The history and significance of the Kaaba’s Black Stone.
Introduction
The Black Stone, located at the eastern end of the House of God, is known in Arabic as Hajar al-Awad. It is the holy stone where Tawaf, the required ritual of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage, begins and ends. Throughout history, many people have performed the religious journeys of Hajj and Umrah, praying and receiving blessings from Allah, including Prophet Muhammad, other well-known Prophets, the Sahabah, and millions of pilgrims and pious personalities. Paying homage to the Black Stone in Kaaba is an essential component of these spiritual journeys. If you want to avail this opportunity, check out Umrah package 2023.
The Black Stone is most likely associated with the Arabs’ pre-Islamic religion. It is currently held together by a silver band and is split into three substantial pieces with some fragments. A stone ring surrounds it. According to Islamic legend, it was given to Adam after his fall from paradise and was originally white in color before absorbing the wrongdoings of the pilgrims who kissed and touched it. The Black Stone is very important in Islam and is regarded as a stone from heaven. There are numerous legends surrounding its creation and placement in the Holy Wall of Kaaba.
The Black Stone’s History
The Black Stone of Mecca’s history is largely unknown, but several myths are connected to the artifact. Although no written record of this history exists, pre-Islamic religious traditions most likely revered the stone. Legend has it that the stone dates back to the time of Adam and Eve. A meteorite that fell where Adam and Eve were instructed to erect the first temple was depicted as the stone in one telling of the tale. In another, it served as an emblem of Adam’s sins being pardoned when he was cast out of paradise.
The Black Stone can also be found in stories about Abraham and Muhammad. Abraham and his son Ishmael are thought to have originally placed the stone in the Kaaba, and Muhammad was selected to replace it when the structure was rebuilt in the seventh century. The precise history of the Black Stone may never be known, but it remains a key component of Mecca, the Kaaba, and Islamic history in general.
The Black Stone’s Description
The Black Stone has a diameter of about 12 inches and is broken up into several pieces. The stone was originally whole, but due to time and various historical events, it has been broken into eight pieces of varying sizes and is now attached to a large stone in a silver frame. Abdullah bin Zubair, a prominent figure from Makkah’s second generation of Muslim families, constructed the first frame, which various Khalifas (rulers) over the years gradually replaced.
Muslims from all over the world travel to Makkah to not only see the stone but also to kiss it whenever possible. This Black Stone is the only remaining piece of rock from Ibraham and Ismail’s original Kaaba structure. It is the only stone that has survived all of the events and disruptions that have occurred at the Kaaba.
The geologic origins of the Black Stone are unknown. Due to the stone’s cultural and religious significance, scientific analysis is not possible. The stone has been subjected to visual inspection and wear pattern analysis in an effort to identify it, but no conclusive findings regarding its provenance have been reached. Because of the aforementioned legend and the widespread practice of meteorite worship in pre-Islamic societies, the most common belief holds that it is a meteorite. Others have speculated that it could be obsidian, basalt, or agate.
Black Stone’s Location
The Black Stone is on display at the Kaaba, a historic structure located in the middle of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Mecca is the holiest city in the Muslim faith because it is where the prophet Muhammad was born and where the angel Gabriel revealed the Quran to him. Every Muslim is obligated to visit Mecca at least once during their lifetime. This custom is known as Hajj.
A significant portion of the Hajj ritual is composed of the Black Stone and the Kaaba. After the previous Kaaba was destroyed by fire in 683 CE, the current structure was built. During the Hajj, believers perform the Tawaf ritual, which entails circling the Kaaba seven times, beginning and ending at the Black Stone.
The Black Stone Is Kissed
You can try to touch and kiss the stone while circling the Kaaba as part of the tawaf. If you are unable to touch it, you can kiss an object that has touched the stone or point at it.
The Black Stone, as the cornerstone of the Kaaba, is the most revered stone on the planet. Muslims would like to kiss it because the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) did. Keep in mind, however, that the Black Stone is just a stone. It is symbolic in the same way that a country’s flag is symbolic: a factor that one should revere and be proud of. Similar to how you would kiss one of your children, kissing it is a sign of love rather than a requirement.
