What is the ruling on facing the hollow space of the Hajar Isma'il, which is not part of the Ka'bah?

The questioner : If you would allow me regarding the question about facing the Ka'bah: if a person faces the hollow space of the Hajar Isma'il, and not the entire Ka'bah.

The Shaykh : No, that does not count as facing the Ka'bah; it does not count as facing the Ka'bah.

The questioner : He should face a corner of the Ka'bah.

The Shaykh : He must face something of the Ka'bah. As for the hollow space, which is what he is talking about here, there is no Ka'bah there. But if he faces the Hatim, the wall here...

The questioner : ...which is the original part of the Ka'bah.

The Shaykh : This hollowed-out wall.

The questioner : Which they call, my Shaykh, the Hajar Isma'il. The stone.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : This is part of the Ka'bah, my Shaykh.

The Shaykh : I am saying, if he faces this short wall.
Abu Layla : Yes, yes.

The Shaykh : This is permissible because it is part of the Ka'bah. No, he said the gap, the gap.

The questioner : The gap between the Ka'bah and...

The Shaykh : The people who pass through the gap and reach the stone, where do they pass through?

The questioner : From... yes.

The Shaykh : Yes, he is asking about facing this gap. Facing the empty space is not facing the Ka'bah. But facing the corner of the door, this wall...

The questioner : A corner from here or here, my Shaykh, one of them.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : My Shaykh, I mean, the absence of the structure.

The Shaykh : The scholars differed on whether it is permissible to pray on the roof of the Ka'bah. Why did they differ? Because if one prays on the roof of the Ka'bah, he is not facing anything of the Ka'bah.

The questioner : Nor inside the Ka'bah, either.

The Shaykh : Not inside the Ka'bah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed there, but that is another matter. However, my intention is to show you now why they asked this question: Is it permissible to pray on the roof of the Ka'bah? They said no. Why? Because he is facing the air, not facing any part of the Ka'bah's structure. If we suppose there is a stone on the roof of the Ka'bah, meaning a row of blocks or two rows of blocks, or so on, and this is part of the Ka'bah, then he would be facing the Ka'bah and his prayer on the roof of the Ka'bah would be valid. So, those who said the prayer is not valid, note this observation: he is not facing anything of the Ka'bah. If there is a wall frame, no matter its height, it is part of the Ka'bah. If he faces it, his prayer is valid.

The questioner : Inside the Ka'bah.

The Shaykh : Praying inside the Ka'bah: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) "entered the inside of the Ka'bah on the day of the Conquest of Makkah and prayed two rak'ahs." And Bilal described to us that: "He prayed between the two pillars, and the distance between him and the Ka'bah was about two cubits. When he came out, the Companions met him, among them was Abdullah ibn Umar, so he asked Bilal: What did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) do in the Ka'bah? He said: He prayed two rak'ahs between the two pillars, and the distance between him and the wall of the Ka'bah was two cubits." And when he came out, Aisha, who was eager to follow the Messenger (peace be upon him), her husband, wanted to pray inside the Ka'bah. The Ka'bah at that time was as it is today, with a high door, and one could not enter except by a ladder like this. So he (peace be upon him) said to Aisha: A fire had struck it in the pre-Islamic age, , so they did not build the complete Ka'bah including the stone. He said: , at ground level, ; meaning, include the stone in the Ka'bah, lest the weak in faith waver in their faith when their Ka'bah is demolished. So he left the Ka'bah as it was, and this is part of the wise Prophetic Shari'ah policy. Thus, the Messenger of Allah prayed inside the Ka'bah.

The questioner : No problem, but is...