Al-Lu'lu Wal-Marjan 843 — The Book of Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makka)

Narrated ‘Âisha رضي الله عنها : I asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم whether the round wall (near Ka‘ba) was part of the Ka‘ba. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied in the affirmative. I further said, “What is wrong with them, why have they not included it in the building of the Ka‘ba?” He said, “Don’t you know that your people (Quraish) ran short of money (so they could not include it inside the building of Ka‘ba)?” I asked, “What about its gate? Why it is so high?” He replied, “Your people did this so as to admit into it whomever they liked and prevent whomever they liked. Were your people not close to the Period of Ignorance (i.e. they have recently embraced Islâm) and were I not afraid that they would dislike it, surely I would have included the (area of the) wall inside the building of the Ka‘ba and I would have lowered its gate to the level of the ground.” ( Sahîh Al-Bukhâri, Hadîth No. 654, Vol. 2 )