Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib

Purification of the Ka`bah

`Amr ibn Laha al-Khuza`i had seen the `Amaliqah (the giants) worshiping idols in the year 207 A.D. in Egypt and Syria. He did not find any advantage in idol-worship, but he liked the art of carving of the idols. He brought some of the idols to Makkah and installed them in the Ka`bah. In time, Makkah became a centre of idolatry. The biggest idol of the Quraysh was Hubal which was installed at the highest point in the Ka`bah. Around it there were kept hundreds of idols tied to each other. Out of the three hundred and sixty days of the year, one day was earmarked for the veneration of one particular idol. In emulation of the people of Makkah, the people in the surrounding areas too were attracted to idol worship. When they visited the Ka`bah during the Hajj, they would take home stones from there and carve out idols for themselves in the shape of the idols in Makkah. This way every tribe of Arabia had its own idols. About one stage away from Makkah, a place called Naqlah had an idol by name al-`Uzza. This place was venerated by the Quraysh and Banū-Kinanah. In Ta’if there was the idol of al-Lat. At some distance from al-Madinah there was Manat that was the god of Aws, Khazraj and Ghassan. For the Hamdan tribe of Najran the idol for worship was Ya`ūq. In Yanbu` and its environs the idol of Hudhayl, Sawah was installed. In Dawmat al-Jandal Banū-Kalab’s god, Wudd was installed. Some isolators considered these idols as the representatives of one and only God. They used to pray and ask for boons from these inanimate idols! They were unable to understand that those inanimate pieces of stone had no power to grant their wishes or save them from the natural calamities! They used to say that through them they were able to reach closer to God! The Holy Qur’an also records their thoughts:

وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى …

“And as for those who take guardians besides Him, saying, We do not serve them save that they may make us nearer to Allah… (39:3)

The purpose for annexing Makkah was not that the Prophet (a.s) wanted to expand his territory and get termed as a conquer. The main purpose was to

abolish idolatry and spread the message of Unity of Allah. After subduing Makkah the first step was to give attention to the destruction of the idols in the Ka`bah. Although there was the risk of the Quraysh rising against this step, the Prophet (a.s) decided to go ahead with the performance of his duty against all possible odds. First he erased the paintings of the prophets and the angels from the walls of Ka`bah. Then, along with `Ali (a.s), he destroyed the idols put at the lower levels of the Ka`bah. Now was the turn of the bigger idols at higher level. The Prophet (a.s) told `Ali (a.s) that he would climb on his shoulders to reach the idols. He did climb but he felt weakness and came down. He now asked `Ali (a.s) to climb on his shoulders and perform the task. `Ali (a.s) went up the shoulders of the Prophet (a.s) and besides the smaller idols he destroyed the big Hubal that was installed on a foundation of steel rods. He pulled it with such strength that it crashed to the ground and shattered to pieces. It would have been such a pathetic scene for the Quraysh that until the other day they were worshiping the idol that was lying today shattered on the ground!

`Ali (a.s), after breaking this big idol, dropped down to the ground and smilingly told the Prophet (a.s), “I have jumped form such height but was not hurt a little!” The Prophet (a.s) replied, “How could you get hurt when Muhammad (a.s) raised you and Jibril (Archangel Gabriel) helped you down!” This was the greatness of `Ali (a.s)! In other words, this was the Mi`raj (Ascension) on the shoulders of the one who had the privilege of the Real Mi`raj. `Ali (a.s) himself has said:

“If I wished, I could have touched the heights of the sky!”

There were other people too with the Prophet (a.s) at that time. This task could have been entrusted to any other person by the Prophet (a.s). But the Prophet (a.s) did not want any one else to be associated with the work of the purification of the Ka`bah. The reason was that `Ali (a.s) had never bowed down before the idols in the past and always prostrated before Allah, the Real Creator! Other persons, at some time in their past lives, were idolaters! If they were asked to destroy the idols, they might have hesitated in performing the task. One example is the people of Ta’if, who, even after embracing Islam, did not like to break the idol with their own hands. Therefore, when they embraced Islam at the hands of the Prophet (a.s), they requested him to leave their idols untouched for one year. When the Prophet (a.s) turned down their request, they refused to break the idols with their own hands and wanted someone else to do the task!