Question

What is the reliability of the Hadith, “If there were to be a Nabi after me, it would be Sayyiduna Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhu)”?

Answer

The full narration is as follows:

Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to Sayyiduna ‘Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhu), “Will it not please you that you be to me as Harun was to Musa (‘alayhimas salam), except that there is no Nabi after me. If there was a Nabi after me, it would have been you”

(Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 4, pg. 465)

However, the Muhaddithun have declared the words ‘If there was a Nabi after me, it would have been you’ a fabrication. Hafiz Khatib Baghdadi (rahimahullah) himself mentions that the correct version of this Hadith is without these words.

(Refer: Dhaylul La-Alil Masnu’ah, vol. 1, pg. 249, Hadith: 282, Tanzihush Shari’ah, vol. 1, pg. 397 and Mirqatul Mafatih, vol. 11, pg. 241, Hadith: 6087)

Note:

1) The words ‘You are to me as Harun was to Musa (‘alayhimas salam), except that there is no Nabi after me’ is recorded in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. See here

2) Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said regarding Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu), “If there had to be a Nabi after me, It would have been ‘Umar”. See here

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar