Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalaamu Alaikkum

Dear Brother,

Can you clearly explain the significance of Hajr-al-aswad in Islam.

Insha Allah

 

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Answer:

 

Significance of black stone

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

There are several opinions regarding the origin of the ‘Black Stone’, but the most accepted opinion is that Allah Subhanah sent this Stone from the heavens and guided and commanded His Noble Friend and Messenger, Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) to place it in its specific place in His Sacred House at the ‘Kaaba’ when Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) and Prophet Ismail (a.s.) were laying the foundations of the Sacred House in Makkah.  The ‘Hajr-al-Aswad’ or the Black Stone is indeed one of the manifest Signs of Allah Subhanah on this earth. 

 

The ‘Hajr-al-Aswad’ is a heavy oval stone, reddish-black in color, and has a diameter of approximately 30 cm.  Under the guidance and command of Allah Subhanah, Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) placed it as a cornerstone at the south-east corner of the Kaaba. 

 

Five years before the first Revelations of the Glorious Quran and the appointment of Prophet Mohamed (saws) to the office of Prophethood, the pagan Quraish of Makkah decided to rebuild the ‘Kaaba’.  A fierce disagreement followed amongst the pagan Quraish leaders regarding which tribe would hold the honor of re-placing the ‘Hajr-al-Aswad’ at its place in the Kaaba.  They finally came to an agreement that the first person to enter the Holy Sanctuary that day would place the ‘Black Stone’ in the Kaaba; and as Allah Subhanah would have Willed, it was Prophet Mohamed (saws) who was chosen to re-place the ‘Hajr-al-Aswad’ in its specific place during that re-building phase of the Kaaba.

 

The ‘Hajr-al-Aswad’ as it stands today is actually broken into several pieces, damage which occurred in the year 930AD when during the reign of the Abbasids the Qarmatian warriors revolted against the Caliphite, ransacked Makkah, and carried the Black Stone away to their base in Bahrain. It was ultimately returned twenty-two years later, but in the process, the ‘Hajr-al-Aswad’ was cracked.  It is now held together by the silver band, which is fastened by silver nails to the Stone.

 

Ibn 'Umar said: "Allah's Messenger (saws) faced the Black Stone, touched it, and then placed his lips on it and wept for a long time." The Prophet (saws) then said: 'This is the place where one should shed tears.'''

Reported by Al-Hakim.

 

Ibn Hibban has reported in his Sahih that the Prophet (saws) said: "(Making supplications near) the Black Stone and the Yemeni corner cause sins to be forgiven."

 

The ‘Hajr-al-Aswad’ marks the starting and ending points of the ‘tawaaf’ or circumambulation of the Kaaba, and it is a preferred Sunnah to kiss and/or touch and/or point towards the Black Stone when one performs the ‘tawaaf’ of the Sacred House.

 

Hadrat Umar (r.a.) approached the Black Stone and kissed it. Then he said: "I know that you are a mere stone, that can neither harm nor do any good. If I had not seen the Prophet (saws) kissing you, I would have never kissed you!"

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

 

The ‘Hajr-al-Aswad’ is indeed one amongst the Signs of Allah Subhanah on this earth, but the stone by itself can neither harm nor bring any good to anyone… When one is blessed to perform the ‘tawaaf’ of the Kaaba, if one can kiss or touch the Black Stone easily, without pushing or hurting his muslim brethren in any way, one should follow the Sunnah and kiss or touch the Black Stone; otherwise one may just raise their right hand and point towards the Black Stone, when one moves past it during their ‘tawaaf’.  To push, or use force, or hurt one’s believing brethren in any way just to kiss or touch the Black Stone would not befit the character of a believer.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan