How and where to Historians get their information from?

[Optimus Prime]

So Islamic historians like ibn Kathir (RA) and Ibn Ishaq (RA) who quote passage from history - do they leave or state an isnad to where that information has come from or from who?

[Hani]

Open their books and find out : p

[Optimus Prime]

I intend to, Insh'Allah.

A simple answer will be most welcome.

[Farid]

Yes, they use chains.

Ibn Katheer usually quotes earlier sources, since he is a late scholar.

Ibn Ishaq uses direct chains since he died in mid-second century.

[Muhammad Tazin]

Ibn KAtheer(r) mostly takes from hadith kitabs- (sihah sittah etc.) then a lot from BAyhaqi-Dalayel al Nubuwwat . also from Waqidi & Ibn Ishaq. And often frm Ibn Hisham.
This is what I've seen so far

[Optimus Prime]

I heard ibn Ishaq borrowed from unreliable sources?

[Farid]

^ Everyone relied on unreliable sources akhi. Their goal was to collect knowledge, not to separate authentic from weak, like the authors of the Saheehain.

Thanks bro Tazin for the useful info.

[Optimus Prime]

^ Everyone relied on unreliable sources akhi. Their goal was to collect knowledge, not to separate authentic from weak, like the authors of the Saheehain.

Thanks bro Tazin for the useful info.

Did he not separate the authentic from the weak like Bukhari, Muslim, and others did?

[Muhammad Tazin]

Did he not separate the authentic from the weak like Bukhari, Muslim, and others did?

Ibn kathir(r) was more than 400 years later than Bukhari, Muslim etc. and he was not an expert of that level like Imam Bukhari(R), Imam Muslim(r) etc.

Another IMPORTANT fact is, in the case of history , authors tries most to gather the most Data.

Ibn Kathir(r) mentioned conflicting,differing narrations(incidents etc.) in Al Bidaya wan Nihaya with the name of the narrator/source- making a chance to examine for those who wish.
In several cases, he also commented.

[Optimus Prime]

ibn Ishaq was before Bukhari and Muslim, though.