Why Will Allah Allow the Kabah to Be Destroyed?

09 March, 2020
Q One of the last signs of the Day of Resurrection is the destruction of the Ka'ba by Zul-Suwayqatayn. He is from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and will destroy the Ka'ba in order to steal its treasure and Kiswah (Ka'ba's cover). The Ka'ba is a holy shrine for Muslims, located at the center of the main mosque of Mecca, known as Masjid Al-Haram. It is the ancient shrine which was built by Abraham, and whose foundations were laid by Adam. The Destruction of the Ka'ba will occur after no faithful Muslim remains, after the rapture of Muslims: In the Tafsir (interpretation) of the Ayah "Until the Gog and Magog are let through (their barrier)'" (al-Anbiya 21:96). It is reported by Ka'b Al-Ahbar that Zul-Suwayqatayn will first emerge at the time of Jesus, son of Mary. Jesus will lead an army of seven and eight hundred Muslim soldiers and march to fight Zul-Suwayqatayn. While they are marching towards Zul-Suwayqatayn, Allah will send a breeze from the direction of Yemen, which will take the soul of every faithful believer. Only the worst of people will be left, and they will begin to copulate like animals. Ka'b said: "At that time, the Hour (of Resurrection) will be very close." Why would Allah allow the most beloved place to Him be destroyed? What is the wisdom?

Answer

Short Answer: Sister, I know that all of this presents a very disturbing picture for us right now, but you have to understand one important point. That when Allah created everything on earth, He did so for a specific purpose: to test mankind to see which one of them is the best in actions (Qur’an 67:2). The life of the heavens and this earth, as well as the existence of everything that Allah has created in it, was always decreed to be a temporary, meant to be a fleeting period of trial. Death and the end of it all was always preordained. The Kabah was no exception to this decree of Allah. It was a created thing; hence, it would also, one day, cease to exist.

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Salam,

Thank you for sending in your question to our website.

Why Will Allah Allow the Kabah to Be Destroyed?

You have given the correct information about the details of the destruction of the Holy Kabah at the hands of a bald, Ethiopian man named “Dhul-Suwayqatayn”.

This name literally translates to, “the one with thin shins”. It has been reported in Musnad Ahmad that he will destroy the Kabah by picking at it, stone by stone, with a spade and an axe.

In the Qur’an, in the chapter titled “Al-Feel”, Allah has mentioned how He dealt with the elephant-riding army that once attacked Makkah with the intention of destroying the Holy Kabah .

Allah destroyed them by sending upon them huge flocks of birds that showered them with clay pelts, until they became like eaten straw– dead.

This is proof that Allah protected the Holy Kabah  and prevented it from being destroyed, Himself, without any human intervention. This was because He had decreed for it to exist longer, and its time was not up yet. Indeed, Allah is All-Powerful to protect or destroy whatever He wills.

All will perish

Allah says elsewhere in the Qur’an:

{All that lives (on earth or in the heavens) is bound to pass away, but forever will abide your Sustainer’s Self, full of majesty and glory.} (55:26-27)

The fact mentioned in the above verse is a very important point for all of us to remember: that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, which exists right now, either in this earth or in the heavens (i.e. all the universes and galactic systems), which will not perish before the Day of Judgment.

Every created thing, whether living or non-living, will perish, cease to exist, and turn to dust. This is what the verse of the Quran above clearly emphasizes, and it is a humbling fact that we all should try to remember.

Created things on earth include the Holy Kabah . It was first built at the command of Allah, and near the end of times, when the Hour is about to be established, it will get destroyed — also with the will of Allah, — just like everything else on earth.

As you mentioned in your question, near the time when the Hour will be established, Allah will send a breeze that will cause every living believer on earth, including Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), to die. The people who will then remain on earth, will be the worst of mankind.

None of them will perform salah (prayer), fast during Ramadan, or give any zakat (charity). None of them will perform Hajj or umrah anymore. The Quran will then be lifted from the earth i.e. no one will remember even one verse of it, nor will any physical mus-haf, the book containing the written Quranic Arabic text, exist any more.

The Destruction of the Kabah

Allah will then allow the bald Ethiopian man with “thin shins”, to destroy the Kabah . That is His decree of the destruction of everything on earth, which He has mentioned in the verse of the Qur’an above.

Sister, I know that all of this presents a very disturbing picture for us right now, but you have to understand one important point. That when Allah created everything on earth, He did so for a specific purpose: to test mankind to see which one of them is the best in actions (Qur’an 67:2).

The life of the heavens and this earth, as well as the existence of everything that Allah has created in it, was always decreed to be a temporary, meant to be a fleeting period of trial. Death and the end of it all was always preordained. The Kabah  was no exception to this decree of Allah.

It was a created thing; hence, it would also, one day, cease to exist.

Wake-up call

Just because Allah will allow His beloved House — the object unifying the direction of Islamic worship — to perish at the hands of a disbeliever, does not in any way imply that Allah will not have the power to protect His own House.

It only implies that Allah decrees some of His creation to be killed, destroyed, or to cease to exist, at the hands of some other created objects/beings. It happens with His will & permission.

This grave reality and reminder of the death and destruction of everything on earth should actually serve as a wake-up call for every one among mankind to hasten to believe in Islam and do good deeds before their time, too, is up.

And Allah knows best. I hope that this answers your question.

Salam. Please stay in touch.

(From Ask About Islam archives)

References:

Destruction of the Ka’bah | DiscoveringIslam

An Ethiopian will destroy the Ka’bah | Tafsir ibn Kathir

Will the Qur’an disappear at the end of time? | IslamQA

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