Ahmed: The Savior Stone Cut from Muhammad that Became the Cornerstone

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17. Ahmed: The Savior Stone Cut from Muhammad that Became the Cornerstone

Regarding the stone, Jesus​^PBUH​ said: [42] “. . .Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?. [43] Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. [44] And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him”​ (Matthew 21).

David said the following about the stone:

[19] Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them

and give thanks to the LORD.

[20] This is the gate of the LORD;

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the righteous shall enter through it.

[21] I thank you that you have answered me

and have become my salvation.

[22] The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

[23] This is the LORD's doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes.

[24] This is the day that the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

[25] Save us, we pray, O LORD!

O LORD, we pray, give us success!

[26] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! ​(Psalm 118).

Regarding this stone that became the cornerstone after being rejected by the builders, the Riser, Ahmed Al-Hasan, said:

​The entire religion is the covenant and pledge to which the servants were bound in order to obey the vicegerents of God. God entrusted this covenant in the original stone, which is also known as the black stone, the cornerstone, or the stone cut from Muhammad​^PBUHAP in order to demolish the sovereignty of Satan and tyrants. This stone was mentioned in the heavenly books and in religious accounts.

When the Quraish tribe differed about who would lift the stone, they had known that this stone signified an important matter, which is why they differed on who would lift it. It was God's will that Muhammad​^PBUHAP would be the one to lift the stone and put it in its place. This was in order to realize a sign from God. The Almighty has indicated that the Riser of truth-the servant to whom God entrusted the covenant and pledge and is signified by this stone-will emerge from Muhammad​^PBUHAP​,​ who lifted the stone. Saeed Ibn Abdullah Al-Araj narrates the words of Abu Abdullah​^PBUH​, who said: “In the pre-Islamic era, the Quraish tribe had demolished the Kaaba (the mosque). When they tried to rebuild it, they were denied access and were very frightened. Then one of them said, 'Let every one of you bring his purest wealth; do not bring any ill-gotten money.' They did that and the way was opened for them to build it. They built the building, and it reached the point of placing the black stone. They quarreled over who would put the black stone in its place to the point where there was almost a fight. They finally decided that the first person to walk through the door of the mosque would get to place it, and the Messenger of God​^PBUHAP walked in. When he came to them, he asked for

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a cloth and placed the stone in the middle of it. Each clan then held a part around the cloth, and they lifted it. Muhammad​^PBUHAP picked up the stone and carried it to its place, thus God distinguished him with the stone.”¹⁵¹

Prophet Muhammad​^PBUH carried the black stone. This is an indication that the Riser-the bearer of the sin and bearer of the black banners, signified by the black stone-will come from Muhammad​^PBUHAP​. Furthermore, Muhammad​^PBUHAP is the one who will carry him in his lineage because the Riser is entrusted to the lineage of Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad​^PBUHAP​. As a result, the true bearer of the sin is the Messenger of God, Muhammad​^PBUHAP​. As for the black color, which God had willed to cover this stone, it indicates the sins of the servants, reminding them of their misdeeds so that they may repent and seek forgiveness while in the House of God. It is the same color as the black banners of the Riser of truth from the progeny of Muhammad​^PBUHAP​. The black banners signify the stone, and vice versa. The black color of both of them signify the sin of violating the covenant and pledge taken from the creation in the previous world of al-Tharr. Furthermore, they signify the hardship endured by the bearer of this sin-the bearer of the black banners, which signify this sin-the servant who was entrusted with the covenant and pledge. He is the black stone and the Riser from the progeny of Muhammad​^PBUHAP​. ​The stone is associated with the topic of sacrifice found in the divine religion and throughout the blessed journey of this religion. God's religion is one because it comes from one source. Sacrifice has appeared in its most explicit form in Islam through Al-Hussein​^PBUH​. Before Islam, you found sacrifice in the Hanafi religion of Abraham​^PBUH with Ishmael. You find it with Abdullah, the father of the messenger Muhammad​^PBUHAP​. It is also found in Judaism, the religion of Moses​^PBUH through John, the son of Zachariah​^PBUH​. It is also found in Christianity through the crucified one. The issue of messengers bearing a portion of the sins of their nations, in order that the nation as a whole moves toward God, is found in the religion of God. It didn’t come out of nowhere. You can review the texts of the Torah for example, to learn that Moses​^PBUH bore hardship in addition to the sins committed by his people. The messenger of God Muhammad​^PBUHAP bore the sins of the believers. The Almighty said: {That God may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight path} ​Quran Chapter “The Victory” 48:2​. The literal interpretation is that he bore the sins of his nation and God forgave him for those sins.

​Omar Ibn Yazid Bayaa Al-Sabri narrates: “I asked Abu Abdullah​^PBUH about the words of God in His book: {That God may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will follow}​. He said: 'He did not have any sins nor was he about to commit sins, rather, God made him bear the sins of his followers and then forgave him of them.'"¹⁵²

​The Messengers bearing the sins of their nations does not mean they bear the sin of violating the covenant and pledge committed by those who deny God's vicegerents and

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die with this denial. Rather, they bear the sin of those who neglected to remember the covenant and pledge, violating it for a period of time in this worldly life. Likewise, bearing the sins of their nations does not mean the messengers become the owners of the sin instead of their nations. Rather, it means that they bear additional burdens and hardship in communicating their messages to the people in this world. This is of course of their own accord, as they ask for this. For the father that is kind to his children often bears the consequences of their misdeeds, even if it causes him hardship and discomfort. It could be pain and death for the sake of God, as was the case for Al-Hussein​^PBUH​. This is because the father seeks the reformation of his children in the end. Perhaps many do not remember the covenant to the point that the blood of the father, the guardian of God, is spilled, and this itself becomes a reason for them to remember the covenant and pledge. For this reason you will find that Al-Hussein​^PBUH​, whom God willed to be a reason for the remembrance of a great number of people, left the pilgrimage (​Hajj​) and proceeded to hurry to the place of his murder​^PBUH​. . . . .

​The Messenger of God Muhammad​^PBUHAP had explained the importance and merit of the black stone through his words and actions. It is enough to know that the Messenger of God​^PBUHAP kissed it and prostrated on it. God’s Messenger​^PBUHAP did not prostrate on any part of the Kaaba except the black stone. God’s Messenger​^PBUHAP conveyed the importance and significance of this matter when he said, ​"Touch the corner, for it is the right-hand of God among His creation. He greets His creation through it tin he way a servant or stranger is greeted, and He bears witness of their fulfillment to those who touch it."¹⁵³ ​What is meant by the corner is the black stone because it is part of it [the Kaaba].

​The Imams​^PBUT continued the approach of the Messenger of God​^PBUHAP in clarifying the significance of the stone through their words and actions. They stated that the stone is the bearer of the book of the covenant and pledge; and that Adam cried for forty days and made a seat near the stone for crying in order to atone for his sin of breaching the covenant, {We had already, beforehand, taken the covenant of Adam​^PBUH​, but he forgot: and We found on his part no firm resolve} ​Quran Chapter “Ta Ha” 115. They also stated that the stone was a shining white pearl, but on earth it turned to black as a result of the sins of mankind. These blessed words and actions, which were frequently repeated in front of their companions, are all a confirmation and clarification of the importance of the black stone and of its connection to the first sin, rather, its connection to the sins throughout the human journey on this earth. . .