"I saw `Umar bin Al-Khattab kissing the Black Stone and he then said, (to it) 'Had I not seen Allah's Apostle kissing you, (stone) I would not have kissed you.' "
The Status of the Black Stone
The Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad) is not an object of worship, but rather a marker indicating the starting point for tawaf (circumambulation) around the Ka'bah. It is a heavenly stone sent down by Allah, as narrated in authentic traditions, and serves as a symbol of the covenant between Allah and humanity.
Following the Prophetic Example (Sunnah)
Sayyiduna 'Umar's statement demonstrates the fundamental Islamic principle of adhering strictly to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. His action was not based on personal reasoning but on clear prophetic precedent.
This teaches us that in matters of worship (ibadah), we follow the revealed guidance without adding or subtracting based on personal opinion. 'Umar, despite his high rank as a Companion and Caliph, submitted completely to the Prophetic example.
The Wisdom Behind Kissing the Stone
Scholars explain that kissing the Black Stone is an act of humility and submission to Allah's commands. It is among the rituals (manaasik) of Hajj and Umrah that we perform solely because Allah has ordained them, even if we do not fully comprehend the underlying wisdom.
Ibn Taymiyyah states that kissing the Stone is like giving the covenant of allegiance to Allah, as it was the place where the primordial covenant of mankind was taken.
Legal Ruling and Alternatives
The ruling on kissing the Black Stone is Sunnah, not obligatory. If one cannot kiss it due to crowds, they may touch it with their hand or a stick and then kiss what touched the Stone. If even that is not possible, they may simply point toward it while saying "Allahu Akbar" at the beginning of each circuit of tawaf.