“I heard Aba ‘Abdillah (a.s.), say, ‘My father and I were in al-Hijr. When he was standing for prayer, a man came to him and sat down. When he completed his prayer, the man turned to him (the Imam), offered him the greeting of peace and said, ‘I want to ask you three questions which no one except you and another person knows.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What are they?’ He said, ‘Tell me what the reason is for Tawaf around this House?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, they responded saying, “Will You appoint someone who will destroy it with bloodshed, while we speak of You as free from all defects due to Your praise and holiness?” Allah, most Blessed, most High said, “I know what you do not know.” He expressed anger at them. They asked Him to accept their repentance. He then commanded them to make Tawaf around al-Durrah which is al-Bayt al-Ma'mur (the established house). They continued doing it for seven years and asked Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, for forgiveness because of what they had said. He turned to them, accepted their repentance and expressed happiness with them. This was the origin of Tawaf. Allah thereafter made the sacred House parallel with al-Durrah so that those who commit sin of the children of Adam repent as a means to cleanse themselves.’ He (the man) said, ‘You have spoken the truth.’”