You Are Unto Me As Aaron Was To Moses
The meaning of the word Ba’di in these ahadith has already been explained above. This hadith uses similar words but has a completely different context. The Holy Prophet Muhammadsaw states:
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ إِلَى تَبُوكَ، وَاسْتَخْلَفَ عَلِيًّا فَقَالَ أَتُخَلِّفُنِي فِي الصِّبْيَانِ وَالنِّسَاءِ قَالَ “ أَلاَ تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ نَبِيٌّ بَعْدِي ”. وَقَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ سَمِعْتُ مُصْعَبًا.
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 Hadith #4416)
This hadith has to be looked into within its context. The Holy Prophetsaw was speaking with Hazrat Alira, while leaving him for a specific task and stated “You are unto me as Aaronas was to Mosesas“. This hadith mentions Mosesas and Aaronas because there was an incident when Mosesas went too the Mount of Tur and he did not leave the area in the absence of a leader, and lefft his brother Aaronas who was a prophet, in charge during his absense to take care of the people. Now lets say the Holy Prophetsaw had not said this, and left Alirain charge of his people, what would occur? It is obvious that there would be a misconception which would be created and people would think that perhaps the Holy Prophet Muhammadsaw has left Alira behind as a prophet by using the name of Mosesas and Aaronas. Therefore, to remove this misconception, the Holy Prophetsaw said “La Nabiyya Ba’di” that you are not a prophet in my absense using the word ba’d in the context of Zarf Zaman. The word ba’di in this context clearly means temporary, rather than permanent absence, of Holy Prophetsaw from Medina. Therefore, the meaning here is “in my temporary absense”. The word here can only refer to being beisde as Harunas did not live longer than Mosesas and was his helper. The Holy Prophetsaw made it clear, that there is no prophet during his absense to watch over the people. To assume that “after me” refers to “after my death” in this context, would make the comparison flawed since Aaronas was a prophet during the time of Mosesas, but did not survive and died before Mosesas.
The Qur’an uses the word ba’d in relation to this story in the sense of absense as well in chapter 2 verse 52, chapter 2 verse 93, chapter 7 verse 149, and chapter 7 verse 151.
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh States:
” There is another Hadith that our opponents frequently quote to support their position. The Hadith reads: “Saeed Bin Al Musayyab reports on the authority of Aamir Bin Sa’ad Bin Abi Waqqas who reports on the authority of his father (Allah be pleased with them): The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said to Ali: ‘You are to me what Aaron was to Moses, except there is no prophet after me.’ Another ve rsion of the Hadith Al Sahi Bukhari reads: ’ . . . ..except that you are not a prophet.’ Still another version quoted by Masnad Ahmad Bin Hanbal reads: ’ …But do not become a prophet.’ (1. Bukhari: Kitab Al Fazail – Chapter Fazail, Ali Bin Abi Talib; 2. Muslim: Kitab Al Fazail; 3. Masnad Ahmad 331/l).
As the story goes, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was leaving for an expedition and appointed Hazrat Ali to act as Amir in Medina during his absence. Hazrat Ali was a great warrior and had accompanied the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in all prior expeditions. For him to be left behind was very painful. He felt he would be deprived of the privilege of Jehad and that people may think the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was displeased with him. So Hazrat Ali submitted to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) “0 prophet of Allah, am I going to be left behind as Amir over women and children?” It was a subtle way of evoking the Holy Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) love for him. Thereupon, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) answered: ‘0 Ali, why do you express this grief? This event has given you the same position in relation to me, as Aaron held in relation to Moses in his absence. You are to me what Aaron was to Moses. The difference is that you are not a prophet.’ This Hadith has been reported in different ways in Bukhari. The meaning is essentially the same.
Now, the present day Ulema would insist that in this Hadith the word ‘Ba’adee’ does not mean anything but the fact that there is no prophet after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). It has no relevance to the temporary absence of Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) from Medina.
Hazrat Shah Waliullah Mohaddes Dehlavi, universally acknowledged as the Mujaddid (reformer) of the 12th century and very well known to Muslims of the sub-continent and who is held in high esteem by these people, writes in Quratul Aineen Fi Tafseel Alshaikhain pg. 602: “It must be clearly understood that the object of this Hadith is to highlight the appointment of Hazrat Ali (Allah be pleased with him) to act in the place of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) when he was to be absent from Medina during his expedition to Tabuk. Also, to highlight Hazrat Ali’s resemblance to Hazrat Haroon (peace be on him) when Hazrat Musa (peace be on him) had journeyed to the Mount. It is to be noted that the word ‘Ba’adee’ (after me) here means ‘Ghairi’ (beside me). It does not mean after me in time.
As we read in the Holy Quran “Fa Maeen Yahdehe Mim Ba’adillah” “Who, then, will guide him other than Allah?“ (Ch. 45, v . 24). Here the word ‘Ba’adee’ has not been used in the sense of ‘after me’ as Hazrat Haroon (peace be on him) did not outlive Hazrat Musa (peace be on him) while Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) lived after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) to make this exception of ‘Ba’adee’ meaning ‘after me’ was therefore not appropriate.” What a powerful argument! Using the Holy Quran, Hazrat Shah Waliullah has put forth irrefutable evidence of use of ‘Ba’adee’ to mean ‘beside me’. Such arguments can only be put forth by righteous people who are enlightened with divine wisdom. They carry out a deep scrutiny and thorough investigation of the Hadith with singular love and devotion. These devout lovers of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) made genuine efforts to find out the real motive and meaning of his sayings. It was, in fact, the result of this devoted pursuit that Hazrat Shah Waliullah succeeded in adducing the arguments he put forth above.” (True meaning of Khatme Nabuwat, Pages 24-25)
Along with this the non Ahmadis are ignoring all the countless of Ahadith that prophesies a latter day prophet.
لَيْسَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ نَبِيٌّ – يَعْنِي عِيسَى – وَإِنَّهُ نَازِلٌ
Narrated Abu Hurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (as). He will descend.(Sunan Abi Dawud 4324)
He(saw) also stated:
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 يَهْبِطُنَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَىوَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَلاَ يَجِدُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ مَوْضِعَ شِبْرٍ إِلاَّ مَلأَهُ زَهَمُهُمْ وَنَتْنُهُمْ فَيَرْغَبُنَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَىوَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَيُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ طَيْرًا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْبُخْتِ فَتَحْمِلُهُمْ فَتَطْرَحُهُمْ حَيْثُ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ يُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ مَطَرًا لاَ يَكُنُّ مِنْهُ بَيْتُ مَدَرٍ وَلاَ وَبَرٍ فَيَغْسِلُ الأَرْضَ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَهَا كَالزَّلَفَةِ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لِلأَرْضِ أَنْبِتِي ثَمَرَتَكِ وَرُدِّي بَرَكَتَكِ . فَيَوْمَئِذٍ تَأْكُلُ الْعِصَابَةُ مِنَ الرُّمَّانَةِ وَيَسْتَظِلُّونَ بِقِحْفِهَا وَيُبَارَكُ فِي الرِّسْلِ حَتَّى أَنَّ اللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الإِبِلِ لَتَكْفِي الْفِئَامَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَاللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ لَتَكْفِي الْقَبِيلَةَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَاللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ لَتَكْفِي الْفَخِذَ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رِيحًا طَيِّبَةً فَتَأْخُذُهُمْ تَحْتَ آبَاطِهِمْ فَتَقْبِضُ رُوحَ كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ وَيَبْقَى شِرَارُ النَّاسِ يَتَهَارَجُونَ فِيهَا تَهَارُجَ الْحُمُرِ فَعَلَيْهِمْ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ ” .
There was once water there. Jesus and his companions would then be besieged here (at Tur, and they would be so much hard pressed) that the head of the ox would be dearer to them than one hundred dinars 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 his companions would then again beseech Allah, Who would send birds whose necks would be like those of Bactrian camels and they would carry them and throw them where God would will. Then Allah would send rain which no house of clay or (the tent of) camels’ hairs would keep out and it would wash away the earth until it could appear to be a mirror. Then the earth would be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessing and, as a result thereof, there would grow (such a big) pomegranate that a group of persons would be able to eat that, and seek shelter under its skin and milch cow would give so much milk that a whole party would be able to drink it. And the milch camel would give such (a large quantity of) milk that the whole tribe would be able to drink out of that and the milch sheep would give so much milk that the whole family would be able to drink out of that and at that time Allah would send a pleasant wind which would soothe (people) even under their armpits, and would take the life of every Muslim and only the wicked would survive who would commit adultery like asses and the Last Hour would come to them.(Sahih Muslim, 2937a)
Here that same latter day Promised Messiah(as) whom we know and believe is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) has been given the title of a prophet four times.
Ahmadi’s accept all ahadith which show us that a prophet was to come, we don’t pick and choose ahadith like you have. Look at all ahadith they clearly show us that Muhammad(Saw) is referring to a law bearing prophet and it becomes clear when you focus on the Quran and on the word ba’d itself and see the ahadith where a prophet is prophesied. Muhammad(saw) made it clear the messiah would be a prophet under him.