Sahih Muslim
Book 43: The Book of Virtues
كتاب الفضائل
226 hadith in this book
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: 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).
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّاقِدُ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 " .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: 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.
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، قَالَ هَذَا مَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " 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 صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَكُنْتُ أَنَا اللَّبِنَةَ " .
Abu Hurairh reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: 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.
وَحَدَّثَنَا 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 صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 " .
Abu Sa'id reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles; the rest of the hadith is the same.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ النَّبِيِّينَ " . فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ .
Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: 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). Allah's Messenger (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.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلِيمُ بْنُ حَيَّانَ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ، بْنُ مِينَاءَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَأَنَا مَوْضِعُ اللَّبِنَةِ جِئْتُ فَخَتَمْتُ الأَنْبِيَاءَ " .
This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.
وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلِيمٌ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ وَقَالَ بَدَلَ أَتَمَّهَا أَحْسَنَهَا .
Hadith text, translations and grading are courtesy of Sunnah.com.