Prophet Muhammad (saw)
and the Black Stone





The Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was a wise man, even before he received the revelations of the Qur'an from Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala).

When the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was a young man, about thirty-five years old, the people of his home town, Makkah, decided to rebuild the sacred masjid of Makkah, the Ka'bah.

Since there were many big families at Makkah, they worked separately, family by family, until the walls were high enough for the black stone to be built again into its corner.

Then a violent argument broke out among them; for each family wanted the honour of putting the black stone into its place. The disagreement lasted for four or five days and anger had increased to the point that they were ready to fight with arms, when the oldest man present suggested a solution.

He called, "O men of Quraish! Take as a judge between you, the first man who shall enter in through the gate of this Sacred Mosque."

They agreed to follow the advice of the old man; and for their good luck, the first man to enter the Mosque was Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), who had just returned to Makkah after a brief absence for a few days.

The sight of him produced an immediate and pleasant feeling that here was the right person for the task, and his arrival was greeted by words of satisfaction.
"This is al-Amin," said some. "We accept his judgement," said others, "It is Muhammad."


Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) asked, "What is this all about?"

When they explained the matter to hm, he took off his cloak, and spread it on the ground. Then, picking up the Black Stone, Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) laid it in the middle of the cloak.

"Let the leader of each family take hold of the border of the cloak," he said, "then lift it up, all of you together."

When they had raised it to the right height, Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) took the stone and placed it in the corner with his own hands, and the building above the Black Stone was continued and completed peacefully and quietly.