a statement by al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, as I recall, in the biography of 'Asim or in the biography of that reciter?

The Shaykh : 'Asim ibn Abi al-Najud, ah, Hafs, the abandoned one.

The questioner : He said he is abandoned in hadith but an imam in recitations. So is it possible that a man is abandoned in one science and an imam in another? And is it possible to say this about al-Waqidi, that he is abandoned in hadith but his statement is relied upon in the chapter of history and genealogy and the like?

The Shaykh : Yes, but what I hinted at earlier is that here it is not possible to separate the biography from the action of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).

The questioner : Yes, especially, our Shaykh, that our saying "this is a Companion" must be the basis for actions, the connection of hadith, and acting upon hadith, and the like.

The Shaykh : Without a doubt.

The questioner : May Allah bless you.

The Shaykh : Without a doubt.

The questioner : Okay, here.