What is the ruling on kissing the coverings of the Ka'bah?

The questioner : The questioner asks: What is the ruling on kissing the coverings of the Ka'bah? Is it like kissing the Black Stone? And is it to be compared to other things, such as the mushaf?

The Shaykh : There is no innovation on earth except for the Black Stone, and the Black Stone, were it not for following the precedent, its kissing would also not be prescribed. For this reason, the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), used to kiss the Black Stone and say: . This indicates that the matter is based on following the precedent, not on personal desire. Therefore, do not kiss the covering of the Ka'bah, nor the other corners of the Ka'bah other than the Black Stone. Kissing it is considered one of the religious innovations (bid'ah). Likewise, do not kiss the chamber built over the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor the stone built over those below the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). All of this is among the religious innovations (bid'ah) from which the Muslim should abstain, relying instead on the Sunnah that came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And among the wonders is that I see here, around the Ka'bah, people standing at the Yemeni Corner, rubbing themselves with it, kissing it, and placing their cheeks on it, then wiping it and wiping the faces of their children with that wiping. They think that rubbing with it is for seeking blessing (tabarruk), and this is a mistake and not correct. For rubbing the Yemeni Corner is an act of worship only, and not for seeking blessing from it. So I want the students of knowledge, if they see them, to advise them and guide them to the path of truth, and that such an action is a religious innovation (bid'ah) and not correct. If you see someone rubbing the Yemeni Corner or any side of the Ka'bah, and wiping with his hand on his child, or on his chest, or on his belly, or on his own chest as well, then you should forbid him from this matter, so that he does not think that rubbing with what is prescribed to be rubbed from the corners of the Ka'bah is for seeking blessing. No, it is an act of worship. The Yemeni Corner is rubbed but not kissed, and the Black Stone is rubbed and kissed. If you are unable to rub and kiss it, meaning the Black Stone, then you point to it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. And it is not befitting for a person, especially women, to crowd when taking hold of the Black Stone, for crowding in it is not from the Sunnah. Indeed, kissing the Black Stone is a recommended practice (sunnah) in the tawaf if it is facilitated, otherwise there is no blame on him. Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) saw Mu'awiyah performing tawaf and taking hold of all the corners of the House, so Ibn 'Abbas forbade him. Mu'awiyah said to him: "Nothing of the House is neglected." Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: , and indeed . So Mu'awiyah returned to the saying of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) because it is the truth. The wisdom is that the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone are specific to rubbing, because the other two corners are not on the foundations of Ibrahim. For the Ka'bah was wider than this in the north and south in the construction of Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him). But when the Quraysh realized that the northern side is the one from which it is reduced, because the southern side contains the Black Stone, and nothing can be reduced from it, they saw that the reduction should be from here. So they demolished this al-Hatim from the Ka'bah, and built the rest. For this reason it is called al-Hatim, because it was demolished from the Ka'bah, and it is called al-Hajar because it was separated from it. As for what some of the common people say that it is the Stone of Isma'il, this is not correct, because nothing is known about Isma'il regarding it. Likewise, some people think that Isma'il was buried in it, and this is a lie and not correct. It is absolutely impossible that the House of Allah, which is the qiblah of the Muslims, be a grave for any of the people, so that the Muslims face graves. Indeed, Isma'il was buried in the place where he was buried, and its location is not known, because as some of the scholars of knowledge said, the grave of no prophet is known except our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). What do you say?

Another questioner : Kissing the mushaf.

The Shaykh : As for the brother's question, "Is it to be compared to other things, such as the mushaf?" We say: No, it is not to be compared to other things. And kissing the mushaf is also not an act of worship, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not kiss what the Qur'an was written in, and neither did the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). So kissing the mushaf is not prescribed, and it is not befitting for a person to kiss it.