07/11/2013
The Black Stone, al-Hajr al-
Aswad , is a Muslim relic.
According to tradition it goes all
the way back to the time of Adam
and Eve. The stone is located on
the eastern cornerstone of the
Kaaba, an ancient, cube-shaped
stone building in Mecca.
What is the Black Stone? Why is it
so important to a Muslim? The
answers are found in ancient
traditions.
Islamic Tradition and the Black
Stone
According to Islamic tradition the
Stone fell from Heaven. The
purpose was to show Adam and
Eve where to build an altar, the
first altar on Earth. The Stone was
first white.
According to the Hadith, "It
descended from Paradise whiter
than milk, but the sins of the sons
of Adam made it black". Again
Islamic tradition says that when
the flood came and Noah and his
family entered the Ark, the Stone
was lost. Later tradition claims
Abraham found the Black Stone.
He asked Ishmael, claimed by
Muslims to be an ancestor to
Muhammad, to build the Kaaba.
Ishmael placed the stone on the
eastern corner of the Kaaba.
The Black Stone is either a basalt
stone, an agate, a piece of natural
glass or just a stony meteorite.
The Black Stone of the Muslim
Pilgrimage
The Black Stone is now polished
smooth. It is made up of many
pieces that are held together in a
silver frame. This is because in
early Islamic history an army of
dissident Muslims smashed it to
pieces. It is round and worn
because millions of Muslims have
touched and kissed it over the
centuries.
During the Hajj Muslim pilgrims
walk seven times around the
Kaaba. Each time around they
must attempt to kiss the Stone.
This they imitate what their
prophet, Muhammad, did when on
earth. Because of the large crowds
many people cannot kiss the
Stone. Instead they will stretch
out their arms and point towards
the Black Stone as they walk
around the Kaaba. This ceremony
plays an important role during the
Hajj.
Why Do Muslims Kiss the Black
Stone?
Why would you kiss a Stone? The
answer goes back to Muhammad.
Muslims claim that Muhammad
kissed the Black Stone. Muslims
kiss the Stone to imitate what
their prophet did. Why did
Muhammad kiss the Black Stone?
When Muhammad came to Mecca
he ordered that the idols be taken
out of the Kaaba before he would
enter. Unfortunately he was not
consistent. He was seen kissing
the Stone which was a pagan
practice.
Later Umar bin al-Khattab, a
companion of Muhammad was
troubled by what he saw. "Umar
came near the Black Stone and
kissed it and said, “No doubt, I
know that you are a stone and
cannot benefit anyone nor harm
anyone. Had I not seen Allah’s
Apostle kissing you I would not
have kissed you” (Sahih al-
Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 26,
NUMBER 680 ).
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