was a scribe of revelation for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), apostatized, and then returned to Islam in the year of the conquest of Mecca.

The third point: As for his statement, “The Black Stone is Allah’s right hand on earth,” this is not authentically established from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Rather, it has been narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās. Ahmad never said that this report was from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and that it should be interpreted figuratively. Rather, whether this report is from Ibn ‘Abbās or traced back to the Prophet, its wording is explicit and unambiguous, requiring no figurative interpretation. For its wording is: “The Black Stone is Allah’s right hand on earth; whoever touches it