Ibn al-Zubayr's rebuilding of the Ka'ba

Ibn al-Zubayr rebuilt the Ka'ba in Mecca after 64 AH, made two doors for it, and included six cubits of the Hijr in it. ²

Al-Suyuti says that his maternal aunt Aisha related to him from the Prophet that his people were recent in polytheism, and that but for that he would have demolished the Ka'ba and levelled it with the ground and made it two doors, east and west, and added six cubits of the Hijr to it. The reason it was reduced was that Quraysh had narrowed it when they built it. ²

In another account, he was the first to cover it with brocade. Before that its covering had been of coarse wool and leather. ³

Al-Mas'udi reports that the mosaic of the church of Abraha was brought to him from Sanaa, along with three marble columns. Seventy elders of Quraysh bore witness to him that Quraysh had lacked seven cubits of the foundation of Abraham for want of expense, and had made it up. ⁴

When al-Hajjaj killed him, Abd al-Malik ordered it demolished and returned to the building of Quraysh with one door. ⁴