13.4 Destruction of Idols

Cleansing the Ka‘bah

When the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah as a victor, the city that had once expelled him now lay open before him. Yet his aim was not revenge or worldly power. Central to the conquest was a single great mission, the fulfillment of the prayer of Ibrahim عليه السلام, that the Sacred House be dedicated purely to Allah. The destruction of idols in and around the Ka‘bah was the visible symbol that Makkah had returned to its original purpose, the worship of Allah alone.

This moment was not an act of senseless destruction. It was a deliberate, prophetic, and deeply spiritual act, guided by revelation and carried out with dignity, control, and purpose. To understand it correctly, it must be seen as the completion of centuries of divine guidance about the House of Allah, not as a sudden outburst of anger.

The Ka‘bah Before Its Purification

Before the conquest, the Ka‘bah was surrounded and filled with idols. Reports mention that around 360 idols stood in and around the Sacred House. Some were large statues fixed to the ground. Others were small images and carvings placed upon or inside the Ka‘bah. Each major Arab tribe had its own idol, and the Quraysh took special pride in some of them.

One of the most famous idols was Hubal, which was kept inside the Ka‘bah. Others like Al Lat, Al Uzza, and Manat were located in the surrounding regions of Hijaz, but their authority and reverence were closely linked to Makkah. The Quraysh and other tribes claimed closeness to Allah through these idols, even though they acknowledged Allah as the ultimate Creator.

Allah says about this misguided claim:

أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُۚ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰ

“Unquestionably, for Allah alone is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him say, ‘We only worship them so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.’”
(Surah Az Zumar 39:3)

Idols had turned the Haram from a place of pure tawhid into a place of shirk, superstition, and exploitation. Diviners, custodians, and tribal leaders used them to control people, justify injustice, and gather wealth. The cleansing of the Ka‘bah was therefore not only religious, but also moral and social. It removed false objects of devotion and the unjust systems that surrounded them.

Entering the Sacred Masjid

After the general amnesty had been announced and the people of Makkah had laid down their weapons, the Prophet ﷺ turned to the most important task in his mission in Makkah. He entered the Masjid al Haram with a group of companions, reciting words of glorification and humility.

Some narrations mention that he was reciting:

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ

“Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. Truth has come and falsehood has perished.”

This was in harmony with the Qur’anic words that were revealed about the triumph of truth over falsehood:

وَقُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُۚ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا

“And say: ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.’”
(Surah Al Isra 17:81)

He entered not as a proud conqueror, but as a servant of Allah. His head was lowered so much in humility that the beard almost touched the saddle of his riding animal. The reverence in his heart was for Allah, not for personal victory.

Breaking the Idols around the Ka‘bah

Around the Ka‘bah, many idols had been set up on the ground and upon raised places. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that they be destroyed. Some reports mention that he himself struck some of them with his bow or staff, while companions toppled and smashed the others.

As each idol was struck and fell, these words were repeated, reflecting the meaning of the earlier verse:

جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ

“Truth has come and falsehood has perished.”

In some narrations it is mentioned:

جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ، إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا

“Truth has come and falsehood has perished, indeed falsehood is ever bound to perish.”

The idols were lifeless, unable to protect themselves, and unable to respond. Their fall exposed the futility of worshiping created objects. It was a silent demonstration that those who could not defend themselves from breaking and falling could never benefit or harm their worshipers.

Many of the people of Makkah witnessed this scene. For their whole lives they had seen these idols as untouchable, sacred, and powerful. Now, without any resistance, the Prophet ﷺ and his followers removed them from the Sacred Masjid. In one day, centuries of false practice were abolished publicly and decisively.

The destruction of these idols was not random. It was focused on anything that was taken as an object of worship besides Allah within the Sacred Precinct. The intention was to restore the Haram to the original way of Ibrahim عليه السلام and Isma‘il عليه السلام, which was pure worship of Allah.

Cleansing the Inside of the Ka‘bah

After the idols around the Ka‘bah were removed, attention turned to the interior of the House. The Prophet ﷺ asked for the key to the Ka‘bah from its custodians, the family of Banu Shaybah. When it was brought, he entered with some of his closest companions.

Inside the Ka‘bah, there were images and drawings on its walls, including depictions that had no place in a house dedicated to Allah. Among them were images of prophets and even images that disrespectfully associated something improper with them.

The Prophet ﷺ ordered that these images be erased. In a hadith narrated in authentic collections, it is mentioned that he saw images and commanded:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصُّوَرَ فِي هَذَا الْبَيْتِ

“Indeed Allah has forbidden you (to keep) images in this House.”

The walls were wiped clean. Any cloths or decorations that carried these images were removed. The inside of the Ka‘bah was purified from all that could lead to shirk or disrespect to the truth.

He then prayed inside the Ka‘bah. In some narrations, it is mentioned that he prayed two units of prayer facing one of its internal sides. This act of prayer within a cleansed sanctuary demonstrated what the Ka‘bah was truly built for. It was not a museum, nor a house of idols. It was a qiblah and a place of salah, dhikr, and pure devotion.

The key of the Ka‘bah was returned to its custodians along with a promise that their responsibility would remain in their family. This reflected another aspect of balance in the Prophet’s action. He removed shirk without erasing every historical role or family responsibility. Nobility and service could remain, but only under the rule of tawhid.

Removal of Major Idol Shrines Linked to Makkah

The destruction of idols in the Haram was part of a broader purification that surrounded Makkah and its religious sphere. Several major idol shrines, that had drawn pilgrims and influenced the religious life of Arabia, were located near Makkah and in the Hijaz. These were not within the Ka‘bah itself, but their influence was tied to it and to the Quraysh.

Among these were Al Lat, Al Uzza, and Manat. They are mentioned in the Quran as false deities:

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّىٰ. وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ

“Have you considered Al Lat and Al Uzza. And Manat, the third, the other one?”
(Surah An Najm 53:19–20)

The Arabs claimed these idols as special female deities, “daughters of Allah,” and used them in fortune telling, oaths, and sacrifices. After the conquest of Makkah, and as Islam became firmly established, the Prophet ﷺ sent companions to demolish these shrines.

Al Uzza, which was located in the valley of Nakhlah, had a famous shrine and custodians. The Prophet ﷺ sent Khalid ibn Al Walid رضي الله عنه to destroy it. He carried out the command, cutting down the trees and demolishing the structure that people believed contained the presence of the idol. This action removed a powerful symbol of shirk that had deep connections with Quraysh and other tribes.

Al Lat, which was in Ta’if, was worshiped by the tribe of Thaqif. Its shrine was a source of pride and income for them. After they came to Islam, the Prophet ﷺ ordered its destruction. The fact that former guardians of such shrines later embraced Islam shows how the removal of idols did not mean hatred of their previous caretakers, but hatred only of shirk.

Manat was located between Makkah and Madinah by the seashore in the region of Qudayd. It was highly respected by several tribes. A companion was sent to demolish it, cut off its symbols, and end its ritual system. The sacrifice sites, stones, and structures that people associated with worship were removed. With this, a major network of idol worship tied to the pilgrimage routes was dismantled.

These actions were part of a unified plan: the heart of tawhid in Makkah could not remain surrounded by powerful centers of shirk that drew pilgrims and supported old beliefs. The Arabian religious map was being reshaped so that all devotional paths led to Allah alone, through the guidance brought by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Idols in Makkah’s Houses and Personal Possessions

Idolatry in Makkah did not exist only in the Ka‘bah or in public shrines. Many families and individuals kept personal idols in their homes. Some were large enough to be placed in special corners of the house, where family members would touch them for blessing, offer food to them, and turn to them when making decisions. Others were small carvings that people carried with them on journeys.

After the conquest, and as the message of tawhid was clearly proclaimed, these household idols also had to be removed. People who accepted Islam were expected to abandon every form of shirk in their private and public lives. That meant demolishing idols in their own homes, throwing away tokens and charms that were believed to protect, and replacing oaths by idols with oaths by Allah alone.

The Prophet ﷺ emphasized that worship and seeking protection are only for Allah. He said:

مَنْ حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ

“Whoever swears by other than Allah has committed shirk.”
(Hadith, reported in authentic collections)

By returning to their homes as new Muslims, the people of Makkah began to live this teaching. The conquest of Makkah was not complete unless shirk was removed from hearts and homes, not only from the stones of the Ka‘bah.

The Spiritual Meaning of Destroying Idols

The destruction of idols in and around the Ka‘bah had a deep spiritual meaning. It was not a campaign against stone or wood. It was a campaign against their false meaning in people’s hearts. The real goal was to break the false fear and hope that people had placed in created objects instead of their Creator.

The Qur’an explains that worship is for Allah alone. When He commands the Prophet ﷺ to declare the truth about false gods, He says:

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ. لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ

“Say, ‘Indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. And with that I have been commanded.’”
(Surah Al An‘am 6:162–163)

When the idols fell, these verses became visible in practice. Sacrifice would no longer be offered in front of stones. No one would dedicate their birth, marriage, or death to an idol. All acts of devotion, every hope and fear, would be turned to Allah.

Another spiritual dimension was the mercy in the Prophet’s approach. Although the idols were destroyed firmly, their former worshipers were given time, safety, and teaching so that they could understand and accept faith. The Prophet ﷺ did not force shahadah at sword point. Instead, he removed the physical barriers of shirk and then opened the door of guidance with gentleness and clear evidence.

The Prophet ﷺ combined firm action against shirk with mercy toward people. He did not punish them for the past once they accepted Islam and abandoned idolatry. Their sincere repentance transformed them into brothers and sisters in faith.

Restoration of the Ka‘bah to the Way of Ibrahim عليه السلام

With the idols gone, the Ka‘bah returned to the purpose for which it had been raised by Ibrahim and Isma‘il عليهما السلام. The Qur’an describes their prayer when they built the House:

رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّاۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ. رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ

“Our Lord, accept from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord, make us both submissive to You, and from our descendants a community submissive to You.”
(Surah Al Baqarah 2:127–128)

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was from that blessed descendants. By cleansing the Ka‘bah, he completed the prayer of Ibrahim. The House was now the center of a community completely submitted to Allah, a community that would continue to make tawaf, salah, and hajj upon the path of tawhid until the end of time.

The Qur’an connects this purification clearly with the mission of Ibrahim:

وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا الْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّىۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

“And [mention] when We made the House a place of return for the people and a place of security, and [said], ‘Take the standing place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.’ And We charged Ibrahim and Isma‘il, ‘Purify My House for those who perform tawaf and those who stay [for worship] and those who bow and prostrate.’”
(Surah Al Baqarah 2:125)

The words “Purify My House” were fully realized in the conquest of Makkah. It was now purified not only from dirt or physical impurities, but from the greatest impurity, which is shirk.

The Lasting Lesson of Purifying the Ka‘bah

The destruction of idols in Makkah was a historic event, but its meaning continues in every generation. The Ka‘bah stands today free from idols, and Muslims from across the world turn their faces toward it in salah, declaring:

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”
(Surah Al Fatihah 1:5)

The physical cleansing of the Ka‘bah is a reminder to cleanse hearts from all rivals to Allah. Wealth, status, tribes, leaders, and personal desires can become “idols” in a hidden way if they are loved and obeyed more than Allah. The story of the day when the Prophet ﷺ broke the idols teaches that faith requires removing these hidden rivals, just as clearly as the visible ones.

He ﷺ said:

تَعِسَ عَبْدُ الدِّينَارِ، وَعَبْدُ الدِّرْهَمِ

“Wretched is the slave of the dinar, the slave of the dirham.”
(Hadith in Sahih Al Bukhari)

This hadith shows that anything can become an “idol” in the heart if it is served like a master. The outward destruction of idols in Makkah is therefore a sign that our inner devotion must be for Allah alone.

The Prophet’s mission in the conquest of Makkah was not complete with political control. It was complete when the Ka‘bah was restored as the shining symbol of tawhid upon the earth. From that day, every hajj, every ‘umrah, every tawaf, and every salah toward the Ka‘bah has carried the echo of those words recited as the idols fell:

جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُۚ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا

“Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.”
(Surah Al Isra 17:81)