Chapter: Demolishing the Ka'bah and rebuilding it

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's Messenger may peace be upon him) said to me: Had your people not been unbelievers in the recent past (had they not quite recently accepted Islam), I would have demolished the Ka’bah and would have rebuilt it on the foundation (laid) by Ibrahim; for when the Quraish had built the Ka’bah, they reduced its (area), and I would also have built (a door) in the rear.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters.

'A'isha, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) , reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as having said this: Didn't you see that when your people built the Ka’bah, they reduced its area with the result that it no longer remains on the foundations (laid) by Ibrahim. I said: Messenger of Allah, why don't you rebuild it on the foundations (laid by) Ibrahim? Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Had your people not been new converts to Islam, I would have done that. 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (RA) said: If 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) had heard it from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , I would not have seen Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) abandoning the touching of the two corners situated near al-Hijr, but (for the fact) that it was not completed on the foundations (laid) by Ibrahim.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her), wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) , heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If your people, had not been recent converts to Islam, I would have spent the treasure of the Ka’bah in the way of Allah and would have constructed its door just on the level of the ground and would have encompassed in it the space of Hijr.

'Abdullah bin Zubair (RA) reported on the authority of his mother's sister ('A'isha) saying that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: 'A'isha, if your people had not been recently polytheists (and new converts to Islam), I would have demolished the Ka’bah, and would have brought it to the level of the ground and would have constructed two doors, one facing the east and the other one to the west, and would have added to it six cubits of area from Hijr, for the Quraish had reduced it when they rebuilt it.

'Ata' reported: The House was burnt during the time of Yazid bin Muawiya when the people of Syria had fought (in Makkah). And it happened with it (the Ka’bah) what was (in store for it). Ibn Zubair (RA) felt it (in the same state) until the people came in the season (of Hajj). (The idea behind was) that he wanted to exhort them or incite them (to war) against the people of Syria. When the people had arrived he said to them: O people, advise me about the Ka’bah. Should I demolish it and then build it from its very foundation, or should I repair whatever has been damaged of it? Ibn 'Abbas said: An idea has occurred to me according to which I think that you should only repair (the portion which has been) damaged, and leave the House (in that very state in which) people embraced Islam (and leave those very stones in the same state) when people embraced Islam, and over which Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) had raised it. Thereupon Ibn Zubair said: If the house of any one of you is burnt, he would not be contented until he had reconstructed it, then what about the House of your Lord (which is far more important than your house)? I would seek good advice from my Lord thrice and then I would make up (my mind) about this affair. After seeking good advice thrice, he made up his mind to demolish it. The people apprehended that calamity might fall from heaven on those persons who would be first to climb (over the building for the purpose of demolishing it), till one (took up courage, and ascended the roof), and threw down one of its stones. When the people saw no calamity befalling him, they followed him, demolished it until it was razed to the ground. Then Ibn Zubair erected pillars and hung curtains on them (in order to provide facilities to the people for observing the time of its construction). And the walls were raised; and Ibn Zubair said: I heard 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) say that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) had observed: If the people had not recently (abandoned) unbelief, and I had means enough to reconstruct it, which I had not, I would have definitely excompassed in it five cubits of area from Hijr. And I would also have constructed a door for the people to enter, and a door for their exit. I today have (the means to spend) and I entertain no fear from the side of people (that they would protest against this change). So he added five cubits of area from the side of Hatim to it that there appeared (the old) foundation (upon which Hadrat Ibrahim had built the Ka’bah). And the people saw that and it was upon this foundation that the wall was raised. The length of the Ka’bah was eighteen cubits. when addition was made to it (which was in its breadth), then naturally the length appears to be) small (as compared with its breadth). Then addition of ten cubits (of area) was made in its length (also). Two doors were also constructed, one of which (was meant) for entrance and the other one for exit. When Ibn Zubair (RA) was killed, Hajjaj wrote to 'Abdul Malik (b. Marwan) informing him about it, and telling him that Ibn Zubair (RA) had built (the Ka’bah) on those very foundations (which were laid by Ibrahim) and which reliable persons among the Makkahns had seen. 'Abdul Malik wrote to him: We are not concerned with the censuring of Ibn Zubair in anything. Keep intact the addition made by him in the side of length, and whatever he has added from the side of Hijr revert to (its previous) foundation, and wall up the door which he had opened. Thus Hajjaj at the command of Abdul Malik demolished it (that portion) and rebuilt it on (its previous) foundations.

Abdullah bin 'Ubaid reported that Harith bin 'Abdullah led a deputation to 'Abdul Malik bin Marwan during his caliphate. 'Abdul Malik said: I do not think that Abu Khubaib (i. e. Ibn Zabair) had heard from 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) (about the intended wish of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) [may peace be upon him) in regard to the alteration of the Ka’bah). Harith said: Yes, I myself did hear from her. He ('Abdul Malik) said: Well, tell me what you heard from her. He stated that she (Hadrat 'A'isha) had said that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) remarked: Verily your people have reduced (the area) of the House from its (original foundations, and if they had not recently abandoned polytheism (and embraced Islam) I would have reversed it to (those foundations) which they had left out of it. And if your people would take initiative after me in rebuilding it, then come along with me so that I should show you what they have left out of it. He showed her about fifteen cubits of area from the side of Hatim (that they had separated). This is the narration transmitted by 'Abdullah bin Ubaid. Walid bin 'Ata' has, however, made this addition to it: "Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: I would have made two doors on the level of the ground (facing) the east and the west. Do you know why your people raised the level of its door (i. e. the door of the Ka’bah)? She said: No. He said: (They did it) out of vanity so that (they might be in a position) to grant admittance to him only whom they wished. When a person intended to get into it, they let him climb (the stairs), and as he was about to enter, they pushed him and he fell down." 'Abdul Malik said to Harith; Did you yourself hear her saying this? He said: Yes. He (Harith) said that he ('Abdul Malik) scratched the ground with his staff for some time and then said: I wish I had left his (Ibn Zubair's) work there.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Juraij with the same chain of transmitters.

Abu Qaza'ah reported that while Abdul Malik bin Marwan was circumambulating the Ka’bah he said: May Allah ruin Ibn Zubair that he lies in attributing to the Mother of the Faithful, as he says: I heard her stating that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said: 'A'isha, if your people had not been new converts to Islam, I would have demolished the House and would have added (in it area) from the Hijr for your people have reduced the area from its foundations. Harith bin 'Abdullah bin Abu Rabi'a (RA) said: Commander of the Faithful, don't say that, for I heard the Mother of the Faithful saying this, whereupon he said: If I had heard this before demolishing it, I would have left it in the state in which Ibn Zabair had built it.