Is it permissible to face the stone and point out the error in calling it the Stone of Isma'il?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Now, is it permissible to face the stone?
The scholars said: The stone is not entirely part of the Ka'bah; rather, the portion that is part of the Ka'bah is approximately six and a half cubits. This is from the Ka'bah, and the excess is not from the Ka'bah.
So if you face the end of the stone that is near the existing building, then your direction is correct and sound.
Many common people call this stone the Stone of Isma'il, Isma'il ibn Ibrahim, who participated with his father in building the Ka'bah.
[Al-Baqarah 2:127]
But this naming is an error and has no basis.
For Isma'il was not known to have any connection to this stone.
Do you know the reason for this stone?
The reason is that when Quraysh built the Ka'bah, it was originally on the foundations of Ibrahim, extending toward the north. When they gathered funds for the Ka'bah and wanted to build it, the funds were insufficient and did not suffice to build the Ka'bah on the foundations of Ibrahim. So what did they do?
They said: Then we will build what the funds can support, and the rest we will leave outside and enclose it so that no one passes by it without circumambulating.
So it was called a stone (Hajar) because Quraysh enclosed it when their funds were insufficient.
Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):.
But the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while it remained as it was, with a high door on one side, and it had this stone.
And praise be to Allah that the matter remained as it was, for if the Ka'bah had been built as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) desired—had there been no obstacle—if it had been built, it would have been a great hardship for the people, especially in times like ours, times of ignorance, oppression, and disregard for the worship of Allah.
If the Ka'bah had been as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) desired... with two doors, a door for people to enter and a door for them to exit, what do you think people would do when entering and exiting?
They would kill one another.
But what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) desired, that the Ka'bah have two doors, a door to enter and a door to exit, has been realized in reality. Now the stone has two doors, a door for people to enter and a door for them to exit, even though it is open, spacious, and airy. And this is a blessing from Allah.
The scholars said: The stone is not entirely part of the Ka'bah; rather, the portion that is part of the Ka'bah is approximately six and a half cubits. This is from the Ka'bah, and the excess is not from the Ka'bah.
So if you face the end of the stone that is near the existing building, then your direction is correct and sound.
Many common people call this stone the Stone of Isma'il, Isma'il ibn Ibrahim, who participated with his father in building the Ka'bah.
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael
وإذ يرفع إبراهيم القواعد من البيت وإسماعيلBut this naming is an error and has no basis.
For Isma'il was not known to have any connection to this stone.
Do you know the reason for this stone?
The reason is that when Quraysh built the Ka'bah, it was originally on the foundations of Ibrahim, extending toward the north. When they gathered funds for the Ka'bah and wanted to build it, the funds were insufficient and did not suffice to build the Ka'bah on the foundations of Ibrahim. So what did they do?
They said: Then we will build what the funds can support, and the rest we will leave outside and enclose it so that no one passes by it without circumambulating.
So it was called a stone (Hajar) because Quraysh enclosed it when their funds were insufficient.
Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
Had it not been that your people are recent in disbelief, the Ka'bah would have been built on the foundations of Ibrahim, and I would have made for it two doors, a door for people to enter and a door for them to exit
لولا أن قومك حديثو عهد بكفر لبنيت الكعبة على قواعد إبراهيم، ولجعلت لها بابين، بابا يدخل منه الناس، وباباً يخرجون منهBut the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while it remained as it was, with a high door on one side, and it had this stone.
And praise be to Allah that the matter remained as it was, for if the Ka'bah had been built as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) desired—had there been no obstacle—if it had been built, it would have been a great hardship for the people, especially in times like ours, times of ignorance, oppression, and disregard for the worship of Allah.
If the Ka'bah had been as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) desired... with two doors, a door for people to enter and a door for them to exit, what do you think people would do when entering and exiting?
They would kill one another.
But what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) desired, that the Ka'bah have two doors, a door to enter and a door to exit, has been realized in reality. Now the stone has two doors, a door for people to enter and a door for them to exit, even though it is open, spacious, and airy. And this is a blessing from Allah.