Final answer:
Muhammad destroyed the idols in the Kaaba to abolish the polytheistic practices in Mecca and restore the worship of the one true God, Allah, as originally intended by Abraham and Ishmael. This act solidified the Kaaba as the holiest site in Islam and a center for pilgrimage while uniting Arabian tribes under a shared monotheistic faith.
Step-by-step explanation:
Muhammad's destruction of the idols in the Kaaba was a fundamental event in the establishment of Islamic monotheism. Before Islam, the Kaaba was a major pilgrimage site filled with idols of pagan gods, reflecting the polytheistic beliefs of the Arabian Peninsula. According to Islamic belief, Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael, ancestors of the Arabs, had originally built the Kaaba for the worship of the one true God, Allah. In keeping with this tradition, upon Muhammad's return to Mecca in 630 CE, he cleansed the Kaaba of idols to restore Abraham's monotheistic worship.
During his time in Mecca before the exile to Medina, Muhammad emphasized the worship of one God and the rejection of polytheism and the idols associated with it. This message was not well received by Meccans, who saw their way of life and the lucrative businesses associated with the pilgrimages to the various idols under threat. Nevertheless, after he and his followers triumphantly returned to Mecca, Muhammad reaffirmed the call to monotheism by removing the idols from the Kaaba, thus transforming it into a site of monotheistic worship and the most significant center of pilgrimage in Islam.
By destroying the idols, Muhammad united the Arabian tribes under the banner of a new identity and faith in one god. The Quran, written in Arabic and containing the revelations Muhammad received from God, became the scripture of Islam. Since then, the Kaaba has remained Islam's holiest site, the Black Stone within it is deeply venerated, and it serves as the direction of prayer for Muslims around the world.