Was the management of the Kaaba given to Jews?

- Was the management of the Kaaba given to a Jewish family during the Era of the Prophet (pbuh)?
- It is said that the people of Makkah reacted because it was given to Jews and that the Prophet (pbuh) said tasks should be given to qualified people and that Jews were qualified for it. Is it true?

Dear Brother / Sister,

We have not found any information about the management of the Kaaba being given to Jews. The information mentioned in the question is not true by any means.

The true story of the issue is as follows:

When Makkah was conquered, the key to the Kaaba was given to Uthman b. Talha, who had become a Muslim before Makkah was conquered. Uthman b. Talha belonged to Sons of Abduddar clan of Quraysh.

Sons of Abduddar had fulfilled the important duty of hijaba, the care and maintenance of the Kaaba, keeping the door and keys of the Kaaba, and opening it for visit since Qusayy, the forefather of Quraysh. This duty was handed down from father to son and reached Uthman b. Talha.

When Uthman b. Talha, who opposed the Prophet (pbuh) and other Muslims severely in the first years of Islam, found out that Musab b. Umayr, who was from the same clan, had become a Muslim and performed prayers secretly, he told his family about it. He caused Musab to be imprisoned at home so that he would not meet the Messenger of Allah.

When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came across Uthman in Makkah, he invited him to Islam. However, Uthman rejected his call and tried to advise the Messenger of Allah not to abandon the religion of his ancestors. The Messenger of Allah told him that he would have the keys to the Kaaba in the future and that would give them to whomever he wished. Uthman said something like that would humiliate Quraysh but the Prophet (pbuh) said the honor of Quraysh would be elevated on that day. (Waqidi, Kitabul-Maghazi, 2/837-838)

The enmity of Uthman b. Talha to Islam continued after the Migration too. He took part in the Battle of Uhud with all his relatives. His father, his four brothers and his paternal uncle, Uthman b. Abu Talha, were killed in this battle one after another while they were carrying the standard of the polytheists. He barely saved his life and escaped to Makkah. He also carried the standard of the polytheists in the Battle of Khandaq. He returned to Makkah after this Battle, which ended in failure.

What Uthman b. Talha saw and experienced during the Treaty of Hudaybiyya and Umratul-Qada decreased his enmity to Islam. When the Messenger of Allah went to Makkah for Umratul-Qada, he sent a message to the talented youngsters of Makkah including Khalid b. Walid and invited them to Madinah. When Khalid b. Walid talked to his close friend Uthman b. Talha about this offer, they decided to embrace Islam. Then, Amr b. As also joined them and they became Muslims in the presence of the Prophet in Madinah on Safar 1, 8 H (May 31, 629 AD). When the Messenger of Allah saw them coming, he expressed his gratitude by saying to the Companions near him, “Makkah gave its most beloved people to you.” (Ibn Abdulbar, al-Istiab 3/1034)

A short while after becoming a Muslim, Uthman b. Talha took part in the conquest of Makkah. He had given the keys to the Kaaba to his mother before he migrated to Madinah. When Makkah was conquered, the Prophet circumambulated the Kaaba and told Uthman to open the door of the Kaaba. The Prophet removed the pictures and statues inside the Kaaba and prayed there. When he came out, Hz. Abbas and Hz. Ali wanted the Messenger of Allah to give the keys to the Kaaba to them. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah turned toward Uthman b. Talha and reminded him of the conversation between them about the keys to the Kaaba. Then, he gave the keys to the Kaaba to him and his cousin Shayba b. Uthman; he told them that the keys would be with them until Doomsday struck. (Ibn Sa‘d, Tabaqat, 2/136-137; Azraqi, Akhbaru Makkah, 1/266-267)

Besides, Ibn Hacer Asqalani states the following: The narration that Uthman b. Talha uttered kalima ash-shahadah when the Prophet gave him the key to the Kaaba on the day when Makkah was conquered is not true because Uthman b Talha, Amr b. As and Khalid b. Walid embraced Islam between the Treaty of Hudaybiyya and the Conquest of Makkah. (see al-Ijab, Dimam, 1997, 2/889-895; al-Isaba, Beirut, 1402, 4/450)

On the other hand, this issue is mentioned in the interpretation of verse 58 of the chapter of an-Nisa as a reason for the revelation of the verse. 

The verse in question is as follows:

“Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! For Allah is He Who heareth and seeth all things.” (an-Nisa, 4/58)

Accordingly, it can be deduced from this incident that when Muslims appoint people to carry out important tasks, it should be known that they should be given to the qualified and skilled people who could do them and who had experience in them, not to the relatives of the administrators. 

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