The significance of the Black Stone

Sometimes an action is misinterpreted by people who do not know the background giving cause to it. One such action is the reverence with which Muslims look at the Black Stone in the Kaaba. Some people tend to think that Muslims worship the Black Stone or the Kaaba itself when they learn that we kiss the Black Stone during tawaf. Hence, an explanation is necessary to be given from time to time. This is what Mr. S. Ghalib has written to me requesting the publication of an explanation. The following is an explanatory footnote which I had included in my book, "Muhammad: Man and Prophet."

The Black Stone is an easily distinguished stone, placed a little below shoulder level at one corner of the Kaaba. The act of worship which is particularly associated with the Kaaba, and never stops except when the congregational prayer is held, is tawaf, which means walking round the Kaaba seven times in an anti-clockwise direction. Tawaf is one of the duties of Islamic pilgrimage and Umrah (i.e. mini-pilgrimage). It is also a recommended act of worship at all times. Moreover, it is the way to offer greeting to the Kaaba.

It is said that when Abraham completed the building of the Kaaba, with the help of his son, Ishmael, God commanded him to do the tawaf. He was not able to keep a correct count of the rounds he made. He felt that other worshipers would be similarly confused. He prayed God to give him a sign to be used for counting rounds. The Angel Gabriel brought him the Black Stone.

When one starts tawaf, and at the completion of every round, one should kiss the Black Stone or touch it with one's hands, if that is possible, or signal to it from a distance, if the place is too crowded. As one does so, one should repeat this declaration: "There is no deity save God; God is supreme." The significance of this particular action is best expressed by Omar ibn Al-Khattab, the second greatest figure among the companions of Prophet Muhammad and his second successor as ruler of the Islamic state, and a distinguished scholar. He addressed the Black Stone in these words: "I know that you are a stone which can cause no harm or benefit. Had it not been for the fact that I saw God's messenger (peace be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you."