Caliph 'Umar's deliberation on Ka'bah ornaments
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 270
٢٧٠. وَرُوِيَ أَنَّهُ ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فِي أَيَّامِهِ حَلْيُ الْكَعْبَةِ وَكَثْرَتُهُ، فَقَالَ قَوْمٌ: لَوْ أَخَذْتَهُ فَجَهَّزْتَ بِهِ جُيُوشَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَانَ أَعْظَمَ لِلْأَجْرِ، وَمَا تَصْنَعُ الْكَعْبَةُ بِالْحَلْيِ؟ فَهَمَّ عُمَرُ بِذَلِكَ، وَسَأَلَ عَنْهُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عليه السلام).
270. It is related that during the days of (Caliph) ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, the question of the excess of the ornaments of the Ka‘bah was mentioned to him and some people suggested: If you prepare with it an army of Muslims that will be a matter of great reward; and what would the Ka‘bah do with the ornaments? ‘Umar thought of doing so but asked Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, when he said: