Umar (RA) would have been a prophet

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ لَوْ كَانَ بَعْدِي نَبِيٌّ لَكَانَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ

Narrated ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir:

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “If there was to have a Prophet after me, it would have been ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab.”

[Jāmi’ Tirmidhī 3686]

Non-Ahmadis show this hadith to prove that even if a prophet was to come after Muhammad (S.A.W), it would have been Umar (R.A) and not Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (A.S). Thus, using this statement, he is a false prophet.

This understanding is wrong as we have already explained what La Nabiyya ba’di means in the articles before.

1) Caliphs have to come right after Muhammad (S.A.W)

We know from the other ahadith that no prophet can come after Muhammad (S.A.W) because Caliphs have to succeed him (i.e come right after him) as seen from the Sahih al-Bukhari 3455 and the Musnad Ahmad, 4/273, #18596.

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]

Another hadith from Musnad Ahmad gives a prophecy that Khilafat will be established in the latter days after the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah is clearly referred to as a prophet as indicated by the words Khilafah ala Minhaji-Nabuwwah (Khilafat on the precepts of Prophethood). This nabuwwah is the nabuwwah of the latter-day Messiah. This is the view of all Sunnis and the scan of the hadith proves that.

“Prophethood would remain among you so long as Allah wills. Then Allah the Exalted would raise it up. Then Caliphate on the precepts of Prophethood would be established and remain among you for as long as Allah wills. Then Allah the Exalted would raise it up. Then despotic rule would remain among you for as long as Allah wills. Then Allah the Exalted would raise it up. Then a tyrannous rule would remain among you for as long as Allah wills. Then Allah the Exalted would raise it up. Then the Caliphate on the precepts of Prophethood would be established again (Khilafah ala Minhaji-Nabuwwah). Then, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) remained silent.”

[Musnad Ahmad, 4/273, #18596]

Thus, Umar (R.A) could not have been a prophet after Muhammad (S.A.W) as Caliphs have to come after Muhammad (S.A.W).

2) 30 dajjals have to arrive before a prophet

We also know that Umar (R.A) could not be a prophet until 30 dajjals have arrived as explained in Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2218.

لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَنْبَعِثَ دَجَّالُونَ كَذَّابُونَ قَرِيبٌ مِنْ ثَلاَثِينَ كُلُّهُمْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ

“The Hour shall not be established until nearly thirty imposters, Dajjal(liars) appear, each of them claiming that he is the Messenger of Allah.”

[Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2218]

3) Messiah comes after caliphs and 30 dajjal

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]

We also know that once 1 and 2 are completed, the Messiah will arrive who is a prophet. This is explained in Tabarani, Hadith #4895.

Conclusion

This proves that the above hadith is specific to Umar (R.A) and not to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (A.S) because only Umar (R.A) could not have been a prophet after Muhammad (S.A.W) due to the 3 bullet points above. These do not apply to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (A.S) because he did not succeed Muhammad (S.A.W) as a prophet, nor did he come before 30 dajjals, rather he came at the time when the Messiah was supposed to arrive