3 meanings of La Nabiyya Ba’adi

Introduction

The laymen non-Ahmadi Muslims claim that the “La Nabiyya Ba’di” (“There is no prophet after me”) ahadith mean that no prophet can come in the future. Since it contradicts the belief that Isa (AS) will come after Muhammad (SAW) in the end times, these laymen change their stance and claim that “No prophet after me” means:

1. No prophet will be appointed to the station of prophethood after me
2. No prophet will be born after me

In our previous article, we have already explained how the interpretations presented by those who came after the Ahmadiyya movement contradict the teachings of the Holy Quran and Ahadith. Now, let’s delve into the Quran and Ahadith to explore three different ways in which this hadith can be understood. We will also address the fact that many non-Ahmadi individuals today, who may not have extensive knowledge on the subject, reject all three of these interpretations and instead propose a definition that goes against the belief in the coming of the Messiah in the End times.

1) No LAW BEARING PROPHET after me

One of the meanings of the hadith is that no law-bearing prophets can come after Muhammad (SAW). A law-bearing prophet is one who brings a new religion, a new Holy book, and abrogates/overrules Islam. The hadith does not mean that the door to all kinds of prophets has been closed for the future as it would mean that the Messiah cannot come in the end times.

Proof #1 – No Caesar after Caesar

The following 2 ahadith explain what the word بَعْدَ (after) means.

إِذَا هَلَكَ كِسْرَى فَلاَ كِسْرَى بَعْدَهُ، وَإِذَا هَلَكَ قَيْصَرُ فَلاَ قَيْصَرَ بَعْدَهُ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَتُنْفِقُنَّ كُنُوزَهُمَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When Khosrau perishes, there will be no (more) Khosrau after him, and when Caesar perishes, there will be no more Caesar after him. By Him in Whose Hands Muhammad’s life is, you will spend the treasures of both of them in Allah’s Cause.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari 3618]

In this hadith, Muhammad (S.A.W is prophecizing that there will be no more Khosrau and Caesar after the current one. For those who don’t know, Caesar is the title of the Byzantine Emperor while Khosrau is the title of the Persian Emperor. Thus if ba`di meant what non-Ahmadi Muslims are trying to prove (even though it goes against them since they believe Isa (AS) is coming after Muhammad (SAW)) then Muhammad (SAW) actually did a failed prophecy, God forbid. Both these empires continued to exist until years after the death of Muhammad (SAW), and many Khosrous and Caesars ruled after him.

The true meaning of this hadith is that no Khosrau or Caesar will have the same authority and power as the current one and their empires will be on the decline. So ba`di here means that the status of the next emperor would lessen. This is the view of all Sunni and Shia Muslims in refutation of the Islamophobes who bring this hadith to prove that Muhammad (SAW) was wrong in his prediction, and thus is a false prophet.

In his commentary on the Sahih Bukhari hadith, Imam al-Khattabi (932-1010/310-388 AH) said:

“The meaning of ‘when Caesar is ruined, there will be no Caesar after him’ is that there shall not be any Caesar who would be as powerful and influential as the Caesar of that time. The Caesar then was living in Jerusalem, a city without visitation rights where Christians did not have complete religious rites. No one had ever gone to Rome without having visited the city either publicly or secretly. So, the Caesar of the time was expelled from the city and its treasures were rendered open, and no Caesar ever held control over the city afterwards.”

[‘A’alamul Hadith, 1447/2]

This is also the view of scholars like Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (d. 870 AH) and Abu Hatim al-Razi (d. 268 AH).

So just like ba`di means that the Emperor of the same status cannot come in the future, similarly, ba`di also means that a prophet of the same status as Muhammad (SAW) cannot come i.e. a prophet who brings a new law cannot come. But an ummati (a non-law bearing) prophet can come who has a lesser status than Muhammad (SAW).

Proof #2 – No Hijrah after

كَانَ يَقُولُ لاَ هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ الْفَتْحِ‏.‏

Narrated Mujahid bin Jabir Al-Makki:

`Abdullah bin `Umar used to say, “There is no more Hijrah (i.e. migration) after the Conquest of Mecca.“

[Sahih al-Bukhari 3899]

This hadith also expands on the previous hadith on Khosrau and Caesar by using the term ba’da. We know that Hijrah or migration continues to this day. People migrate from one place to another even now and taking the meaning that no hijrah can ever happen after the conquest of Mecca is actually proving that Muhammad (SAW) lied, God forbid.

Thus, the true meaning of this hadith is that Hijrah (migration) of the same status as the Conquest of Mecca won’t happen just like emperors of the same status as Khosrau and Caesar cannot come after or no prophet of the same status as Muhammad (SAW) cannot come after him.

Proof #3 – Tafsir of Ayesha (RA)

Ayesha (RA) explains the same:

قولوا انه خاتم النبیین ولا تقولوا لا نبی بعدہ

“Certainly, do say, he (the Holy Prophet) is the Seal of all Prophets (Khataman Nabiyyin), but do not say, there is no prophet after him.“

[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah; v.14, p.521]

In this narration, she clearly explains that Khatam-an-Nabiyyin is not a term to prove the absolute finality of the prophethood. She clarified so that people do not take the statement literally and deny the possibility of the descent of the Messiah in the end times. Her insight came true in the near future when a rationalist sect (Mutazalites) within Islam began to reject the descent of the Messiah.

Proof #4 – Muslim scholars

Muslim scholars have also explained that “La Nabiyya Ba’adi” means “There will be no LAW BEARING prophet after Muhammad (SAW)”. Below are a few such scholars. For the longer list, check our other article.

Imam Hazrat ibn Qutaibah (d. 267H)

وليس هذا من قولها ناقضا لقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: لا نبي بعدي، لأنه أراد لا نبي بعدي ينسخ ما جئت به

“The interpretation, put forth by her (Hazrat Aishah (ra)), does not contradict the words of the Holy Prophet (sa). The Holy Prophet (sa) meant that there would be no Prophet after him who would abrogate his law.

[Ta’wilu Mukhtalifil-Ahadith, p. 236]

Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 910H)

قلنا: هذا الحديث بهذا اللفظ باطل

قال الزاعم: الدليل حديث لا نبي بعدي

قلنا: يا مسكين لا دلالة على هذا الحديث بوجه من الوجوه لأن المراد : لا يحدث بعدي نبي بشرع ينسخ شرعي. كما فسره بذلك ثم يقال لهذا الزاعم : هل أنت آخذ بظاهر الحديث فإن هذا يلزمك أحد أمرين: اما نفي نزول عيسى عليه السلام ، أو نفي النبوة عنه ، وكلاهما كفر

What is meant is that “No prophet will come after me” with a Shariah that abrogates the Shariah [of Islam]…

Then this claimant will be asked: do you take this hadith literally and disagree with our interpretation? Then, you must choose one of two options-either deny Jesus’s descent or deny his prophethood when he descends. Both options are deemed to be kufr!

[Nuzūl ʿĪsā ibn Maryam ākhir al-zamān, pg 53]

Hazrat Imam ‘Abdul-Wahhab Sha’rani (d. 976H)

“نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي وَلَا رَسُولَ الْمُرَادُ بِهِ لَا مُشَرَعَ بَعْدِي”

“The Holy Prophet’s (sa) statements that there will be no Prophet or no Messenger after him only meant that there will be no law-bearing Prophet after him.”

[al-Yawaqit wal-Jawahir, vol. 2, p. 35]

2) No prophet immediately after me

Another interpretation of these ahadith is that there will be no prophet immediately or right after Muhammad (SAW) as Khilafat was prophesized to come right after him.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“The Israelis used to be ruled and guided by prophets: Whenever a prophet died, another would take over his place. There will be no prophet after me, but there will be Caliphs who will increase in number.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! What do you order us (to do)?” He said, “Obey the one who will be given the pledge of allegiance first. Fulfil their (i.e. the Caliphs) rights, for Allah will ask them about (any shortcoming) in ruling those Allah has put under their guardianship.“

[Sahih al-Bukhari 3455]

It does not mean that no prophet will come in the future as there is a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah in the future:

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : ” ألا إن عيسى ابن مريم ليس بيني وبينه نبي ولا رسول ، ألا إنه خليفتي في أمتي بعدي ، ألا إنه يقتل الدجال ، ويكسر الصليب ، وتضع الحرب أوزارها ، ألا فمن أدركه منكم فليقرأ عليه السلام ” قال أبو هريرة : ” إني لأرجو أن أكون أول من أقرئه السلام من أبي القاسم صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وآكل من جفنته “

The Holy Prophet Mohammed SAW said: “Listen! There is no prophet and messenger between me and the coming Jesus. He will be the deputy (caliph) in my Ummah after me. Verily, He will kill the Dajjal and break the cross and abolish war. Anyone among you who sees him should tell him my salaam”

[Tabarani, Hadith #4895]

Muhammad (SAW) has also called the Messiah a prophet 4 times within a single narration to emphasize that he will be prophet.

وَيُحْصَرُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهُ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ رَأْسُ الثَّوْرِ لأَحَدِهِمْ خَيْرًا مِنْ مِائَةِ دِينَارٍ لأَحَدِكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فَيَرْغَبُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ فَيُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهُمُ النَّغَفَ فِي رِقَابِهِمْ فَيُصْبِحُونَ فَرْسَى كَمَوْتِ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ ثُمَّ يَهْبِطُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَلاَ يَجِدُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ مَوْضِعَ شِبْرٍ إِلاَّ مَلأَهُ زَهَمُهُمْ وَنَتْنُهُمْ فَيَرْغَبُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى

“… and Allah’s Apostle, Jesus, and his companions would supplicate Allah, Who would send to them insects (which would attack their necks) and in the morning they would perish like one single person. Allah’s Apostle, Jesus, and his companions would then come down to the earth and they would not find in the earth as much space as a single span which is not filled with their putrefaction and stench. Allah’s Apostle, Jesus, and …”

[Sahih Muslim 2937a]

Thus, a prophet cannot follow Muhammad (SAW) but will come in the end times, as prophesized in numerous ahadith. Moreover, that prophet will not bring a new law and he won’t abrogate Islam.

3) No prophet in my absence

This last meaning of the hadith can only apply to one of the hadith while the other 2 can apply to almost all of them. Let’s take a look at the hadith before we explain its meaning.

قَالَ ‏ “‏ أَلاَ تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ نَبِيٌّ بَعْدِي

Narrated Sa`d:

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) set out for Tabuk. appointing `Ali as his deputy (in Medina). `Ali said, “Do you want to leave me with the children and women?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Will you not be pleased that you will be to me like Aaron to Moses? But there will be no prophet after me.“

[Sahih al-Bukhari 4416]

This event happened when Muhammad (SAW) is heading out for the Battle of Tabuk. He leaves behind Ali (RA) to look over the city just like Musa (AS) left Harun (AS) when he went to the mountain for 40 days.

Since he compared Ali (RA) to Harun (AS), he made sure to clarify that Ali (RA) is not a prophet beside him as people would assume that he has been made a prophet or a successor of the Prophet (SAW), something that Shia Muslims already argue about.

This usage of ba’ad (بَعْدِ) is common in the Arabic language and has been employed in many verses of the Holy Quran as well.

وَاِذۡ وٰعَدۡنَا مُوۡسٰۤی اَرۡبَعِیۡنَ لَیۡلَۃً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذۡتُمُ الۡعِجۡلَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہٖ وَاَنۡتُمۡ ظٰلِمُوۡنَ

And remember the time when We made Moses a promise of forty nights; then you took the calf for worship in his absence and you were transgressors.

[Quran 2:51]

Conclusion

Ahmadi Muslims accept all 3 meanings of the hadith of La Nabiyya Ba’adi while others reject every single one of them. They either reject this hadith or interpret it to mean that no prophet can come in the future.

This contradicts the ahadith that prophesize the descent of the Messiah, Quranic verses, explanation of Ayesha (RA), and the numerous pious scholars of Islam.

May Allah enable non-Ahmadi Muslims to accept this meaning instead of making up new definitions just for the sake of arguing with us.