Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: I liked to enter the House (the Ka'bah) and pray therein. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) caught me by hand and admitted me to al-Hijr. He then said: Pray in al-Hijr when you intend to enter the House (the Ka'bah), for it is a part of the House (the Ka'bah). Your people shortened it when they built the Ka'bah, and they took it out of the House

English translation · Sunan Abu Dawud