Green Energy
Ladies and Gentlemen, familiarize yourself with the Black Stone of Islam, located at the Kaaba in Mecca:
Come on, admit it, it kind of looks like the "Little Man in the Boat", doesn't it?
The Black Stone (called الحجر الأسود al-Hajar-ul-Aswad in Arabic) is an Islamic holy relic. It is one of the cornerstones of the Kaaba, the ancient stone building towards which all Muslims pray. The Kaaba is located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where it is surrounded by the enormous Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque.
The Black Stone is comparatively small, being roughly 50 cm (19.7 in.) in diameter. However, it can be recognized instantly by the large silver band that surrounds it.
When pilgrims circle the Kaaba as part of the ritual of the Hajj, many of them try, if possible, to stop and kiss the Black Stone.
The Stone is actually broken into several pieces, damage which occurred when the stone was stolen in 930. Ismaili (Qarmatian) warriors sacked Mecca and carried the Black Stone away. It was returned twenty-two years later. In the process, the Black Stone was cracked. It is now held together by the silver band, which is fastened by silver nails to the Stone.
Significance of the Black Stone
There are various opinions as to the status and meaning of the Black Stone.
Many Muslims regard the Stone as 'just a stone'. When Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph, came to kiss the stone, he said, in front of all assembled: "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither harm anyone nor benefit anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Messenger kissing you, I would not have kissed you."[1] Many Muslims follow Umar: they pay their respects to the Black Stone in a spirit of trust in Muhammad, not with any belief in the Black Stone itself.
Some say that the stone is best considered as a 'marker', useful in keeping count of the ritual circumambulations one has performed (tawaf).
Other Muslims are more willing to believe that the Stone itself has some supernatural powers. They believe that it fell from the sky during the time of Adam and Eve, and that it has the power to cleanse worshippers of their sins by absorbing them into itself. They say that the Black Stone was once a pure and dazzling white; it has turned black because of the sins it has absorbed over the years.
Still others believe that the stone can only erase the believer's minor sins. On the Day of Judgement, the Stone will testify before God (Allah) in favor of those who kissed it.
These last could perhaps be regarded as folk beliefs, not necessarily shared by all Muslims. It is unclear how widely they are held.
The Stone was an object of veneration in pre-Islamic days. Early chroniclers say that the Kaaba was rebuilt during Muhammad's youth, and that there was some contention among the Quraysh, Mecca's ruling clan, as to who should have the honor of raising the Black Stone to its place in the new structure. Muhammad is said to have suggested that the Stone be placed on a cloak and that the various clan heads jointly lift the cloak and put the Stone into place. Secular historians see this tale as a later glorification of Muhammad, but agree that it accurately represents the pre-Islamic status of the Black Stone.
The Black Stone's origin
Just as there are various viewpoints regarding the religious significance of the Stone, there are also various opinions as to the history and nature of the Stone.
Muslims say that the Stone was found by Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael (Ismail) when they were searching for stones with which to build the Kaaba. They recognized its worth and made it one of the building's cornerstones.
Secular historians point to the history of stone worship, and especially meteorite worship, in pre-Islamic Arabia, and say that it is likely that the Stone is a meteorite. There is no way to test this hypothesis without removing and examining the Stone, which would not be permitted by its guardians
Ain't nothing weird about stone worship.
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Green Energy
What Was That About Islam Being Monotheistic?
Ladies and Gentlemen, familiarize yourself with the Black Stone of Islam, located at the Kaaba in Mecca:
Come on, admit it, it kind of looks like the "Little Man in the Boat", doesn't it?
The Black Stone (called الحجر الأسود al-Hajar-ul-Aswad in Arabic) is an Islamic holy relic. It is one of the cornerstones of the Kaaba, the ancient stone building towards which all Muslims pray. The Kaaba is located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where it is surrounded by the enormous Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque.
The Black Stone is comparatively small, being roughly 50 cm (19.7 in.) in diameter. However, it can be recognized instantly by the large silver band that surrounds it.
When pilgrims circle the Kaaba as part of the ritual of the Hajj, many of them try, if possible, to stop and kiss the Black Stone.
The Stone is actually broken into several pieces, damage which occurred when the stone was stolen in 930. Ismaili (Qarmatian) warriors sacked Mecca and carried the Black Stone away. It was returned twenty-two years later. In the process, the Black Stone was cracked. It is now held together by the silver band, which is fastened by silver nails to the Stone.
Significance of the Black Stone
There are various opinions as to the status and meaning of the Black Stone.
Many Muslims regard the Stone as 'just a stone'. When Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph, came to kiss the stone, he said, in front of all assembled: "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither harm anyone nor benefit anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Messenger kissing you, I would not have kissed you."[1] Many Muslims follow Umar: they pay their respects to the Black Stone in a spirit of trust in Muhammad, not with any belief in the Black Stone itself.
Some say that the stone is best considered as a 'marker', useful in keeping count of the ritual circumambulations one has performed (tawaf).
Other Muslims are more willing to believe that the Stone itself has some supernatural powers. They believe that it fell from the sky during the time of Adam and Eve, and that it has the power to cleanse worshippers of their sins by absorbing them into itself. They say that the Black Stone was once a pure and dazzling white; it has turned black because of the sins it has absorbed over the years.
Still others believe that the stone can only erase the believer's minor sins. On the Day of Judgement, the Stone will testify before God (Allah) in favor of those who kissed it.
These last could perhaps be regarded as folk beliefs, not necessarily shared by all Muslims. It is unclear how widely they are held.
The Stone was an object of veneration in pre-Islamic days. Early chroniclers say that the Kaaba was rebuilt during Muhammad's youth, and that there was some contention among the Quraysh, Mecca's ruling clan, as to who should have the honor of raising the Black Stone to its place in the new structure. Muhammad is said to have suggested that the Stone be placed on a cloak and that the various clan heads jointly lift the cloak and put the Stone into place. Secular historians see this tale as a later glorification of Muhammad, but agree that it accurately represents the pre-Islamic status of the Black Stone.
The Black Stone's origin
Just as there are various viewpoints regarding the religious significance of the Stone, there are also various opinions as to the history and nature of the Stone.
Muslims say that the Stone was found by Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael (Ismail) when they were searching for stones with which to build the Kaaba. They recognized its worth and made it one of the building's cornerstones.
Secular historians point to the history of stone worship, and especially meteorite worship, in pre-Islamic Arabia, and say that it is likely that the Stone is a meteorite. There is no way to test this hypothesis without removing and examining the Stone, which would not be permitted by its guardians
Ain't nothing weird about stone worship.
- Sacramento Hero Spencer Stone Cheered By Well-wishers Moments Before Stabbing
Spencer Stone poses from his hospital bed with Alek Skarlatos as police hunt for mystery woman he was defending before he was stabbed at gay club * Alek Skarlatos traveled from Los Angeles to Sacramento this weekend to visit Spencer Stone in hospital...
- French Train Hero Now In 'good Spirits' After Stabbing Outside Bar
French train hero now in 'good spirits' after stabbing outside bar The UC Davis Medical Center upgraded Airman Spencer Stone's condition from serious to fair. Doctors say he was awake, and could get out of bed Friday. "We know it's...
- Oliver Stone: Jewish Control Of The Media Is Preventing Free Holocaust Debate
This guy's beliefs vis a vis Israel are, essentially, no different than your average White Supremacist. From Haaretz: Jewish control of the media is preventing an open discussion of the Holocaust, prominent Hollywood director Oliver Stone told the...
-
Oliver Stone: 'Jewish-Dominated Media' Prevents Hitler from Being Portrayed 'in Context' From Newsbusters:Director Oliver Stone belittled the Holocaust during a shocking interview with the Sunday Times today, claiming that America's...
- Chimpanzees May Have Had Their Own Stone Age
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chimpanzees may have had their own "Stone Age," with evidence showing they were using stone tools to crack nuts 4,300 years ago, researchers reported on Monday. They said their findings suggest that the common ancestor of chimpanzees...