The Prophet Muhammad A simple Guide to his Life
The Policy of the Prophet
~ 119 ~
were left in their existing state, although the
Prophet knew fully, well that after him no one
would be able to change them.
One clear example of this is provided by the issue of
Hateem
(an un-built area) in the Kabah. When the
Prophet Abraham and Ismail built their mosque in
the form of the Kabah, it included the part known
as Hateem. Originally, the Kabah built by Abraham
was rectangular while the present Kabah is a
square. This square Kabah was built by the
idolators. Once the ancient walls of the Kabah
collapsed in the wake of a flood, and then were
rebuilt. But, due to the shortage of building
material, the Quraysh could cover only half of the
area, the other half being left un-built. Aisha, the
wife of the Prophet, said that the Prophet had told
her that he wanted to bring down the present walls
of the Kabah and re-build them on the foundation
laid by Abraham. But since the people had recently
converted, he feared that they would be provoked
at such a step. Therefore, the Prophet left the Kabah
on the existing foundations. That meant that the
Kabah would remain forever on the foundations
laid by the idolaters.
(Fathul Bari,
3/513)
