The Beginning of the Stone (black stone) and the Reason for Kissing This Stone

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When Allah, the most Blessed, the most High, made solemn covenants with His servants, He commanded the Stone. The Stone fed it (the covenant) to itself. For this reason it is said, ‘This is my trust which I return, my covenant that I had undertaken, so you bear witness, in my favor, to my returning it back.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Why should one touch (kiss) the Stone?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, made a covenant with the children of Adam, He called the Stone from paradise and gave it a command. It swallowed up (fed it to itself) the covenant and it will testify in favor of those who comply with safe return of the trust.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘For what reason has Allah placed the Black Stone at the corner where it is and not in other places? Why should one kiss it, why is it taken out of paradise, why are servants of Allah’s covenant and undertaking placed in it and not in other things, and what is the reason for it? Explain to me and I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause. My thinking about this issue is strange.’
The narrator has said that he (the Imam) then said, ‘You asked it, complicated the issue and brought up many things. Understand the answer, make room in your heart (pay attention) and listen carefully. I will explain to you by the will of Allah. Allah, the most Blessed and High, placed the Black Stone, which is a special substance taken out of paradise for Adam (a.s.). It was placed on the corner (of Ka‘bah) because of the covenant. This is because when the offspring of Adam were taken out of their backs, when Allah made a covenant with them on that place and at that place it (the Black Stone) was shown to them. From that place, the bird will fly for al-Qa’im (a.s.). The first one to pledge allegiance with him will be that bird, and he by Allah is Jibril (a.s.). Against that place will al-Qa’im lean his back. This is the guide and proof in favor of al-Qa’im. It is a witness in favor of those who fulfill their responsibility toward him (al-Qa’im), at that place, and the witness in favor of those who entrusted it with proof of their acting according to the covenant and undertaking Allah, the Most Majestic and Glorious, had made with them.
The reason for kissing and touching the Black Stone is the covenant. It is to renew the covenant and undertaking and to renew the allegiance. It is for them to reaffirm in front of it (the Black Stone) the covenant that Allah had made with them on the day of covenant and undertaking. They therefore come to it every year to reaffirm in front of it the covenant and trust with which they were entrusted. Consider what you say in front of the Black Stone, “This is my trust which I am returning, my undertaking that I had assumed. So bear witness in my favor that I have fulfilled my obligation.” I swear by Allah, no one returns this trust except our Shi`a. No one has preserved that undertaking and covenant except our Shi‘ah. They come to it (the Black Stone) and it recognizes them and acknowledges their truthfulness. Others come to it, but it does not recognize them and rejects their assertion; no one other than you has preserved the covenant. In your favor, by Allah, it will testify and against them. It will testify to their disregard of the covenant, their rejection and denial of the same. Such testimony will be the ultimate argument from Allah against them on the Day of Judgment. On that day, it (the Black Stone) will come, and it will have a speaking tongue and two eyes, in its original form. All creatures will recognize it and no one will deny it. It will testify in favor of those who fulfilled the obligation about the covenant, renewed their commitment and undertaking in front of it, reaffirming their commitment to preserve the covenant and undertaking and returning the trust. It will testify against those who deny, reject and forget the covenant, to prove them rejecters and unbelievers.’
“The reason why Allah took it out of paradise; ‘Do you know what the Black Stone was?’ I (the narrator) replied, ‘No, I do not know.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It was an angel of the great angels before Allah. When Allah made a covenant with the angels, the first to believe and affirm the covenant was that angel. Allah then chose him as a trustee for all of His creatures. He fed him the covenant and kept it with him for safekeeping. He then commanded all creatures to worship Him and to renew before it (angel, now the Black Stone) every year the covenant, the undertaking that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, had made with them. Allah then assigned it with Adam in paradise to remind him of the covenant, and he would renew his confirmation before it every year. When Adam disobeyed and was expelled from paradise, Allah made him forget the undertaking and covenant, which Allah had made with him and his offspring in favor of Muhammad (SAW), and the executor of his will (a.s.). He left him lost and confused. When Allah accepted Adam’s repentance, He changed that angel to a white diamond and threw it to Adam from paradise, while he was in the land of India. When he looked at it, he found comfort with it but he did not recognize it. He did not know about it more than being a diamond.
Allah, the Most Majestic, and Glorious, made it speak, saying, “O Adam, do you know me?” He replied, “No, I do not know you.” It then said, “Yes, Satan attacked you to make you forget to speak of your Lord.” It then changed into the form in which it lived with Adam in paradise. It then said to Adam, “Where is the covenant and undertaking?” Adam then rushed toward it, remembered the covenant, commitment, wept, expressed humbleness before it, kissed it and renewed the affirmation of the commitment and covenant. Then Allah, the Most Majestic and Glorious, changed it into the substance of the white diamond stone, very clear and shiny. Adam then lifted it up on his shoulder out of respect and its greatness. When he experienced fatigue, Jibril would pick it up until he brought it all the way to Makkah. In Makkah, he continued to seek comfort with it and renew his affirmation of the covenant every day and night. “Thereafter, when Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, built the Ka‘bah, He placed it at that place; when Allah, the most Blessed and High, made the covenant with the offspring of Adam, He did so at that place and at that place He fed the angel with the covenant. For this reason, it is placed at that corner. He moved Adam away from the location of the House to al-Safa’, Hawwa’ (Eve) was sent to al-Marwah and placed the Stone at that corner. When Adam looked from al-Safa’ he found that the Stone is placed at that corner, he said Takbir (Allah is great beyond description), Tahlil (Only Allah deserves worship) and spoke of His glory.
For this reason, it is the tradition to say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) when facing, from al-Safa’, that corner where the Black Stone is placed. Allah has entrusted the covenant and undertaking with it and not with other angels. Allah, the Most Majestic and Glorious, made them to form the covenant and confirm His being the Lord. (They were asked to confirm Muhammad (sw) as being the Prophet of Allah and to confirm Ali (a.s.), as being the executor of the will. This made the angels tremble in awe. The first to rush to affirm was that angel. No one among them had such an intense love for Muhammad (sw) and his family as that angel did. For this reason, Allah chose him from among the others and fed him the covenant. On the Day of Judgment, he will come with a speaking tongue, seeing eyes, and will testify in favor of all those who had gone to that place and had fulfilled their obligation about the covenant.’”