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).  

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  

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.  

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  

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.  

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  

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles; the rest of the hadith is the same.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ النَّبِيِّينَ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ  

The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles is like that of a person who built a house and he completed it and made it perfect but for the space of a brick. People entered therein and they were surprised at it and said: Had there been a brick (it would have been complete in all respects). Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: I am that place where the brick (completing the building is to be placed), and I have come to finalise the chain of Apostles.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى دَارًا فَأَتَمَّهَا وَأَكْمَلَهَا إِلاَّ مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَيَتَعَجَّبُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلاَ مَوْضِعُ اللَّبِنَةِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَنَا مَوْضِعُ اللَّبِنَةِ جِئْتُ فَخَتَمْتُ الأَنْبِيَاءَ  

This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.  

وَقَالَ بَدَلَ أَتَمَّهَا أَحْسَنَهَا