The Truth About the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) in Islam

Uncovering the Virtues and Significance of the Black Stone in Hajj

Question: I heard that the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) is a white stone from Paradise. Kissing or touching it is one of the rituals of Hajj, and it absorbs all our sins, which is why it has turned black. What is the truth about this?

Answer: According to an authentic hadith, the Black Stone is indeed a stone from Paradise and was originally white, but it turned black due to the sins of the people. The hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:

"The Black Stone descended from Paradise and it was whiter than milk, but the sins of the sons of Adam made it black." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 877)

The Black Stone has other virtues as well, such as in another hadith, it is mentioned that touching the Black Stone is an expiation for sins.

However, some of the points you mentioned are incorrect. For example, it is incorrect to say that touching the Black Stone is one of the rituals of Hajj. The correct view is that touching or kissing the Black Stone is a Sunnah (recommended practice). Similarly, it is incorrect to say that the Black Stone absorbs all sins. This is not established by any hadith. What is established is that touching or kissing the Black Stone is an expiation for sins, but it should not be said that it absorbs all our sins.

✍ Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi

❪Jeddah Dawah Center – Al-Salamah – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia❫