Positioned in the eastern corner of the Kaaba, the Black Stone, known as Hajar al-Awad in Arabic, serves as the sacred focal point for the Tawaf ritual, marking the beginning and end of the obligatory rites of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage. Over the ages, revered figures including Prophet Muhammad, other Prophets, the Sahabah, and countless pilgrims have embarked on these spiritual journeys, seeking blessings and offering prayers to Allah. Reverence for the Black Stone is a vital aspect of these sacred pilgrimages.
The Black Stone likely has origins in the pre-Islamic beliefs of the Arabian Peninsula. Currently, it exists in three main pieces with additional fragments, encased within a stone ring and bound together by a silver band. According to Islamic tradition, it was bestowed upon Adam upon his expulsion from paradise. Originally white, it is said to have turned black from absorbing the sins of pilgrims who kiss and touch it.
The Black Stone holds immense significance in Islam as a celestial stone. Its placement in the Holy wall of the Kaaba is surrounded by various legends. Let’s explore a few of them.
The Black Stone holds profound significance, as per an account where Ibrahim (AS) was constructing the Holy Kaaba for spiritual worship. When it seemed that the stones to complete the wall were insufficient, Ibrahim (AS) sent his son Ismail (AS) to find a suitable stone. Returning empty-handed, Ismail (AS) found a luminous white stone already in place. Ibrahim (AS) informed him that the unique stone had been delivered by the angel Jibreel.
During the reconstruction of the Kaaba, a dispute arose among the people when they reached the position of the Black Stone. Arguments erupted over who should have the honor of restoring it to its original place. Abu Umayya Ibn al-Mugheera, their elder, intervened and proposed a solution. He suggested that the Quraysh, the tribe overseeing the Kaaba, agree on the first person to enter through the Bani Shaybah Gate, the main northern entrance to the Kaaba area. It was the Prophet who entered and reinstated the Black Stone to its rightful position, resolving the conflict.
The central piece of the Kaaba holds unparalleled reverence as the most esteemed stone globally. Muslims aspire to kiss and touch it in emulation of Prophet Mohammad, considering it an honor and a source of pride. Kissing the Black Stone is viewed not as an obligation but as a gesture of love and devotion.
