>
The Black Stone is the Right Hand of Allah on Earth
This Great House contains a precious Stone, having no equal in this world. It is called the Right Hand of Allah with which He shakes the hands of His people.
AI-Tirmidhi related on the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said, "The Black Stone descended from Paradise much whiter than milk, but it was turned black by the sins committed by mankind." (5, v. 2, p. 112) AI-Tirmidhi said it was a good and sound Hadith. It is sunnah that one touches the Black Stone and kisses it. Al-Bukhari and AI-Tirmidhi related on the authority of Amir Ibn Rabia' who said, "I saw Omar Ibn Al-Khattab kissing the Black Stone, and I heard him say, `I know well that you are simply a stone, and have no power to confer a benefit or to do harm. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you."' (5, v. 2, p. 175). AI-Bukhari and Al-Tirmidhi said it was a good and sound Hadith.
Ibn Khuzaima and Ibn Habban, in their two Sahihs, related that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said that the Black Stone would be resurrected on the Day of Judgement with two eyes and a tongue, and would be a witness to those who sincerely touched and kissed it. (8, v. 2, p. 193) Al-Tirmidhi related that it was a good and sound Hadith.
Muslim related on the authority of Ibn Jabir Ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them), that they arrived at Makkah at noon when the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) made his she-camel kneel down at the door of the Mosque. He entered the Mosque and started tawaf at the Black Stone. When he touched it, the tears came down his cheeks. He mentioned the Hadith and said, "He did Ramat in three rounds and walked the remaining four. After finishing tawaf, he kissed the Black Stone and put his hands on it and then rubbed his face with them." Ibn Khuzaima said it was a good and sound Hadith.
Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) made it clear that people should not regard touching and kissing the Black Stone the same as the Arabs during Al-Jahiliyya period. He maintained that kissing the Black Stone and touching the Yemeni Corner were a kind of glorification to Allah, the Almighty, and a carrying out of His Prophet's traditions. This is one of the religious rituals that Allah, the Supreme, commanded people to hold in high esteem. Allah, the Supreme, says: You haveindeed in the Messenger of Allah, an excellent example (33: 21).
And the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said, "Follow me in performing your religion' rituals".
Abu Yala related that Ibn Omar said,"I saw Omar Ibn Al-Khattab kissing the Black Stone and prostrating towards it". It was also related by AIBazzaz as a good and sound Hadith. (9, v. 12, p. 35) Many Orientalists alleged that the Black Stone was a meteor that fell to earth. What the Orientalists say is based only on hearsay and supposition and, therefore, should not be taken for granted. But what the Muslims know is based on sound knowledge. It is maintained that the truth cannot be refuted by suspicion.
 |
 |
This is the picture of the Black Stone where eight pieces are visible. It was drawn by the Calligrapher AI-Sheikh Muhammad Tahir AI-Kurdi who put transparent paper on the Black Stone itself and drew each piece separately. This took place on the 1st of Rabic AI-Awwal, 1376 H. |
The Black Stone is one of the White Rubies of Paradise and it was turned black by the sins of the polytheists. It will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement as a witness to those who touched and kissed it with good faith. (v. 2, p. 194) It was said that the Black Stone was placed in Mt. Abu Qabis until it was brought to Abraham (peace be upon him) and was put in the south-castem corner of the Holy Ka'bah one and a half metres above ground level. It is encircled by a frame of pure silver in order to protect it. It cannot be accurately described because the part we see is actually made up of eight small pieces, the biggest of which is in the size of a date, embedded in a wax mixture.
Some say there are 15 pieces, but thin the other seven pieces are deeply covered over in the brownish paste mixture, which is also touched by the circumambulators. This paste is a mixture of wax. musk and ambergris put on the top of the Black Stone. Muhammad Ibn Nafie AI-Khuzaie saw the Black Stone on the day when it was taken by the Qarmatians in the fourth century Hijrah. The top of the Black Stone was black but the rest of it was white. The length was about a cubit. Ibn I'llan Al-Makki, one of the scholars at that time, saw the Black Stone during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Murad. Its length was then half a cubit and its width was a third of a cubit. It was white in colour but its top was black because of the misdeeds done by mankind. If the sins affect solid stone, their effects on the heart are even greater. The first who encircled the Black Stone with silver rings was Abdullah Ibn AI-Zubair (may Allah be pleased with them). Then other caliphs and wealth) people followed suit and made the frame from silver and gold. The last who donated a frame of pure silver for the Black Stone, before the Saudi Government. was Al-Sultan Muhammad Rashad Khan in 1331 H. King Abdul Aziz (may his soul rest in peace) repaired part of it in 1366 H. In Sha ban, 1375 H., King Saud (may his soul rest in peace) replaced it with a new frame made of sterling silver. |
