Abraha, an Aksumite (Ethiopian) general and ruler of Yemen, is the person best known for wanting to demolish the Kaaba in Mecca.
Abraha's motivation stemmed from his desire to divert pilgrimage away from the Kaaba and towards a grand cathedral he had constructed in Sana'a, Yemen, called Al-Qalis. He saw the Kaaba as a rival religious center that drew pilgrims and economic benefits away from his own territory.
To achieve his goal, Abraha led a large army, including elephants (which played a prominent role in the historical accounts and gave the year its name, "Year of the Elephant"), towards Mecca with the intent of destroying the Kaaba. However, according to Islamic tradition, his campaign failed due to divine intervention. The story recounts that a flock of birds (Ababil) pelted Abraha's army with stones, leading to their defeat and Abraha's eventual death.
While there might have been other historical figures who harbored negative sentiments towards the Kaaba, Abraha's planned military campaign to demolish it is the most prominent and widely known example.
