64/48. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4288 — Removing Idols from the Kaaba
Where did the Prophet (saws) fix the flag on the day of the conquest of Makkah?
Kaaba Purification Hadith: Removing Idols Before Entering the Sacred House
Sahih Bukhari : 4288
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4288
حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمَّا قَدِمَ مَكَّةَ أَبَى أَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْبَيْتَ وَفِيهِ الآلِهَةُ، فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَأُخْرِجَتْ، فَأُخْرِجَ صُورَةُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمَا مِنَ الأَزْلاَمِ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ لَقَدْ عَلِمُوا مَا اسْتَقْسَمَا بِهَا قَطُّ ". ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْبَيْتَ، فَكَبَّرَ فِي نَوَاحِي الْبَيْتِ، وَخَرَجَ وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ فِيهِ. تَابَعَهُ مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ. وَقَالَ وُهَيْبٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) arrived in Mecca, he refused to enter the Ka`ba while there were idols in it. So he ordered that they be taken out. The pictures of the (Prophets) Abraham and Ishmael, holding arrows of divination in their hands, were carried out. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "May Allah ruin them (i.e. the infidels) for they knew very well that they (i.e. Abraham and Ishmael) never drew lots by these (divination arrows). Then the Prophet (ﷺ) entered the Ka`ba and said. "Allahu Akbar" in all its directions and came out and not offer any prayer therein.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4288In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 321USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 584
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4288
This Kaaba purification hadith shows how carefully the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم treated the House of Allah. When he arrived in Makkah, he refused to enter the Kaaba while idols were inside it. He ordered that they be taken out. The report also mentions pictures of Ibrahim and Ismail holding divination arrows, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم rejected that image by saying that they knew those two Prophets had never drawn lots by those arrows. After the idols and images were removed, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم entered the Kaaba, said Allahu Akbar in all its directions, then came out without praying inside. The core message is the purity of worship. False objects and false images of Prophets were not accepted inside the sacred house.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم refused to enter the Kaaba while idols remained inside.
- False claims about Prophets were rejected clearly.
- The Kaaba was purified before the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم entered it.
- The report shows takbir being said inside the Kaaba in all directions.
