Following the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (sa)

Hazrat Ibn Umar (ra) narrates the manner in which Hazrat Umar (ra) followed the Holy Prophet (sa). He relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) faced the Black Stone and kissed it and cried for quite some time. When he turned around, he saw that Hazrat Umar (ra) was also crying. The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “O Umar! This is the place where tears are shed.”

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Manasik, Bab Istilam al-Hajar, Hadith 2945)

Abis relates that Hazrat Umar (ra) went to the Black Stone and kissed it. Then he said, “I am aware that you are nothing but a stone which can neither harm nor provide benefit. Had I not seen the Holy Prophet (sa) kissing you, then I would never have kissed you.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Hajj, Bab ma Dhukira fi al-Hajar al-Aswad, Hadith 1597)

Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states:

“Once, Hazrat Umar (ra) was performing the tawaf [circulating the Ka‘bah] and when he passed by the Black Stone, he struck it with his stick and said, ‘I am aware that you are a stone and you possess no power within yourself. However, I kiss you only because God has commanded so.’

“This was his passion for the unity of God which elevated him in the world. He was entirely devoted to the unity of God and could not bear for anything else to be associated with His powers. Certainly, he honoured the Black Stone, but only because it was the commandment of God Almighty to honour it, not because there was anything intrinsically special about the Black Stone.

“He thought that if God Almighty commanded to kiss something so insignificant, then we should be prepared to kiss it because we are the servants of God Almighty, not the servants of any stone or building. Thus, he honoured it, yet he did not allow for the unity of God to be overlooked. Such is the rank of a true believer; a true believer considers the House of Allah to be nothing more than a building made of stone, just likes thousands of other buildings in the world that are made of stone. A true believer considers the Black Stone to be nothing more than a stone, just like millions of other stones in the world, but at the same time, he honours the House of Allah and kisses the Black Stone as well, because he knows that his Lord has commanded him to honour these things. Yet, despite the fact that a true believer honours this structure and kisses the Black Stone, he remains steadfast in the belief that he is a servant of the One God and not the servant of a stone. This was the reality which Hazrat Umar (ra) expressed. He struck the Black Stone with a stick and said, ‘You have no significance in my view. You are a stone, just like millions of others stones in the world. However, my Lord has instructed that you should be honoured, and so I honour you.’ After saying this, he moved forward and kissed the stone.”

(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 10, p. 130)