Each narration below is shown in its original Arabic alongside an English translation, with its chapter, number, and reference.
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ .
The above hadith was likewise narrated with another chain of transmitters.
" مَثَلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهَا جَعَلَ الْفَرَاشُ وَهَذِهِ الدَّوَابُّ الَّتِي فِي النَّارِ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا وَجَعَلَ يَحْجُزُهُنَّ وَيَغْلِبْنَهُ فَيَتَقَحَّمْنَ فِيهَا قَالَ فَذَلِكُمْ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ أَنَا آخِذٌ بِحُجَزِكُمْ عَنِ النَّارِ هَلُمَّ عَنِ النَّارِ هَلُمَّ عَنِ النَّارِ فَتَغْلِبُونِي تَقَحَّمُونَ فِيهَا "
Abu Huraira reported us some ahadith from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) amongst many, (and) one is this that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: A person lit fire and when the atmosphere was aglow, moths and insects began to fall into the fire, but I am there to hold them back, but they are plunging into it despite my efforts, and he further added: That is your example and mine. I am there to hold you back from fire and to save you from it, but you are plunging into it despite my efforts.
" مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَجَعَلَ الْجَنَادِبُ وَالْفَرَاشُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا وَهُوَ يَذُبُّهُنَّ عَنْهَا وَأَنَا آخِذٌ بِحُجَزِكُمْ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَفَلَّتُونَ مِنْ يَدِي "
Jabir b. Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying. My example and your example is that of a person who lit the fire and insects and moths began to fall in it and he would be making efforts to take them out, and I am going to hold you back from fire, but you are slipping from my hand.
" 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 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).
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 " .
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.
" 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 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.
" مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ النَّبِيِّينَ "
The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles; the rest of the hadith is the same.
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 " .
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.
وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلِيمٌ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ وَقَالَ بَدَلَ أَتَمَّهَا أَحْسَنَهَا .
This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.
" إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا أَرَادَ رَحْمَةَ أُمَّةٍ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ قَبَضَ نَبِيَّهَا قَبْلَهَا فَجَعَلَهُ لَهَا فَرَطًا وَسَلَفًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَإِذَا أَرَادَ هَلَكَةَ أُمَّةٍ عَذَّبَهَا وَنَبِيُّهَا حَىٌّ فَأَهْلَكَهَا وَهُوَ يَنْظُرُ فَأَقَرَّ عَيْنَهُ بِهَلَكَتِهَا حِينَ كَذَّبُوهُ وَعَصَوْا أَمْرَهُ "
When Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, intends to show mercy to an Umma from amongst His servants He calls back His Apostle to his eternal home and makes him a harbinger and recompense in the world to come; and when He intends to cause destruction to an Umma, He punishes it while its Apostle is alive and He destroys it as he (the Apostle) witnesses it and he cools his eyes by destruction as they had belied him and disobeyed his command.