who says, “Allah, Allah.” For that reason, the House will never be rebuilt after its demolition, as stated in the authentic hadiths.
Imam Ahmad narrated through his chain of transmission from Saīd ibn Samān, who said: I heard Abū Hurayra tell Abū Qatāda that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Allegiance will be pledged to a man between the Corner and the Station. None but the House’s own people will violate its sanctity. When they do so, do not ask about the destruction of the Arabs. Then the Abyssinians will come and destroy it so utterly that it will never be rebuilt. They are the ones who will extract its treasure” (1).
Abdullāh ibn Umar reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) say: “Dhū al-Suwayqatayn (‘the man with two slender legs’) (2) from Abyssinia will destroy the Kaaba, strip it of its ornaments, and remove its covering. It is as though I can see him—a small, bald-headed man (3), crooked-limbed (4), striking it with his spade
(1) *Musnad al-Imām Ahmad* (15/35), with commentary and annotations by Ahmad Shākir, who states: “Its chain of transmission is sound.”
Ibn Kathīr states: “This has a good, strong chain of transmission.” See *al-Nihāyah: al-Fitan wa al-Malāhim* (1/156), ed. Tāhā Zaynī.
Al-Albānī states: “This chain of transmission is sound. Its narrators are trustworthy narrators of the two Sahīh collections, with the exception of Sa‘īd ibn Sim‘ān, who is also trustworthy.” See *Silsilat al-Ahādīth al-Sahīhah* (vol. 2, p. 120), hadith no. 579.
(2) *Al-suwayqatayn* (“the two little shins”): *suwayqah* is the diminutive of *sāq* (shin). Because the word is feminine, the feminine *tā’* appears in its diminutive form. The diminutive is used because Abyssinians generally have slender, lean shins. See *al-Nihāyah fī Gharīb al-Hadīth wa al-Athar* (2/423).
(3) *Usayli‘* is the diminutive of *asla‘*, meaning one whose hair has receded from his head. See Ibn al-Athīr, *al-Nihāyah* (3/47).
(4) *Ufaydi‘* is the diminutive of *afda‘*. *Fada‘* is a misalignment between the foot and the shinbone, =