Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ibnhibban:6406bFakān

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "My example and the example of the prophets is like that of a beautiful palace, perfectly constructed, but with a spot left for a brick. People admired its majestic construction, except for that one missing brick, and I am the missing brick that completes the prophets."  

ابن حبّان:٦٤٠٦bقَالَ فَكَانَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ كَمَثَلِ قَصْرٍ أُحْسِنَ بُنْيَانُهُ وَتُرِكَ مِنْهُ مَوْضِعُ لَبِنَةٍ فَطَافَ بِهِ نُظَّارٌ فَتَعَجَّبُوا مِنْ حُسْنِ بُنْيَانِهِ إِلَّا مَوْضِعَ تِلْكَ اللَّبِنَةِ لَا يَعِيبُونَ غَيْرَهَا فَكُنْتُ أَنَا مَوْضِعَ تِلْكَ اللَّبِنَةِ خُتِمَ بِيَ الرُّسُلُ»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Suyūṭī
ahmad:7485Yazīd > Muḥammad b. Isḥāq > Mūsá b. Yasār > Abū Hurayrah

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles (before me) is that of a person who constructed a building and he built it fine and well and the people went round it saying: Never have we seen a building more imposing than this. but for one brick, and I am that brick (with which you give the finishing touch to the building). (Using translation from Muslim 2286a)   

أحمد:٧٤٨٥حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ ابْتَنَى بُنْيَانًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَأَكْمَلَهُ إِلَّا مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنْ زَوَايَاهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يُطِيفُونَ بِهِ وَيَعْجَبُونَ مِنْهُ وَيَقُولُونَ مَا رَأَيْنَا بُنْيَانًا أَحْسَنَ مِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا مَوْضِعَ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةِ فَكُنْتُ أَنَا تِلْكَ اللَّبِنَةَ  

ذِكْرُ مَا مَثَّلَ الْمُصْطَفَى ﷺ نَفْسَهُ مَعَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

ibnhibban:6407Aḥmad b. ʿAlī b. al-Muthanná > Hārūn b. Maʿrūf > Sufyān > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles (before me) is that of a person who constructed a building and he built it fine and well and the people went round it saying: Never have we seen a building more imposing than this. but for one brick, and I am that brick (with which you give the finishing touch to the building). (Using translation from Muslim 2286a)   

ابن حبّان:٦٤٠٧أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى بُنْيَانًا أَحْسَنَهُ وَأَجْمَلَهُ وَأَكْمَلَهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يُطِيفُونَ بِهِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا رَأَيْنَا أَحْسَنَ مِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا مَوْضِعَ ذِي اللَّبِنَةِ» قَالَ «فَكُنْتُ أَنَا تِلْكَ اللَّبِنَةَ»  

suyuti:19908a
Request/Fix translation

  

السيوطي:١٩٩٠٨a

"مثَلِى ومثَلُ الأنْبِيَاءِ كَمَثَلِ قَصْر أُحْسِن بُنْيانُه وتُركَ مِنْهُ موْضعُ لَبِنَة، فطَاف بهِ النُّظَّارُ يتَعجَّبُونَ مِن حُسْن بُنْيانه إلا موْضِعَ تِلكَ اللبِنةِ لَا يعِيبُون غَيرها، فَكُنْتُ أَنَا سددْتُ موْضِعَ تِلكَ اللبِنَةِ، فَتَمَّ بِى الْبُنْيانُ، وخُتِم بى الرُّسُلُ".  

[كر] ابن عساكر في تاريخه عن أَبي هريرة