What is the authenticity of this Hadith?
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“O ‘Umar, If I were not sent as a Nabi, you would have been sent as a Nabi”
Answer
Imam Ibn ‘Adiy and Imam Daylami (rahimahumallah) have recorded these words. However, in addition to these chains being unreliable, ‘Allamah ‘Iraqi (rahimahullah) has declared the text munkar (unreliable). ‘Allamah Saghani (rahimahullah) has declared this version a fabrication.
(Refer: Al Mughni ‘An Hamlil Asfar, Hadith: 3061 and Kashful Khafa, vol. 2 pg. 192)
The following authentic version should be quoted instead:
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘If there had to be a Nabi after me, it would have been ‘Umar’
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3686. See here)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar