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Text and translation
English translation
2027. Ibn ‘Abbās narrated: “When the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah, he refused to enter the Ka’bah while it had its idols. So he commanded that they be removed. The statues of Ibrāhīm and Ismā’īl were removed, and they had in their hands arrows that were used for divination. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: ‘May Allāh curse them (the pagans)! I swear by Allāh, they knew that Ibrāhīm and Ismā’īl never used these divination arrows.’ He then entered the House, and said the Takbīr in its corners and edges, and then left without praying in it.” (Ṣaḥīh)
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Commentary
The “divining arrows” were, in fact, three wooden sticks. On one of them was inscribed the word “Do,” on the other “Do not,” and the third one was blank. When a pagan Arab wanted to travel, or do something, he would come to a
functionary of the Ka'bah, and ask him whether he should do such and such thing or not. The functionary would put those sticks into a box, shake it and draw a stick, and tell the person to act accordingly. In case he drew a blank stick, the functionary would keep on drawing the sticks until there was a result.
