1985): 212–250; Michael Sells, Islamic Mysticism: Sufi,
Quran, Miraj, Poetic and Theological Writings (New
York: Paulist Press, 1996).
Black Muslims See african americans, islam
among; nation of islam.
Black Stone
The Black Stone is a sacred rock encased with
silver that has been placed in the southeastern
corner of the kaaba in mecca. Though it is not
mentioned in the qUran, it is discussed in the
hadith, commentaries, and historical literature.
Its exact origins are uncertain, though it was
probably one of the sacred objects worshipped
in Mecca in pre-Islamic times. Western scholars
assert that it may have originally been a meteorite.
Early Muslim accounts say that it was originally
a radiant white sapphire brought by gabriel to
Adam after his expulsion from paradise. It turned
to black as a result of being touched by idolaters
who were ritually impure. Another early story says
that Gabriel brought it to Ismail from a nearby
mountain when he and his father, abraham, were
constructing the Kaaba and that they were the
ones who inserted the stone into the building’s
southeastern corner. When the qUraysh tribe was
rebuilding the Kaaba early in the seventh century,
mUhammad is reported to have been entrusted to
put the Black Stone back in its place when tribal
factions could not agree which one among them-
selves should do so. Some traditions state that the
Black Stone will develop the ability to speak on
JUdgment day in order to testify on behalf of those
who have kissed or touched it in good faith.
Despite the uncertainty of its origins, it is
indeed a focus of ritual activity on the part of
pilgrims who go to Mecca for the haJJ and umra.
The pilgrims’ seven circumambulations of the
Kaaba should begin and end at the corner where
the Black Stone is, and each time they pass it they
are supposed to kiss, touch, or salute it with their
right hands. This practice is controversial because
to an outsider it appears to be a form of idolatry.
Muslims deny this and refer to a hadith wherein
the caliph Umar ibn al-khattab (d. 644) says, “By
God, I am kissing you knowing that you are a
stone and that you can neither do any harm nor
good. If I had not seen God’s Prophet [Muham-
mad] kissing you, I would not have kissed you.”
Thus, Muslims understand that they are respect-
fully imitating the actions of their prophet rather
than worshipping the stone itself.
See also adam and eve.Further reading: Arthur Jeffrey, A Reader on Islam (The
Hague: Mouton & Company, 1962); Muslim, Sahih
Muslim. Translated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqi. 4 vols.
(Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, 1972), 1:641–643;
Francis E. Peters, The Hajj: The Muslim Pilgrimage to
Mecca and the Holy Places (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton
University Press, 1994), 14–15.blasphemy
Blasphemy is from a Greek word that means
speaking evil. In the history of religions, it refers
to disrespectful or irreverent statements about
cherished or officially approved religious beliefs,
doctrines, institutions, and practices. It is usu-
ally considered to be a product of biblical tradi-
tion and the history of organized Judaism and
Christianity, in which speaking against God has
been severely condemned and occasionally pun-
ished. Blasphemy laws still exist in many West-
ern countries, though they are gradually being
repealed. Concern with blasphemy also occurs in
Islamic societies, where it is closely linked with
such serious transgressions as apostasy (irtidad),
disbelief (kafir), and idolatry. Muslim jurists
have used statements in the qUran that condemn
mUhammad’s opponents for their outright denial
(takdhib) of the truth of his religious message
(e.g., Q 54, 5:10) or their fabrication (iftira) of
false beliefs (Q 11:18; Q 39:32) to justify impos-
ing harsh penalties against anyone they thoughtK 108 Black Muslims