The Black Stone

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

There is a stone that is the eastern cornerstone of the Ka’bah.  It is known as Hajr al-Aswad, which literally means, “Black Stone”.  Muslims circumambulate the Ka’bah, not the Black Stone.  And we worship neither the Ka’bah nor the Black Stone.

Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab al-Faruq (r.a.), the second of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, said, “I know you are only a stone, which can neither benefit, nor harm.  And had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) kissing you, I would have never kissed you.”

What is the Black Stone?  The Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.) called it “Yaminullah”, which means “the Right Hand of God”.  This is figurative, and not to be understood literally.  As Muslims understand, we customarily seal a pact or make a promise by the clasping of the right hand.  This Black Stone is the symbolic, visible, and tangible “Right Hand” of a Transcendent, Immanent God Who is Unlimited and Absolute, unbound by space and time.  Touching that Black Stone physically, or by intent, is considered the sealing of that pact, that affirmation of faith, that there is no god, no real power, strength, authority or master but Allah (s.w.t.), the Power, the Strength, the Authority, the Master; and Muhammad (s.a.w.) is the Final Prophet and Messenger.

Islam is about the struggle to keep promises, and there is no greater promise than this primeval promise that was made when we were still souls, and not yet born into this world, when we were Asked, “Am I not your Rabb?”  “Rabb” can be translated as “Nourisher”, “Cherisher” and “Sustainer”.

And we replied, “We affirm.”

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

وَإِذۡ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمۡ ذُرِّيَّتَہُمۡ وَأَشۡہَدَهُمۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ أَلَسۡتُ بِرَبِّكُمۡ‌ۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ‌ۛ شَهِدۡنَآ‌ۛ أَن تَقُولُواْ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّا ڪُنَّا عَنۡ هَـٰذَا غَـٰفِلِينَ (١٧٢)

When thy Lord Drew Forth from the Children of Adam ― from their loins ― their descendants, and Made them testify concerning themselves, (Saying), “Am I not your Lord (Who Cherishes and Sustains you)?” ― They said, “Yea!  We do testify!”  (This), lest you should say on the Day of Judgement, “Of this we were never mindful.” (Surah al-A’araf:172)