The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 101
III - Makkah, the Ka ‘ bah & the Quraish 101 collect and hand over stones to his father. 1 When the walls were raised to some height, Abraham as placed a distinctive stone at one corner of the Ka‘bah, as an indication for people to commence their Ṭawāf 2 of the Baitullāh. 3 This stone is known as the Ḥajar-e-Aswad , 4 which is kissed during the Ṭawāf of the Ka‘bah, either by lips or by the indication of one’s hand. However, one should bear in mind that the Ḥajar-e-Aswad in itself is not a sacred thing, nor can it be considered Shirk 5 to kiss it during the Ṭawāf. Rather, it is merely present as a symbolic indication and in actuality true sanctity is merely of the virtuous narrations adherent to the Holy Ka‘bah. Therefore, in Ḥadīth , it is related that on one occasion when Ḥaḍrat ‘ Umar ra , the second Caliph, was performing Ṭawāf of the Ka‘bah, he turned towards the Ḥajar-e-Aswad and said, “O Stone! I know well, that you are but a stone which possesses not the power to cause benefit or harm. Had I not seen the Messenger of God sa kissing you, I would never have kissed you. ” 6 In addition to this, it should also be remembered that during the Ṭawāf , not only is the Ḥajar-e-Aswad kissed, but its neighbouring corner is also kissed. The remaining two corners are not kissed due to an alteration in the original location of this outer wall of the Ka‘bah. Hence, from this perspective as well, the Ḥajar-e-Aswad is in no way distinct. 7 Nevertheless, together, Abraham as and Ishmael as erected a square shaped structure built of unshaped stones and with no roof. Its height was 4 ½ yards, its length 16 yards and its width 11 yards. 8 It is this very Ka‘bah, which today is a sanctuary for all. Khalīl’s Prayers The Holy Qur’ān alludes to the construction of this house in the 1 * Akhbāru Makkah, By Abul-Walīd Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Karīm Azraqī , Bābu Mā Dhukira min Binā’i Ibrāhimal-Ka‘bata, Volume 1, p. 65, Maṭābi‘u Dāruth-Thaqāfah, Makkah (1978) * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az- Zarqānī, Volume 1, pp. 384-385, Bābu Bunyāni Quraishil-Ka‘bata, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Tārīkhul-Khamīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan Dayār Bakrī, Binā’ul-Ka‘bah, Volume 1, p. 99, Muwassasatu Sha‘ban, Beirut 2 Circumambulation of the Ka‘bah (Publishers) 3 Tārīkhul-Khamīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan Dayār Bakrī, Binā’ul-Ka‘bah, Volume 1, p. 100, Muwassasatu Sha‘ban, Beirut 4 The Black Stone (Publishers) 5 Association with God (Publishers) 6 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābul-Ḥajj, Bābu Mā Dhukira fil-Hajril-Aswad, Ḥadīth No. 1597 7 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābul-Ḥajj, Bābu Faḍli Makkata wa Bunyānihā, Ḥadīth No. 1583 8 Akhbāru Makkah, By Abul-Walīd Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Karīm Azraqī , Bābu Mā Jā’a fī Binā’i Ibrāhimal-Ka‘bata, Volume 1, p. 64, Maṭābi‘u Dārith-Thaqāfah, Makkah (1978)