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.
The Book of Virtues - Sahih Muslim 2286 b
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This noble hadith from Sahih Muslim presents a profound analogy regarding the finality of prophethood with our Master Muhammad (ﷺ). The scholars of Islam have expounded upon its deep meanings and implications for the Muslim ummah.
The House of Prophethood
The "house" in this analogy represents the complete structure of divine guidance sent to humanity through all the prophets, beginning with Adam (عليه السلام) and concluding with Muhammad (ﷺ). Each prophet contributed to this spiritual edifice, building upon the foundation laid by his predecessors.
The beauty and completeness mentioned refer to the perfection of the divine message that accumulated through successive revelations, yet remained incomplete until the final messenger arrived.
The Missing Brick
The single missing brick symbolizes the gap in the chain of prophethood that remained before the advent of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Though previous revelations were magnificent in their own right, they were either limited to specific nations or became corrupted over time.
The observers' remark about the building's perfection except for one brick indicates how humanity recognized the need for a final, universal message that would complete the divine guidance for all people until the Day of Judgment.
The Final Brick
When the Prophet (ﷺ) declares "I am that final brick," he establishes his unique position as the Seal of the Prophets (خاتم النبيين). This signifies not merely chronological finality but theological completion - the message of Islam perfects all previous revelations and requires no addition or alteration.
This completion manifests in several aspects: the preservation of the Qur'an, the universality of the message, the comprehensive nature of Islamic law, and the perfection of moral guidance that addresses all aspects of human life until the end of time.
Scholarly Insights
Imam An-Nawawi (رحمه الله) comments that this hadith establishes the superiority of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) over all previous prophets, as the completion is always superior to what precedes it in a structure.
Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (رحمه الله) notes that the analogy emphasizes how the Prophet's mission filled the remaining gap in divine guidance, making the structure of prophethood complete and perfect, able to withstand the tests of time and human interference.
This hadith also contains subtle indications of the Prophet's humility, as he uses the metaphor of a small brick rather than a grand foundation or pillar, demonstrating that while his role is essential, he remains a servant of Allah like all previous messengers.