What is the ruling on crowding at the Black Stone and the Maqam Ibrahim?

Question:
The questioner asks: What is the ruling on the people who crowd around the Black Stone and the Maqam Ibrahim? We ask for guidance and advice.

Answer:
It is not permissible to crowd with women or to harm people. If a person gets the opportunity to touch the Black Stone and kiss it, that is a recommended practice (sunnah). If he does not get the opportunity, he points to it; the matter is broad, praise be to Allah. He should not crowd in the Tawaf area. It is better for him to perform Tawaf at the outer edge of the Tawaf area without crowding than to perform Tawaf close to the Ka'bah and crowd the people. A person should avoid crowding. How can he crowd? He is performing a recommended practice (sunnah), but he may commit a forbidden act by harming people, touching a woman, crowding a woman, and causing fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). He sins by doing this.