It is said that the Kaaba will be eliminated by Allah before Doomsday. Did the Prophet (pbuh) say he saw an Abyssinian demolishing the Kaaba when he mentioned the signs of Doomsday?

Dear Brother / Sister,

According to the narration of a hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) said,

“A short / weak legged Abyssinian demolishes the Kaaba.”  (see Bukhari, Hajj, 47, 49; Muslim, Fitan, 57-59)

This demolishing will take place when Doomsday approaches. Therefore, this destruction is not contrary to the characteristic of Makkah mentioned in the Quran as “city of security”. For, it means this characteristic will continue up to a time close to Doomsday. This destruction will take place at a time when nobody who says “Allah, Allah” will remain in the world; it will not be repaired and visited after that. During the process of Doomsday, nothing will remain stable.

However, according to some scholars, the Kaaba will be repaired after this destruction; hajj and umrah will continue. (see Nawawi, Ibn Hajar, Ibn Battal, the explanation of the hadith in question)

Bukhari repeated this issue three times and mentioned one of them under the heading of the following verse:

"Allah made the Ka´ba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men, as also the Sacred Months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that mark them: That ye may know that Allah hath knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth and that Allah is well acquainted with all things." (al-Maida, 5/97)

He attracted attention to the following fine point: Islam will stand as long as the Kaaba stands. 

As a matter of fact, Hasan- al-Basri read the verse above and said, “As long as people use the Kaaba as the qiblah and visit it for hajj, they will remain stable in their religion." (see Ibn Hajar, ibid)

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