43/7. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2286b — The Final Brick Completing the House
He (SAW) Was The Seal Of The Prophets
Hadith About the Final Brick Completing Prophethood
Sahih Muslim : 2286b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2286b
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 Hurairah Narrated from:
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.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2286bIn-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 23USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5674
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2286b
This narration gives the final brick parable with the picture of a beautiful house. The house is imposing, beautiful, and complete except for one brick in a corner. People walk around it, admire it, and say that the building would be perfect if that one brick were placed. The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم then says that he is that final brick. The Hadith about the final brick uses a simple image to teach a major belief: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has a special completing role in the line of prophets. The explanation should stay close to the words of the report. It is about completion, beauty, and the place of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in that example.
What we learn from this hadith
- The prophets are compared to a beautiful house in this narration.
- The missing brick shows the one place left before completion.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم identifies himself as that final brick.
