P1-SIR-05 The life and importance of the Prophet ﷺ Paper 1, Question 3
The rebuilding of the Ka‘ba and the Black Stone
A dispute during the rebuilding of the Ka‘ba could have caused inter-clan violence. Muhammad’s ﷺ solution demonstrated practical wisdom, shared honour and accepted arbitration before prophethood.
c. 605 CE Narrative and significance Paper 1 · Question 3
Syllabus connection
- P1.T3.b1 The main events of the Prophet's life from his birth to his call to prophethood
Learn the material
Learning objectives
Key vocabulary
- Hajar al-Aswad
- The Black Stone set into the eastern corner of the Ka‘ba.
- arbitrator
- A trusted person who helps settle a dispute.
- clan
- A branch within a tribe.
- rebuilding
- Constructing again after damage.
- shared honour
- A solution that allows several parties to participate without humiliation.
- Ka‘ba
- The sanctuary in Makka.
Before you start
Answer from memory before opening the answers.
- Why was the Ka‘ba rebuilt?
- What caused the dispute?
- How was Muhammad ﷺ selected?
- What was his solution?
Check your answers
- It had been damaged and required reconstruction.
- Clans competed for the honour of replacing the Black Stone.
- They agreed to accept the next person to enter, and he appeared.
- Place the stone on a cloth, let clan leaders lift it together, then set it himself.
The lesson
Background and setting
When Muhammad ﷺ was about thirty-five, Quraysh rebuilt the Ka‘ba after damage. The work was divided among clans, but the honour of replacing the Black Stone produced a dangerous dispute.
Main events in sequence
- Quraysh agreed to rebuild the Ka‘ba using funds they considered lawfully earned.
- Different clans undertook sections of the construction.
- When the time came to replace the Black Stone, each clan wanted the honour.
- The dispute continued and threatened bloodshed.
- They agreed that the next person to enter the sanctuary area would arbitrate.
- Muhammad ﷺ entered and was welcomed as al-Amin.
- He placed the stone on a cloth and asked leaders of the clans to lift it together.
- He then placed it in position with his own hands.
Outcome and consequences
The solution prevented violence, preserved the dignity of the clans and confirmed his reputation for wise, impartial judgement.
Examination focus
The best response selects relevant detail, keeps a clear sequence and links each paragraph to the wording of the question.
| Feature | Accurate detail | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Problem | Several clans claimed one honour. | Identify the conflict clearly. |
| Selection | The next entrant would arbitrate. | Shows agreed process before the decision. |
| Trust | The entrant was Muhammad ﷺ, already known as al-Amin. | Connect reputation with acceptance. |
| Method | Stone on cloth; clan leaders lifted together. | Describe the practical mechanism. |
| Completion | He placed the stone himself. | Shows final responsibility with shared participation. |
Accuracy and interpretation
The lesson is not evidence that every conflict can be solved by symbolic compromise. The principle is to identify interests, preserve justice and include parties without surrendering truth.
Context and chronology
| Date or phase | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| c. 605 CE | Flood or structural damage led Quraysh to rebuild. | Provides the immediate context. |
| During construction | Clans divided the work. | Cooperation existed before the dispute. |
| At the Black Stone | Competition threatened conflict. | The turning point. |
| Arbitration | Shared lifting and final placement. | Violence was avoided. |
Chronology control
Use dates to anchor the sequence, but do not turn the answer into a list of dates. The event, turning point and consequence must remain clear.
People, places and events
| Person, group or place | Role in this lesson |
|---|---|
| Muhammad ﷺ | Accepted arbitrator and designer of the solution. |
| Quraysh clans | Cooperated in rebuilding but disputed the final honour. |
| Clan leaders | Lifted the cloth together. |
| Hajar al-Aswad | The object at the centre of the dispute. |
| Ka‘ba | The sacred building being reconstructed. |
Qur'an and Hadith evidence
Use Qur’an and Hadith evidence briefly and purposefully. The evidence should illuminate the event or character point rather than replace historical knowledge.
وَجَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكَعْبَةَ ٱلْبَيْتَ ٱلْحَرَامَ قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ
Allah made the Ka‘ba, the Sacred House, a means of support for people.
The Ka‘ba has communal significance beyond one clan.
فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ
Make peace between your brothers.
The later Qur’anic principle matches the Prophet’s peacemaking conduct.
Short, accurate references are enough. Do not invent a quotation when you are uncertain of the wording.
Significance
- His reputation made all sides willing to accept his judgement.
- The solution addressed honour as well as the physical task.
- Shared participation reduced humiliation and the risk of revenge.
- He acted decisively without claiming the whole honour for his own clan.
- The event foreshadows his later role as a just mediator.
Significance in practice
Build AO2 through example → principle → present-day application.
| Prophetic example | Principle | Present-day application |
|---|---|---|
| Inclusive problem-solving | People cooperate when legitimate interests are recognised. | A school leader can give each group a defined role in a shared project. |
| Neutral process | Agreement on how a decision is made can reduce suspicion. | Mediators should establish fair procedure before proposing an outcome. |
| Preventing escalation | Early intervention can stop pride becoming violence. | Community disputes should be addressed before public insults and factions deepen. |
| Shared dignity | A settlement should avoid unnecessary humiliation. | Restorative approaches can combine accountability with a path back into community. |
Connections with other topics
| Connected topic | How the connection helps |
|---|---|
| P1-SIR-03 al-Amin | His established trust explains why the arbitration was accepted. |
| P1-SIR-16 Constitution of Madina | Later leadership also balanced different groups through agreed terms. |
| P1-SIR-20 Hudaybiyya | Strategic compromise can secure a greater good. |
| P1-SIR-25 peacemaking | The incident becomes an early model of consultation and conflict resolution. |
Common misconceptions
Students often think Muhammad ﷺ simply took the honour for Banu Hashim.
In fact He designed a shared method and only completed the final placement.
Students often think The clans were fighting over ownership of the Ka‘ba.
In fact They disputed the honour of replacing the Black Stone.
Students often think The cloth solution was accidental.
In fact It was a deliberate way to include competing clans.
Students often think Compromise always means giving equal legitimacy to every claim.
In fact A good settlement protects justice while managing legitimate interests and dignity.
What the examiner wants
AO1: what you must know
For a high-level AO1 response, select detailed material that answers the precise focus and organise it coherently.
- Know the brief background before the main event.
- Quraysh agreed to rebuild the Ka‘ba using funds they considered lawfully earned.
- Different clans undertook sections of the construction.
- When the time came to replace the Black Stone, each clan wanted the honour.
- The dispute continued and threatened bloodshed.
- They agreed that the next person to enter the sanctuary area would arbitrate.
- Muhammad ﷺ entered and was welcomed as al-Amin.
- He placed the stone on a cloth and asked leaders of the clans to lift it together.
- He then placed it in position with his own hands.
- The solution prevented violence, preserved the dignity of the clans and confirmed his reputation for wise, impartial judgement.
- Keep names, sequence and consequences accurate.
The narrative answer
Examiners reward brief background, then balanced coverage, then a clear link back to what the question actually asked.
- Brief background
- One or two sentences of context. Brief — this is not the answer.
- Sequence
- The main events in order, each with detail.
- Balance
- If the question names several things, give each comparable treatment.
- Link back
- Connect each part to the exact focus of the question.
AO1 control
Do not narrate everything you know about the Prophet’s life. Select the events that directly answer the question and develop them accurately.
AO2: what you must understand
AO2 must move beyond praise. Identify a principle, explain how the example establishes it, and show its effect on a Muslim or community today.
- His reputation made all sides willing to accept his judgement.
- The solution addressed honour as well as the physical task.
- Shared participation reduced humiliation and the risk of revenge.
- He acted decisively without claiming the whole honour for his own clan.
- The event foreshadows his later role as a just mediator.
AO2 control
A present-day example earns value only when the mechanism is explained: what Muslims learn, why it matters and how it changes conduct.
Worked examination example
Weaker response
This event was important because the Prophet ﷺ showed good character and Muslims should copy him.
The point is generic, unsupported and could be attached to almost any event.
Stronger response
The method shows that leaders should understand the interests beneath a dispute. Muhammad ﷺ did not merely order the clans to stop arguing; he created a fair process that gave each side participation while preserving one final act of responsibility. Modern leaders can similarly combine inclusion, clear procedure and decisive closure.
The response identifies a precise example, derives a principle and explains its practical effect.
Practise
Guided practice
- Write a one-sentence background for The rebuilding of the Ka‘ba and the Black Stone.
- Select four events or features and arrange them in the most logical order.
- Add one sentence explaining the consequence or significance of each selected point.
Before you write, answer these
- Brief background
- Event or feature 1
- Event or feature 2
- Turning point
- Outcome and significance
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Independent practice
- Write a balanced 10-mark account without notes.
- Write one developed 4-mark significance paragraph using example → principle → effect.
- Check every name, date and causal link against the lesson.
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Check your understanding
Answer each question, then check it. Every option is explained — including the ones that are wrong — so read the feedback even when you were right.
Write a full answer
Exam-style practice question
This is original examination-style practice based on the syllabus topic and current assessment structure.
Exam-style practice question
(a) Give an account of the dispute over the Black Stone and how Muhammad ﷺ resolved it. [10] AO1
(b) What lessons can community leaders learn from his method of arbitration? [4] AO2
Written by this course to match the style and demand of the examination. It is not a Cambridge question.
Plan your answer
Before you write, answer these
- What brief context is needed?
- Which four to six points provide the strongest coverage?
- Where is the turning point or contrast?
- What consequence closes part (a)?
- Which specific example will drive each AO2 paragraph?
Out of scope here: Plan from the exact question. A memorised life story or general character paragraph will not automatically answer the focus set.
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Indicative answer
Show an indicative answer Write yours first — you will learn more
Part (a)
During the rebuilding of the Ka‘ba, Quraysh clans disputed who would have the honour of replacing the Black Stone. The disagreement threatened violence. They agreed that the next person to enter would decide, and Muhammad ﷺ appeared. Because he was trusted as al-Amin they accepted him. He placed the stone on a cloth, asked clan leaders to lift it together and then set it in position himself.
Part (b)
The method shows that leaders should understand the interests beneath a dispute. Muhammad ﷺ did not merely order the clans to stop arguing; he created a fair process that gave each side participation while preserving one final act of responsibility. Modern leaders can similarly combine inclusion, clear procedure and decisive closure.
Other answers are equally valid
- Marks are awarded for what is correct. Nothing is deducted for errors or omissions.
- Credit is given for valid answers that go beyond the syllabus and the mark scheme.
- It is entirely possible to reach the highest level using different information or a different argument from the one shown here.
- Answers are judged against the levels of response, not against a checklist of required points.
Marking guidance reference
What the strongest answers do here: Read the response as a whole. Balance, accuracy, development and direct relevance determine the level.
| Level | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8–10 |
|
| 3 | 5–7 |
|
| 2 | 3–4 |
|
| 1 | 1–2 |
|
| 0 | 0 |
|
What moves an answer up: The clearest difference between Level 3 and Level 4 is comprehensiveness, development, and quotation. Level 3 "may quote"; Level 4 is "likely to quote".
| Level | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3–4 |
|
| 1 | 1–2 |
|
| 0 | 0 |
|
What moves an answer up: The whole AO2 distinction is discussion versus description. A factually excellent but purely descriptive paragraph cannot reach Level 2.
Note that AO2 has two levels, not four. Some older textbooks and revision guides still show a four-level scale for part (b); that scale is out of date.
Self-assessment checklist reference
Judge your answer as a whole against the levels above, not by counting points. An answer can reach the top band using different material from the indicative answer.
Consolidate
Lesson summary
- When Muhammad ﷺ was about thirty-five, Quraysh rebuilt the Ka‘ba after damage. The work was divided among clans, but the honour of replacing the Black Stone produced a dangerous dispute.
- Quraysh agreed to rebuild the Ka‘ba using funds they considered lawfully earned.
- Different clans undertook sections of the construction.
- When the time came to replace the Black Stone, each clan wanted the honour.
- The solution prevented violence, preserved the dignity of the clans and confirmed his reputation for wise, impartial judgement.
- His reputation made all sides willing to accept his judgement.
Retrieval flashcards
Further revision task reference
- Create a five-point timeline from memory.
- Make a two-column grid: event/action and significance.
- Answer the lesson’s 4-mark question again using a different present-day example.
Before you write, answer these
- Five-point timeline
- Three precise details
- Two significance links
- One misconception to avoid
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Your progress is saved in this browser only. Use My progress to export it if you change device.
Why this would reach the top band
The answer is indicative, not a script to memorise. Equivalent accurate detail and well-reasoned applications may also be credited.