First, we shall describe the physical nature of the Stone itself. The Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad) is built into the Ka`abah wall, at the eastern corner of the Ka`abah, about 5 ft. above the ground level, not very far from the door of the Ka`abah. It (now) consists of 3 large pieces and several small fragments (in which it was formerly broken) stuck together and surrounded by a large ring of stone, which in turn is held together by a silver band.
The Black Stone (al-Hajr al-Aswad)
The material of the Black Stone has not been precisely determined. It is sometimes classified as lava and sometimes as basalt. The reason for this difficulty is that its visible surface is worn smooth by hand-touching, etc.1 Its estimated diameter is approximately 12″2. Its colour is reddish black with red and yellow particles.
It is reported that when the Prophet Muhammad(P) entered the city of Makkah as a victorious leader, there were 360 idols around the Ka`abah3. The Prophet(P) then had the Forbidden Sanctuary (the precinct around the Ka`abah proper) cleansed of all these idols and proclaimed Monotheism in its true, most elevated and pristine form. Thus saying that “Muslims worship the Black Stone as an idol” is clearly the most absurd thing ever pronounced in the history of mankind.
From a physical perspective, therefore, the Black Stone does not have any special significance or importance. Umar(R), later to become the second Caliph of Islam, is reported to have said that he fully realized that the Black Stone was merely a stone and thus had no power of its own to harm or benefit anyone4.
As for the reasons as to why we have the Black Stone in the wall of the Ka`abah, we read about the following reasons, that:
(a) it symbolizes the starting-point during the circumambulation of the Ka`abah, thus facilitating the remembrance of the number of circumambulations.
(b) at this point, the Muslims, who are close to the Ka`abah (during their circumambulation) touch the stone, while those who are away from it, raise their hands towards it, symbolizing the renewal of their pledge of allegiance with the Lord of the Ka`abah. In this symbolic expression, the Black Stone is taken as a symbol of an oath on the hand of God.5
And with this, it is clear that this baseless assertion of the Islamophobes is refuted. And only God knows best!
https://www.bismikaallahuma.org/history/do-muslims-worship-the-black-stone-of-the-kaabah/ The
Stone is from the signs of Allaah similar to when we stand in 'Arafah, similar to when we stay in Muzdalifah and similar to when we circumambulate around the House (the Ka'bah). Likewise we kiss the Black Stone and touch it or gesture towards it because it is from the signs of Allaah. Hence our kissing it or touching it or signalling towards it is in worship of Allaah not the stone. Furthermore, for this reason when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab radhiallaah 'anhu kissed the stone he said:
"Indeed I know that you are but a stone you neither benefit nor harm, and if it was not that I saw the Messenger of Allaah SallAllahu 'alayhi wasallam kiss you I would not have kissed you."
[Reported by al-Bukhaaree (1597), and Muslim (1270)]
Therefore the issue is regarding the matter of following and adhering and not worship of the stone. So they contrive lies against us whilst we do not worship the Ka'bah but rather we worship the Lord of the Ka'bah, so we circumambulate around the Ka'bah in worship of Allaah the Mighty and the Majestic; because Allaah has commanded us with that, so we obey Allaah the Mighty and the Majestic and we follow His Messenger SallAllahu 'alayhi wasallam .
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=fd&ID=890
Do Muslims worship the Black Stone? No Muslims don't! The purpose of the Black Stone has been described above. Further there is more historic evidence that its not an object of Worship. In one of most sad events of Islamic history the city of Makkah was sacked by the Qaramatians in the year 930 C.E. They killed many pilgrims, desecrated the holy sites and took away the Black Stone to their seat of Power at Al-Hasa in Bahrayn. It was restored in the year 952 C.E. thus for about quarter of a century the stone was displaced from its location yet neither did Muslims turn to Al-Hasa for prayers during that period neither were the obligations of Salah (ritual prayers) and Hajj (obligatory pilgrimage) suspended. If it were an object of worship much consternation would have followed the unfortunate event.
Why kiss it? And we Muslims kiss it just because of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did it.
Read the following Hadith, it makes the whole thing crystal clear.
عَنْ عَابِسِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
أَنَّهُ جَاءَ إِلَى الْحَجَرِ الْأَسْوَدِ فَقَبَّلَهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ حَجَرٌ لَا تَضُرُّ وَلَا تَنْفَعُ وَلَوْلَا أَنِّي رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُقَبِّلُكَ مَا قَبَّلْتُكَ
Narrated 'Abis bin Rabia: 'Umar came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you."
(Bukhari Hadith 1494)
Similar has been narrated about the First Caliph, Abu Bakr (RA). See Suyuti's Tarikh Al-Khulafa 1/35 cf. Ilal al-Darqutni
Catholic concept of Mary:
Contrary to the Islamic concept of showing respect to this stone what the Christians do is much more than this.
Firstly, making the idols of any holy person and its revering is no way comparable to Muslim's kissing the shapeless stone which for itself signifies nothing.
Secondly, Catholics do pray 'To Jesus through Mary' thus believing in her as at least an intercessor. See THIS
I am saying 'at least' because this is something no catholic would ever deny. There were and still are people who openly called Mary, 'the Mother God', not merely 'Mother of God'. And even today there are people still who revere and venerate her as "GOD". And such people claim to be Catholics .
So showing veneration to the statue of Mary (May ALLAH bestow His blessings upon her) is nothing less than idol worship. No Muslims, even the most lunatic of them has any such belief about the Black Stone or the Holy Ka'ba. Thus such a concordance is nothing but mere absurdity.
INDEED ALLAH KNOWS THE BEST!
http://www.letmeturnthetables.com/2008/08/is-kissing-of-black-stone-by-muslims.html
