The Kaaba, the Black Stone, and Muslim Sins

Drawing of the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, c. 1911

The Black Stone was a gift to Adam when he and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden and later became a symbol of God’s covenant with Abraham, Ismail, and thus the Muslim community. By saluting the Black Stone as they pass, Muslims renew their covenant with God. Muslims call to it the “cornerstone of the House” or the “right hand of God on earth” and say it was originally white, but went black by absorbing sins; it thus serves as a symbol of human degradation and need for God’s forgiveness.