What is the wisdom in kissing the Black Stone?
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The questioner : The questioner, Anwar, an Egyptian resident in Kuwait, asks: What is the wisdom in kissing the stone?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : He hopes for a beneficial response, may you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : The wisdom in kissing the stone.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), clarified this when he said: "I know that you are a stone that neither harms nor benefits, but were it not that I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you". The wisdom is to worship Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in kissing this stone. Otherwise, it is just a stone among stones that neither harms nor benefits, as the Commander of the Faithful said. This is the wisdom. Moreover, it is not devoid of the remembrance of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because it is prescribed for a person to say Allahu Akbar at that time, thus combining the worship of Allah the Exalted through the takbir and glorification with the worship of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) through kissing this stone in following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). By this, it is known that what some people do, namely rubbing the stone with their hand and then rubbing it on their face and chest to seek blessing from it, is an error and misguidance, and it is not correct. The purpose of touching the stone or kissing it is not to seek blessing from it, but rather to worship Allah by following the Shari'ah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
The same is said regarding touching the Yemeni Corner. The purpose is to worship Allah by following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), who used to touch it. Therefore, it is not prescribed to touch the other corners, such as the standing Ka'bah, which has four corners.
The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The Black Stone, the Yemeni Corner, the Western Corner, and the Northern Corner. It is recommended to touch and kiss the Black Stone; if that is not possible, one should point to it. It is recommended to touch the Yemeni Corner but not to kiss it; if touching is not possible, one should not point to it. It is not recommended to touch, kiss, or point to the Western and Northern Corners.
Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the Commander of the Faithful, Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, performing tawaf and touching the four corners, so he objected to him. Mu'awiyah said to him: "There is no part of the House that is neglected", meaning that the entire House should be respected. Ibn 'Abbas said to him: "[Al-Ahzab 33:21] And I have seen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) touch the two Yemeni corners", meaning the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner. Mu'awiyah stopped and thereafter only touched the two Yemeni corners, following the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). This is obligatory for everyone, whether young or old, for all people are small before the Shari'ah. This highlights the virtue of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and the virtue of Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him).
We ask Allah to guide our subjects and our leaders.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : To what is in it of good and righteousness, and cooperation in righteousness and piety.
The questioner : O Allah, amen. Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah magnify your reward for your generosity in answering the noble listeners.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : He hopes for a beneficial response, may you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : The wisdom in kissing the stone.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), clarified this when he said: "I know that you are a stone that neither harms nor benefits, but were it not that I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you". The wisdom is to worship Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in kissing this stone. Otherwise, it is just a stone among stones that neither harms nor benefits, as the Commander of the Faithful said. This is the wisdom. Moreover, it is not devoid of the remembrance of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because it is prescribed for a person to say Allahu Akbar at that time, thus combining the worship of Allah the Exalted through the takbir and glorification with the worship of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) through kissing this stone in following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). By this, it is known that what some people do, namely rubbing the stone with their hand and then rubbing it on their face and chest to seek blessing from it, is an error and misguidance, and it is not correct. The purpose of touching the stone or kissing it is not to seek blessing from it, but rather to worship Allah by following the Shari'ah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
The same is said regarding touching the Yemeni Corner. The purpose is to worship Allah by following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), who used to touch it. Therefore, it is not prescribed to touch the other corners, such as the standing Ka'bah, which has four corners.
The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The Black Stone, the Yemeni Corner, the Western Corner, and the Northern Corner. It is recommended to touch and kiss the Black Stone; if that is not possible, one should point to it. It is recommended to touch the Yemeni Corner but not to kiss it; if touching is not possible, one should not point to it. It is not recommended to touch, kiss, or point to the Western and Northern Corners.
Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the Commander of the Faithful, Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, performing tawaf and touching the four corners, so he objected to him. Mu'awiyah said to him: "There is no part of the House that is neglected", meaning that the entire House should be respected. Ibn 'Abbas said to him: "
There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern
لقد كان لكم في رسول الله أسوة حسنةWe ask Allah to guide our subjects and our leaders.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : To what is in it of good and righteousness, and cooperation in righteousness and piety.
The questioner : O Allah, amen. Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah magnify your reward for your generosity in answering the noble listeners.