The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 151
IV - Early Life 151 succour of Allāh, Muḥammad sa resolved the matter in such a way as stunned the leaders of the Quraish who called out in acclamation. Muḥammad sa took his mantle and placed the black stone upon it. Then he handed the corners of this cloth to all the leaders of the Quraish and ordered them to lift up the stone simultaneously. Therefore, everyone lifted up the cloth and none harboured feelings of resentment. This occurrence was also an allegorical reference by God, to the fact that the tribal leaders of the Quraish, who stand upon the brink of war, would now be united upon a focal point by that holy personage. When the black stone was brought before its original resting point, Muḥammad sa took hold of it by his blessed hands and positioned it upon its place. 1 As mentioned earlier, this occurrence was an allegorical reference to the fact that soon, the corner stone of the edifice of prophethood would be established upon its rightful place by Muḥammad sa , the Messenger of God. 2 As far as the date of the construction of the Ka‘bah is concerned, historians merely state that this incident occurred when Muḥammad sa was 35 years of age. However, if the conditions of those times are kept in mind while analyzing the situation, it will be learnt that a substantial time would have been required to collect the raw-material for the new building and to demolish the old building. Therefore, the most conceivable theory is that the preparation of this work had begun in the primary years of the life of Muḥammad sa. Moreover, the raw materials, such as stone and wood were already being gathered gradually. Thus, there is a Saḥīḥ 3 narration which states that: Once the Prophet sa was gathering stones for the reconstruction of the Ka‘bah when his uncle ‘Abbās said, “O Nephew! Place your waist cloth on your shoulder 1 * Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, p. 213, Bābu Dhikri Bāqil-Akhbāri ‘anil-Kā’ini min Amri Rasūlillāhi sa Qabla an-Yunabba’a, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, (2002) * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 155, Bābu Ḥadīthi Bunyānil-Ka‘bati wa Ḥukmi Rasūlillāhi sa baina Quraishin fī Waḍ‘il-Ḥajri, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) * Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Part 1, Dhikru Ḥaḍūri Rasūlillāhi sa Hadma Quraishil- Ka‘bata wa Banā’uhā , p. 69, Dārul-Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, First Edition (1996) * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az- Zarqānī, Bābu Bunyānil-Quraishil-Ka‘bah, Volume 1, pp. 381-382, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Tārīkhul-Khamīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan Dayār Bakrī, Volume 1, p. 115, Baqiyyatu Akhbāri Banā’il-Ka ‘bah , Muwassasatu Shu‘bān, Beirut 2 Psalm (118:22) 3 Authentic (Publishers)