The Ruling on kissing the Black Stone for Women when it is crowded.

Question


The questioner says: "I saw someone performing Tawaf and pushing his women (i.e., wives, daughters, etc.) to make them kiss the Stone. Which of the acts is better kissing the Stone or avoiding crowding together with men?"


Answer

If this questioner saw this amazing matter, I saw something even more amazing than that. I saw someone stand before making the Tasleem to complete the obligatory (congregational) prayer, so that he could run forward with force to kiss the Stone. So, he invalidated his obligatory prayer that is one of the pillars of Islam so that he could do this act that is not obligatory, nor is it legislated unless it is combined with Tawaf. This is from the ignorance of the people, that is compounded ignorance that causes a person to feel sorry.

Kissing the Stone and touching it is not Sunnah unless it is done while performing Tawaf, because I do not know of touching it separately outside Tawaf being from the Sunnah. And I say I do not know and I hope that whoever has knowledge contrary to what I know will inform us of it, and may Allah reward him with good. Therefore, it is from the Sunnah acts of Tawaf.

Then, it is only Sunnah if there is no harming of others or oneself in that. If there is any harm involved in that for the person performing Tawaf or others, then we move to the second level which the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) legislated for us, which is touching the stone with hand and then kissing the hand. If this action is also not possible, except by causing harm (to others) or with difficulty - then we move to the third level which the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) legislated for us, which is waving at it. Thus, we wave at it with our hand, not with both of our hands, but with our right hand only. We wave at it and we do not kiss it. This was the Sunnah of the Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam).

If the matter is even worse and more severe, as the questioner has mentioned, that a man was pushing his women, it could be that his wife was pregnant or old or a young lady who could not bear such struggle or he has a child that he lifts with his hand to kiss the Stone. All of these things are bad, because this causes harm to the family, and struggling and crowding with men. All of this is from what could be either forbidden or disliked. Therefore, the man should not do this, as long as the matter is easy, and all praise is due to Allah. Therefore, take it easy on yourself and do not make things hard or Allah will make things hard on you.


Ash-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaimin (Rahimahullah)

Reference: Fatawa Islamiyah Volume 4 Pages 177-178