Each year millions of Muslims travel to Makkah, enticed by the holy Kaaba. At the far eastern edge of this structure, is a sacred relic known as the Black Stone — or Hajar al-Aswad. This stone, fitted in a silver casing, is of great religious significance to pilgrims who perform Hajj and Umrah.
Comprehending the history and origin of the Black Stone provides an insightful overview to Islamic regulations. This article elaborates the significant history of the Black Stone, and its spiritual whereabouts in Islam, followed by what it is actually to carry out the rituals associated with it during a holy pilgrimage. You will discover what it looks like physically, where it has come from in the centuries gone by and how pilgrims engage with it today.
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What is the Black Stone?
Black Cube is the sacred stone placed in the east cornerstone of Ka’bah or closer view to Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) at Makkah city, Saudi Arabia. At around 1.5m high off the ground.
Despite its name, the stone is actually not a huge solid chunk. Over hundreds of years, it broke up due to natural decay and various historical events. The silver frame collects these pieces and is fixed with the Kaaba wall by a number of silver nails. That stone is the polished dark surface we see today, worn smooth by the many fingers of pilgrims for millennia.
The Spiritual Significance in Islam
Tower of Islam Hajar al-Aswad shrine also plays an important role in Islamic theology. According to the Islamic tradition, that stone is originally from developed by Hong Kong. A well-known Hadith says that the stone was whiter than milk when it first came down from Heaven, but that the sinfulness of man made it black.
The stone has an extremely practical and spiritual function as part of the pilgrimage. It is a beginning and ending phase of Tawaf, the circumambulation experience around the Kaaba. Pilgrims perform a counterclockwise motion around the Kaaba, starting each round by facing the Black Stone and going anti-clockwise seven times.
Although the stone is held in much respect, the scholar believes that it is only a stone that has no independent power to harm or benefit. Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam made this famous statement whilst kissing the stone: “I know that you are a stone, you do not cause benefit or harm; and if I had not seen the Messenger of Allah kiss you, I would never have kissed you.” It shows that the respect given to the stone is nothing but observing Sunnah.
The History of Hajar al-Aswad
The history of the Black Stone falls within a broader continuum that dates back thousands of years and demonstrates resilience in its journey through Islamic time.
The Era of Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail
Islam has a similar view as it too states that God commanded the prophet Ibrahim and his son, Ismail to build for Him what is today called kaaba. Once the walls had been erect Ibrahim took Ismail and showed him a specific stone where tawaf commences. Now the Black Stone was presented to Zikr (rememberance) by the Angel Jibril (Gabriel), then Ibrahim, placed in the eastern corner of this house.
The Resolution by Prophet Muhammad
The Kaaba, situated within the heart of Medina in Makkah, was dragged into a major flood year prior to our last Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) got his breathtaking first information. The Quraish tribesmen took turns working but began to quarrel over the placement of the Black Stone when it was restored to its ditch. All the tribe leaders wanted to have had the honour of placing it.
Almost fists flew, until the two agreed that whoever first crossed the sanctuary gates would be deciding. That man was Muhammad. A man with a reputation of wisdom and reliability, he requested for a thick robe. Then he laid the Black Stone in the center of the cloak and asked each tribe’s chieftains to hold its corners up and raise it together. When they raised it to the right height, Muhammad himself lowered the stone into position, thus ending the dispute amicably.
Damage and Restoration Over the Centuries
Kaaba & black stone went through a lot in history. The Black Stone itself suffered lots of cracks; today, it is composed of several pieces due to a fire which badly damaged the Kaaba (which burned in 683 CE). These silver border held the shards together in the hands of Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr. Who was besieged at the time defending the city.
The most drastic event was in 930CE, the radical sect of Qarmates who pillaged Makkah and seized Hajr al-Aswad (Black-Stone). They brought it to their headquarters of Al-Hasa (present-day eastern Saudi Arabia). The stone remained with the tribes for more than twenty years until a huge ransom was paid by the Abbasid Caliphate to have it returned.
How Pilgrims Interact with the Black Stone
For many pilgrims, touching the Black Stone during Hajj and Umrah is at most emotional moment that can only happen once in a lifetime. This is where you kiss/touch the stone.
Since millions do the Tawaf at the same time, it is often physically impossible for every person to touch the stone themselves. The crowds at the north east corner are immense. Realising this problem, Islam offers us the solution. In the case a pilgrim does not manage to get close to the Black Stone, (he or she) can just point with his or her right hand while moving past saying: “Bismillahi Allahu Akbar” (In the name of Allah, Allah is greatest), Not only does this gesture suffice as a ritual meeting the Tawaf requirement, it also safeguards both the safety of individuals and crowd.
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A Journey of a Lifetime
The Black Stone is a deep symbol of oneness and worship amongst Bani Adam. It is a physical remnant from the Heavens to our atmosphere and a part of the Kaaba, marking it as an official routing point on earth to take care of that link to prophets past through present Islamic rituals. It does not matter which a pilgrim is doing, kissing the stone or touching it or raising a hand toward it from afar; there it will be. Knowing about its past enhances the quality of pilgrimage, turning it from a mere way of performing circumambulation to an age-old walk in Islamic history.
