The Black Stone (Al-Ḥajaru al-Aswad) & The Bronze Serpent

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

Introduction: Critics of Islam especially those people who claim to follow the Bible, often engage in fallacious argumentation regarding the Black Stone, notably through Appeals to Ridicule, False Equivalence and Straw-Man fallacy. Here I will attempt to identify their flaws and inconsistencies on that subject, applying sound logical arguments and strong evidence, alongside counterargument Insha'Allah.

Art of Bronze Serpent & Al-Ḥajaru al-Aswad

Preview:

• A short Islamic View on The Black Stone
• Sin expiation vs Sin removal
• Analyzing Flawed Allegation & Inconsistencies of The Critics
• Idolatry vs God's Command 
• The Bronze Serpent: A Parallel Analogy
• False Equivalency on Bronze Serpent: A Counter Argument
• Tu Quoque Fallacy: A Counter Argument
• Misuse of Fallacies: A Counter Argument  
• Engagement with Critics' Core Concerns 
• Final Thought 

A short Islamic View on The Black Stone: It was narrated that Ibn `Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Black Stone came down from Paradise.”  (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 877; An-Nasa’i, 2935. The Hadith was classed as authentic by At-Tirmidhi).

Ibn `Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When the Black Stone came down from Paradise, it was whiter than milk, but the sins of the sons of Adam made it black.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 877; Ahmad, 2792. Classed as authentic by Ibn Khuzaymah, 4/219. Al-Hafidh ibn Hajar classed it as sound in Fat-h Al-Bari, 3/462)

Interpretation of the above hadith,"...the sins of the sons of Adam made it black..."

🔰Al-Mubarakfuri said in Al-Mirqah: “This means, the sins of the sons of Adam who touched the stone, caused it to turn black. The Hadith should be taken at face value, because there is no reason not to, either narrated in a report or by virtue of common sense.” (Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi, 3/525).

🔰Al-Hafidh ibn Hajar said: “Some heretics tried to criticise this Hadith by saying: How come the sins of the polytheists turned it black and the worship of the people of Tawhid did not make it white?”I answer by quoting what Ibn Qutaybah said: “If Allah had willed, that would have happened. But Allah has caused it to be the case that black usually changes other colours and it is not itself changed, which is the opposite to what happens with white.”

🔰Al-Muhibb At-Tabari said: “The fact that it is black is a lesson for those who have insight. If sins can have this effect on an inanimate rock, then the effect they have on the heart is greater” (See Fat-h Al-Bari, 3/463)

Ibn `Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said concerning the Stone: “By Allah, Allah will bring it forth on the Day of Resurrection, and it will have two eyes with which it will see and a tongue with which it will speak, and it will testify in favour of those who touched it in sincerity.”  (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 961 and Ibn Majah, 2944)
[Author's Note: That means by Almighty Allah's will and power, the stone will get eyes and tongue on the Day of Resurrection]

Ibn `Umar said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: “Touching them both [the Black Stone and Al-Rukn Al-Yamani] is an expiation for sins.”   (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 959. This Hadith was classed as sound by At-Tirmidhi and as authentic by Al-Hakim (1/664). Adh-Dhahabi agreed with him)--- [1]

Short Note on Ibn Umar's Narration: Sin Expiation vs Sin Removal 

Sin Expiation: I guess people mostly get confused here about the expiation of sins which refers to the act of making amends often involves sincere repentance, performing good deeds or specific acts of worship such as charity, fasting three days for breaking the promise with Allah to seek Allah's forgiveness. Like that kissing or touching the black stones falls under this category as it is mentioned in the previous hadith.

Sin Removal: This as we know means to be the complete eradication or absence of sins. For example, idolaters may be seen to ask forgiveness towards an earthly object like idols, tree or even animals as they believe those objects can remove their sins. But in the context of Islamic belief, true removal of sins is ultimately in the hand of  Allah swt. Sins are considered removed when Allah forgives them, often contingent upon genuine repentance or expiations. The black stone does not have the power of removing someone's sins, instead it serves as a reminder of the importance of repentant and expiation. 

Analyzing Flawed Allegation & Inconsistencies of The Critics:

Flawed Allegation-1: "Kissing the Black Stone is somewhat like an idolatry" 

Answer: It seems the critics applied a False Analogy or a False Equivalence here.
However, No, it is not. Kissing the stone does not mean to be worshipping it. Not a single Muslim claims or believes that the stone is something like a self-capable deity nor it is written in the Qur'an and Hadith. Muslims only kiss it because Prophet Muhammed PBUH said so. There is a hadith,`Umar came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) kissing you I would not have kissed you."
(Sahih al-Bukhari 1597).

False Analogy: This fallacy occurs because the comparison between kissing the Black Stone and idolatry is misleading, while both actions involve  physical gestures but the meaning and intentions are fundamentally different. Kissing the Black Stone is an expression of faith within the context of Islamic rituals, while idolatry involves worshipping an object as a deity. Although Jewish people kiss the western wall of Jerusalem, That of course does not mean they are worshipping rather as a sign of devotion to God.

Picture from Google

False Equivalence: That arises from treating the act of kissing the Black Stone as equivalent to idolatry, despite significant differences in context, belief system and intentions. The Black Stone is not worshipped. It is a symbolic act that connect believers to their faith and tradition unlike idolatry, which involves attributing divine qualities to an object.

Flawed Allegation-2: "Muslims believe the Black Stone removes sins which is similar to pagan statues"

Answer: It is funny to see that level of ignorance actually, Muslims never believe that the Stone "Removes" sins nor it is told in the hadith rather touching the stone means to be expiation as it is mentioned in authentic hadith which has already been mentioned earlier, here I am only catching up the sophistry of this flawed accusation, which is more likely to be a Straw-Man argument. 

Straw-Man fallacy: This fallacy involves misrepresenting a belief to make it easier to attack. Muslim do not believe the Black Stone has a power to remove sins. Instead, It is considered as a sacred object due to its historical significance, and the act of kissing it is symbolic, intended as an expression of devotion rather than an act that grant forgiveness. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ’Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

"...As for kissing the Black Stone , it is an act of worship in which a person kisses a stone to which he has no connection except worshipping Allah, may He be exalted, by venerating it and following the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) by doing that, as it is proven that the Amir al-Muminin ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said, when he kissed the Black Stone : I know that you are a stone and have no power to harm or benefit; were it not that I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.

With regard to what some ignorant people think, that the purpose behind that is to seek blessing (barakah) from it, there is no basis for that, so it is invalid..."

Idolatry vs God's Command:

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ’Uthaymin further said, 

"With regard to what some heretics have said, that circumambulating the Ka`bah is like circumambulating the graves of their saints, and that it is tantamount to idolatry, this is part of their heresy. 

The believers only circumambulate the Ka`bah in compliance with the command of Allah, and whatever is done in compliance with the command of Allah, doing it is an act of worship of Allah, may He be exalted.

Do you not see that prostrating to anything other than Allah is major shirk (shirk akbar), but when Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, prostration to Adam was an act of worship to Allah, may He be exalted, and refusing to prostrate to him was an act of disbelief?

Hence circumambulation of the Kabah is one of the greatest acts of worship; it is the foundation of the Hajj, and Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. Hence when the mataf (place of tawaf) is calm, the one who does tawaf experiences the joy of tawaf and feels in his heart that he is close to his Lord, which confirms the virtue and high status of the House of Allah. And it is Allah Whose help we seek." (Fatawa al-‘Aqidah, pp. 28-29)---[2]

Flawed Allegation-3: "As it is mentioned, The Stone will appear on the resurrection day with eyes and tongue, which sounds an act of polytheism"

Answer: Okay that is messed up folks, the level of ignorance is actually undefined in this allegation. Anyway,

Misinterpretation Fallacy: The belief that Allah can grant the black stone to ability to speak or bear witness on the day of judgement is a manifestation of his unique and absolute power.

From Google

It does not mean that the Stone has intrinsic life or autonomy. The misinterpretation here lies in equating Allah's act of granting speech to the Stone with an inherent divine status of the Stone itself, which is a misunderstanding of Islamic teaching of course.

As Allah SWT said, "They will ask their skin ˹furiously˺, “Why have you testified against us?” It will say, “We have been made to speak by Allah, Who causes all things to speak. He ˹is the One Who˺ created you the first time, and to Him you were bound to return"
Surah Fussilat (41:21)

"On this Day We will seal their mouths, their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify to what they used to commit."
Surah Ya-Sin (36:65)

So literally you can see Allah can make all things speak even the skins!

Appeal to Ignorance: I do not think I have to explain this point to wise people as you can already relate it now! This flawed allegation also falls under the fallacy of Appeal to Ignorance.

The Bronze Serpent: A Parallel Analogy 

symbolic

The biblical story of the bronze serpent is found in the Numbers 21:4-9. while journeying through the wilderness, the Israelites complained against God and Moses. Then God sent venomous serpents that bit and killed many. The people repented and asked Moses to pray for them. God then instructed Moses to build a "bronze serpent" (an idol?!) and set it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed!

Now I have some questions regarding this bronze serpent.
1. It is clearly an Idol isn't it? No?
2. Why did God order Moses to build a bronze statue? Was it really necessary?
3. How can someone look at that idol and then get healed?

4. How can a mere Bronze statue heal someone by itself? Smells idolatry right!

Ask them, you may see they will response like "Oh No, No, healing was from only God, and God commanded Moses to create it, God's commandments do not mean to be idolatry, that bronze statue did not have any power to heal by itself!"

Humm, Now you are talking! Then why do you chose the path of Double Standard when it is about The Black Stone!

False Equivalency on Bronze Serpent: A Counter Argument:

So at the end, they might accuse you of applying the False Equivalence between The Black Stone and The Bronze Serpent. To argue that comparing those is not a false equivalence, you can present a short structured arguments with clear premises.

Our Claim: The comparison between the black stone and the bronze serpent is not a false equivalence but highlights significant parallels in their roles as symbol of divine mercy and human reliance to God.

premise 1: Both symbols serve as Reminders of Divine Mercy

- Supporting Argument: Both the Black Stone and the Serpent function as physical reminder of God's mercy. The black stone represents God's forgiveness and mercy during the Hajj pilgrimage, while the bronze serpent signifies God's mercy in healing the Israelites from snake bites.

premise 2: Both engage believers in Acts of Faith

- Supporting Argument: Both symbols require acts of faith from the believers. Touching the black stone is an act of devotion and submission during Hajj, while looking at the bronze serpent was an act of faith that brought physical healing. Both actions signify reliance on God.

premise 3: Both represent Unique historical context with spiritual Significance 

- Supporting Argument: The black stone, believed to have been sent down from heaven, serves as a focal point of unity and devotion among Muslims during Hajj. On  the other hand, the bronze serpent is linked to a pivotal moment of deliverance and healing for Israelites. Both narratives simply highlight key aspects of their respective faiths and divine intervention.
 
premise 4: Different Roles but Similar Themes

- Supporting Argument: The Black Stone as  a symbol of repentance and the Bronze Serpent as an instrument of healing. Neither the Black Stone grant the forgiveness nor the bronze serpent healed the Israelites by itself. The underlying themes of divine mercy, grace and reliance on God Almighty remain constant.

Conclusion from given arguments: 
- Both symbolize divine mercy and engage believers in acts of faith.

- They represent unique yet parallel historical and spiritual significance.
- The underlying themes of reliance on God and pursuit of forgiveness bind these symbols together.

- Therefore, The comparison between those two, is not a false equivalence but rather an acknowledgement of their shared roles.

(Next part will be updated soon...)

Reference:
[1] https://islamqa.info/en/answers/1902/virtues-of-the-black-stone
[2] https://islamqa.info/en/answers/118085/why-do-muslims-kiss-the-black-stone