49/18. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3686 — If There Were a Prophet After Me
Regarding The Virtues Of Abu Hafs 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, May Allah Be Pleased With Him
Hadith About If There Were a Prophet After Me It Would Be Umar
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3686
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3686
حَدَّثَنَا سَلَمَةُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْمُقْرِئُ، عَنْ حَيْوَةَ بْنِ شُرَيْحٍ، عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ مِشْرَحِ بْنِ هَاعَانَ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَوْ كَانَ بَعْدِي نَبِيٌّ لَكَانَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ مِشْرَحِ بْنِ هَاعَانَ .
'Uqbah bin 'Amir Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "If There Was To Have A Prophet After Me, It Would Have Been 'Umar Bin Al-Khattab."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3686In-book reference : Book 49, Hadith 82English translation : Vol. 1, Book 46, Hadith 3686
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3686
This hadith about Umar ibn al-Khattab is famous because of the phrase, if there was a Prophet after me it would have been Umar. Searchers also look for it as la kana Umar hadith, virtues of Umar, and Umar bin al-Khattab rank. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made a conditional statement: if there were to be a prophet after him, it would have been Umar bin al-Khattab. The hadith does not say another prophet will come. Rather, the wording strongly praises Umar by showing how high his rank would be in that impossible condition. The safe lesson is to honor the status given to Umar while keeping the wording exactly as reported.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith gives a strong praise of Umar’s rank.
- The wording is conditional and does not say a prophet comes after the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Umar’s virtue is shown through the Prophet’s own statement.
- Believers should speak about Umar with the respect found in authentic reports.
