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.

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»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Suyūṭī
bukhari:3535Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > Ismāʿīl b. Jaʿfar > ʿAbdullāh b. Dīnār > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "My similitude in comparison with the other prophets before me, is that of a man who has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder at its beauty, but say: 'Would that this brick be put in its place!' So I am that brick, and I am the last of the Prophets."  

البخاري:٣٥٣٥حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى بَيْتًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَأَجْمَلَهُ إِلاَّ مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ بِهِ وَيَعْجَبُونَ لَهُ وَيَقُولُونَ هَلاَّ وُضِعَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةُ قَالَ فَأَنَا اللَّبِنَةُ وَأَنَا خَاتِمُ النَّبِيِّينَ  

muslim:2286aʿAmr b. Muḥammad al-Nāqid > Sufyān b. ʿUyaynah > 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).  

مسلم:٢٢٨٦aحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّاقِدُ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى بُنْيَانًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَأَجْمَلَهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يُطِيفُونَ بِهِ يَقُولُونَ مَا رَأَيْنَا بُنْيَانًا أَحْسَنَ مِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةَ فَكُنْتُ أَنَا تِلْكَ اللَّبِنَةَ  

muslim:2286bMuḥammad b. Rāfiʿ > ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Maʿmar > Hammām b. Munabbih > Hadhā Mā > Abū Hurayrah

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles before me is that of a person who built a house quite imposing and beautiful and he made it complete but for one brick in one of its corners. People began to walk round it, and the building pleased them and they would say: But for this brick your building would have been perfect. Muhammad ﷺ said: And I am that final brick.  

مسلم:٢٢٨٦bوَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ قَالَ هَذَا مَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ ﷺ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ ابْتَنَى بُيُوتًا فَأَحْسَنَهَا وَأَجْمَلَهَا وَأَكْمَلَهَا إِلاَّ مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنْ زَوَايَاهَا فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ وَيُعْجِبُهُمُ الْبُنْيَانُ فَيَقُولُونَ أَلاَّ وَضَعْتَ هَا هُنَا لَبِنَةً فَيَتِمَّ بُنْيَانُكَ فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ فَكُنْتُ أَنَا اللَّبِنَةَ  

muslim:2286cYaḥyá b. Ayyūb And Qutaybah And Ibn Ḥujr > Ismāʿīl Yaʿnūn Ibn Jaʿfar > ʿAbdullāh b. Dīnār > Abū Ṣāliḥ al-Sammān > Abū Hurayrah

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles before me is that of a person who built a house quite imposing and beautiful, but for one brick in one of its corners. People would go round it, appreciating the building, but saying: Why has the brick not been fixed here? He said: I am that brick and I am the last of the Apostles.  

مسلم:٢٢٨٦cوَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ وَقُتَيْبَةُ وَابْنُ حُجْرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ يَعْنُونَ ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى بُنْيَانًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَأَجْمَلَهُ إِلاَّ مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنْ زَوَايَاهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ بِهِ وَيَعْجَبُونَ لَهُ وَيَقُولُونَ هَلاَّ وُضِعَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةُ قَالَ فَأَنَا اللَّبِنَةُ وَأَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ  

ahmad:9167Sulaymān b. Dāwud > Ismāʿīl > Ibn Dīnāryaʿnī ʿAbdullāh > Abū Ṣāliḥ al-Sammān > Abū Hurayrah

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles before me is that of a person who built a house quite imposing and beautiful, but for one brick in one of its corners. People would go round it, appreciating the building, but saying: Why has the brick not been fixed here? He said: I am that brick and I am the last of the Apostles. (Using translation from Muslim 2286c)  

أحمد:٩١٦٧حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنِ ابْنِ دِينَارٍيَعْنِي عَبْدَ اللهِ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى بُنْيَانًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَأَجْمَلَهُ إِلَّا مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنْ زَوَايَاهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ بِهِ وَيتَعَجَّبُونَ لَهُ وَيَقُولُونَ هَلَّا وُضِعَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةُ قَالَ فَأَنَا تِلْكَ اللَّبِنَةُ وَأَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ  

ahmad:7322

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:٧٣٢٢

وَمَثَلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى بُنْيَانًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَأَكْمَلَهُ وَأَجْمَلَهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يُطِيفُونَ بِهِ يَقُولُونَ مَا رَأَيْنَا بِناءً أَحْسَنَ مِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا هَذِهِ الثُّلْمَةَ فَأَنَا تِلْكَ الثُّلْمَةُ  

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  

ahmad:8116

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles before me is that of a person who built a house quite imposing and beautiful and he made it complete but for one brick in one of its corners. People began to walk round it, and the building pleased them and they would say: But for this brick your building would have been perfect. Muhammad ﷺ said: And I am that final brick. (Using translation from Muslim 2286b)  

أحمد:٨١١٦

وَقَالَ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ ﷺ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ ابْتَنَى بُيُوتًا فَأَحْسَنَهَا وَأَكْمَلَهَا وَأَجْمَلَهَا إِلَّا مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنْ زَوَايَاهَا فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ وَيُعْجِبُهُمُ الْبُنْيَانُ فَيَقُولُونَ أَلَا وَضَعْتَ هَاهُنَا لَبِنَةً فَيَتِمُّ بُنْيَانُكَ فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَكُنْتُ أَنَا اللَّبِنَةَ  

ahmad:21244ʿAbdullāh > Saʿīd b. al-Ashʿath b. Saʿīd al-Sammān Ibn Abū al-Rabīʿ > Saʿīd b. Salamah / Ibn Abū al-Ḥusām > ʿAbdullāh b. Muḥammad b. ʿAqīl > al-Ṭufayl b. Ubay b. Kaʿb from his father

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "My example among the prophets is like a man who built a house, beautified and perfected it, except for a small corner he left without placing a brick. People would go around the building and admire it, saying, 'If only this brick was placed.'"  

أحمد:٢١٢٤٤حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْأَشْعَثِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ السَّمَّانُ ابْنُ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ أَخْبَرَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي الْحُسَامِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَقِيلٍ عَنِ الطُّفَيْلِ بْنِ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلِي فِي النَّبِيِّينَ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ ابْتَنَى دَارًا فَأَحْسَنَهَا وَأَجْمَلَهَا وَأَكْلَمَهَا وَتَرَكَ مِنْهَا مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ لَمْ يَضَعْهَا فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ بِالْبُنْيَانِ وَيَعْجَبُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْ تَمَّ مَوْضِعُ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةِ  

ذِكْرُ تَمْثِيلِ الْمُصْطَفَى ﷺ النَّبِيِّينَ قَبْلَهُ مَعَهُ بِمَا مَثَّلَ بِهِ

ibnhibban:6405Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman al-Sāmī > Yaḥyá b. Ayyūb al-Maqābirī > Ismāʿīl b. Jaʿfar > ʿAbdullāh b. Dīnār > Abū Ṣāliḥ al-Sammān > Abū Hurayrah

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles before me is that of a person who built a house quite imposing and beautiful, but for one brick in one of its corners. People would go round it, appreciating the building, but saying: Why has the brick not been fixed here? He said: I am that brick and I am the last of the Apostles. (Using translation from Muslim 2286c)  

ابن حبّان:٦٤٠٥أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السَّامِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ الْمَقَابِرِيِّ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ وَأَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى بُنْيَانًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَكَمَّلَهُ إِلَّا مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنْ زَوَايَاهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ بِهِ وَيَعْجَبُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ هَلَّا وَضَعْتَ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةَ؟ قَالَ فَأَنَا تِلْكَ اللَّبِنَةُ وَأَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ»  

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»  

suyuti:19907a
Request/Fix translation

  

السيوطي:١٩٩٠٧a

"مثَلِى في النَّبِيِّين كَمثَلِ رجُلٍ بنَى دارًا فَأَحْسنَهَا وأَكْملَهَا وأَجْملَهَا وتَركَ فِيهَا موْضِعَ لَبنَةٍ لَمْ يضَعْهَا فَجعل النَّاسُ يطُوفُون بالْبُنْيانِ ويعجبُونَ مِنْهُ ويقُولُونَ: لَوْ تَمَّ موضِعُ هذ اللَّبنة، فإِنى (*) في النَّبيِّين مَوْضِعُ تِلكَ اللَّبِنَةِ".  

[حم] أحمد وعبد بن حميد، [ت] الترمذي حسن صحيح، [ع] أبو يعلى والسرويانى، [ض] ضياء المقدسي في مختاره عن أُبى بن كعب، [ط] الطيالسي [حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم [ت] الترمذي صحيح غريب عن جابر [حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم عن أَبي هريرة [حم] أحمد [م] مسلم عن أَبي سعيد