The phenomenon of deterioration is naturally attached to every worldly object. Therefore, after its construction by Abrahamas the Ka‘bah fell many times and was thus rebuilt many times as well. Sometimes its structure would be damaged by the floods that would occasionally strike the valley of Makkah. In this case, its custodians would demolish the Ka‘bah and reconstruct it anew. In certain cases this was also required due to fires or other natural disasters. Therefore, every nation who was entrusted its custodianship was required to reconstruct the Ka‘bah as needed. The Banū Jurhum, Khuzā‘ah and the Quraish, all in their respective eras reconstructed the Ka‘bah. Once, Qusaiyy also rebuilt the Ka‘bah, after which the Quraish also reconstructed it in the time of the Holy Prophetsa with certain modifications. They increased its level of elevation and also added a roof with 6 internal pillars along with a skylight on the roof. They also elevated its door as well. However, due to a scarcity of materials, they were unable to erect the Ka‘bah upon its original foundations, as laid by Abrahamas. As a matter of fact, they left an empty space of about 3.5 yards to one side. This empty space is known as the Ḥaṭīm or Ḥijr and the Holy Prophetsa declared it as part of the Ka‘bah. Hence, during the Ṭawāf, it is necessary to pass around this portion as well. Once, the Holy Prophetsa said to Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra:
“The Ḥaṭīm is a part of the Ka‘bah and the Quraish left it out due to a lack of funds. They elevated the door of the Ka‘bah so that they could allow access to whoever they please and deny access to whoever they please. O ‘Ā’ishah, had your nation not recently accepted Islām and had I not been troubled by the wavering of their faith, I would have demolished the structure built by them and would have rebuilt the entire structure upon the original foundations laid by Abraham. I would have included the Ḥaṭīm within it, and would have lowered its door, and I would have built another door to the opposite side of this door.”1
Therefore, in 64 A.H., when due to some reason, the structure of the Ka‘bah was damaged, ‘Abdullāh bin Zubair, who was the governor of Makkah at the time, fulfilled this desire of the Holy Prophetsa and he built only three pillars within the Ka‘bah instead of six pillars. However, when ‘Abdul-Mālik gained control of Makkah, perhaps with the intention that if the Holy Prophetsa did not perform this alteration, no one else possesses the right to do so either, ordered Ḥajjāj bin Yūsuf to demolish the building erected by ‘Abdullāh bin Zubair and reconstruct it upon the pattern, as was during the time of the Holy Prophetsa. Thus, Ḥajjāj did as he was instructed but the modification of the three pillars remained unaltered.2
1 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābul-Ḥajj, Bābu Faḍli Makkata wa Bunyānihā, Ḥadīth No. 1583
2 * Akhbāru Makkah, By Abul-Walīd Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Karīm Azraqī, Bābu Mā Jā’a fī Binā’-ibniz-Zubairil-Ka‘bata, Volume 1, p. 206, Maṭābi‘u Dārith-Thaqāfah, Makkah (1978)
* Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Sanatu Khamsin wa Sittīn, Dhikru Khabri Binā’i ‘Abdillah bin Az-Zubair, Volume 7, p. 78, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
* Al-Kāmilu fit-Tārīkh, By Imām ‘Izz-ud-Din ibnil-Athīr, Volume 3, p. 286, Thumma Dakhalat Sanata Khamsin wa Sittīn, Dhikru Binā’-ibniz-Zubairil-Ka‘bata, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Arabī, Beirut, First Edition (1997)
* Tārīkul-Khamīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan Dayār Bakrī, Volume 1, p. 115, Baqiyyatu Akhbāri Binā’il-Ka‘bah, Muwassasatu Sha‘bān, Beirut