"O ʿĀʾishah, if it were not that your people have recently abandoned idolatry and I do not have the means to strengthen its construction, I would have spent the treasure of the Kaʿbah in the way of Allāh and demolished the Kaʿbah to bring it level with the ground. Then I would have rebuilt it on the foundation of Ibrāhīm and made for it two doors: an eastern door through which people would enter and a western door through which they would exit. I would have brought it level with the ground and added six cubits from the Ḥijr. (In another narration: And I would have included the Ḥijr within it) For the Quraysh had limited it when they built the Kaʿbah. If your people decide to rebuild it after me, then come, and I will show you what they left out of it." He showed her a space of about seven cubits. In another narration from her, she said: "I asked the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) about the wall (meaning the Ḥijr), is it part of the House? He said: Yes. I said: Why did they not include it in the House? He said: Your people were limited by their resources. I said: What is the reason for its door being elevated? He said: Your people did that so they could allow entry to whomever they wished and prevent whomever they wished. (In another narration: Out of pride, so that only those they desired could enter. If a man wanted to enter, they would let him climb up, and when he was about to enter, they would push him, and he would fall.) If it were not that your people have recently left the ignorance of the pre-Islamic period, and I fear their hearts would reject it, I would have considered including the Ḥijr in the House and bringing its door level with the ground. When Ibn al-Zubayr gained power, he demolished it and made for it two doors. (In another narration, that is what led Ibn al-Zubayr to demolish it, said Yazīd ibn Rumān: and he..