Black Stone
The Black Stone embedded in the eastern corner of the Kaaba | |
Interactive map of Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) | |
| Location | Masjid al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|
| Region | Hejaz |
| Type | Sacred stone / Islamic relic |
| Part of | Kaaba |
| Length | 20 cm (visible) |
| Width | 16 cm (visible) |
| Height | 112 cm (visible) |
| History | |
| Builder | Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail. |
| Material | Stone fragments held together with cement and surrounded by a silver frame |
| Founded | Antiquity (pre-Islamic period; according to Islamic tradition from heaven) |
| Periods | Pre-Islamic Arabia to present |
| Cultures | Islamic |
| Satellite of | Masjid al-Haram |
| Associated with | Pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah rituals |
| Events | Ritual touching or kissing during Tawaf |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Preserved; fragments set in silver frame |
| Ownership | Government of Saudi Arabia |
| Management | General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques |
| Public access | Yes (restricted during pilgrimage flow) |
| Website | https://www.gph.gov.sa |
| Originally a single stone; now consists of several fragments fixed with cement and encased in a silver frame. | |
The Black Stone (Arabic: الحجر الأسود, romanized: al-Ḥajar al-Aswad) is a rock set into the eastern corner of the Kaaba, the ancient building in the center of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is revered by most Muslims as an Islamic relic which, according to tradition, dates back to the time of Adam and Eve.
The stone was venerated at the Kaaba in pre-Islamic Arabia. It is sometimes considered a baetyl. According to tradition, it was set intact into the Kaaba's wall by Muhammad in 605, five years before his first revelation. Since then, it has been broken into fragments and is now encased in a silver frame on the side of the Kaaba. Its physical appearance is that of a fragmented, dark rock, polished smooth by the hands of pilgrims. It has often been described as a meteorite, but it has never been analysed with modern techniques, so its scientific origins remain the subject of speculation.
Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba as a part of the tawaf ritual during the Hajj and many try to stop to kiss the Black Stone, emulating the kiss that Islamic tradition records that it received from Muhammad. While the Black Stone is revered, theologians emphasize that it has no divine significance and that its importance is historical in nature.