Wahb

Wahb ibn Munabbih, commonly known simply as Wahb, was an early Islamic scholar and traditionist. He is regarded as a prominent transmitter of hadith and stories from the formative period of Islam and is often described as a tabi'i, the generation after the companions of the Prophet Muhammad. Traditional accounts place him in the late 6th to early 7th century CE, though exact dates are uncertain.

Wahb’s reporting encompassed a wide range of material, including traditions about the Prophet’s sayings and actions as well as narratives about pre-Islamic Arabia and biblical prophets. He is frequently associated with the transmission of Isra’iliyyat, stories derived from Jewish and Christian sources that circulated in early Islamic literature. Because of this, Wahb’s work played a significant role in shaping early Islamic historiography and the collection of prophetic biographies, even as later scholars distinguished between more reliable hadith and material viewed as legend or derivative.

Assessment of his contributions varies among scholars. While Wahb is recognized for his influence in transmitting early traditions, many of his reports are viewed through the lens of Isra’iliyyat, leading to debates about reliability and originality. Hadith critics emphasize that some of his material reflects non-Arabic, non-Islamic sources that later generations integrated into Islamic narrative.

Legacy and influence persist in studies of early Islamic literature. Wahb remains a notable figure for understanding how early Muslim communities collected and transmitted stories about prophets, the Prophet’s life, and the surrounding historical milieu. His name appears in the chain of transmission cited by later historians and hadith compilers.