Ahl u Sunnah often quote a narration to prove that their second Caliph Umar bin Al-Khattab has some merit.
Imam Tirmidhi (Died 279 AH) narrates :
حَدَّثَنَا سَلَمَةُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا المُقْرِئُ، عَنْ حَيْوَةَ بْنِ شُرَيْحٍ، عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ مِشْرَحِ بْنِ هَاعَانَ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لَوْ كَانَ نَبِيٌّ بَعْدِي لَكَانَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الخَطَّابِ.
Uqba bin A'amr narrates that Prophet (pbub) said :
If there were to be a Prophet after me, it would be 'Umar.
Jam'a Tirmidhi - Tirmidhi // Page 1089 // Number 3686 // Edn. Dar u Salam Riyadh Saudia Arabia.
Note : In above scan investigator of this book " Zubair Ali Za'i " has authenticated it but in reality it is weak, Analysis is mentioned below.
Abu Bakr Al-Khallal (Died 311 AH) narrates like this
وَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ: إِنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّه سُئِلَ عَنْ حَدِيثِ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ [عَامِرٍ] : "لَوْ كَانَ بَعْدِي نَبِيٌّ لَكَانَ عُمَرُ"؟.
فقال: اضرب عليه؛ فإنه عندي منكر.
Ibrahim bin Harith mentions that Ahmad bin Hanbal was asked about this narration of Uqba bin A'amr : If there were to be a Prophet after me, it would be 'Umar.
He replied : Erase it because it is a denounced (Munkar) narration.
Also one of the narrator " Mushrah bin Hah'an " has been criticised by Ibn Hibban when he narrates from Uqba bin A'amr (Jarah Al-Mufasir), Ibn Hibban (Died 356 AH) said :
يروي عن عقبة بن عامر أحاديث مناكير، لا يتابع عليها، والصواب في أمره: ترك ما انفرد من الروايات، والاعتبار بما وافق الثقات.
He (Mushrah bin Hah'an) narrates from Uqba bin A'amr abadnoned narrations who are not supported by anyone. The correct opinion about him is that Those narrations from him should be left in which he is alone in narrating and Accepting those where he is supported by Reliable narrators.
Imam Tirmidhi after narrating this tradition says :
هذا حديث حسن غريب، لا نعرفه إلا من حديث مشرح بن هاعان
This narration is Hasan Gharib (Alone), I don't know it except by this transmission from Mushrah bin Ha'han.
Note : If anyone will claim that this tradition has other chain also.
We say : They are also weak. So can't be used to support it.
One such narration is in Tabarani but Imam Nurudeem Al-Haythami (Died 807 AH) after quoting it says :
رواه الطبراني وفيه الفضل بن المختار وهو ضعيف
Narrated by Al-Tabarani and in its chain is Al-Fadhal bin Al-Mukhtar who is Weak.
CONCLUSION : This Narration is Weak.
