Questions about Black Stone

1- Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him said, “No inanimate object can be kissed or given salutations except for the Black Stone.”

2- Kissing the Black Stone is an act of worship that is done by only one person at that moment.

3- Some hadiths stated: The Black Stone was sent down (to earth) from Paradise. But their isnad (chain of narrators) is doubtful.

4- Some hadiths stated: The Black Stone will testify for those who touched it. But their isnad is doubtful.

5- Some hadiths stated: When the Black Stone was sent down (to earth) from Paradise, it was whiter than milk, but the sins of the children of Adam turned it black. But their isnad is doubtful.

6- It is a stone that can neither bring about benefit nor cause harm, as ‘Umar Al-Farooq  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him said, and it was proven in the two Saheehs [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

7- While kissing it, one should kindly kiss it and not make a noise (of kissing), as the scholars has stated.

8- It is not permissible for the Muslim to cause crowds and cause annoyance to the Muslims while kissing it. This is the opinion that was adopted by most of the scholars. Ibn ‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him used to kiss it in spite of the crowd.

9- If the Black Stone is stolen (may Allah protect us from this), as it was stolen in the past by the Qaramitah from Ar-Rafidhah, is it permissible to kiss its place?
Answer: It is not permissible to kiss its place, rather, one should say, “Allahu Akbar,” at its place.
10- It was authentically narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) kissed it with his mouth. It was also authentically narrated that he touched it with a crooked staff that he had with him and then kissed the staff, as was reported in Saheeh Muslim.

11- If a person is unable to kiss it with his mouth or touch it with a crooked staff, then he should touch it with his hand and then kiss it.

12- If a person is unable to kiss it with his mouth, touch it with a crooked staff, or with his hand, but he is able to throw a tip of his ihram over the Stone, is it permissible for him to do so?

Answer: It is permissible to do so for it was reported that Ibn ‘Abbas  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him used to touch the Stone with his clothes and kiss it. [‘Abdul-Razzaq: Musannaf with a Saheeh chain of narrators]

13- Is it permissible to kiss the Black Stone for some reasons other than Hajj and ‘Umrah?

Answer: Scholars hold the opinion that it is not permissible to kiss the Black Stone as long as one is not in ‘Umrah or Hajj. Imam Malik  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him allowed this. The matter should be mentioned in some detail. If kissing the Stone is related to acts of worship such as Hajj or ‘Umrah, then it should be as the other matters that are related to acts of worship and it should not be kissed.

However, if kissing the Stone is related to acts of worship and other things such as honoring and loving it, then it may be kissed at times other than those of ‘Umrah and Hajj. It was authentically narrated in Saheeh Muslim that when ‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him kissed it, he said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) having great love for you."