the interests of the Muslims? Is it permissible to hold beside the “Mosque of Abraham” the musical performance they call “al-Nawba al-Khalīliyya,” and on that occasion to hold a listening gathering attended by the fuqarā’ and others, featuring the flute, or not? Does the man who plays the flute, while serving as a muezzin at the aforementioned place, thereby become openly sinful, or not? If he does not desist, should the ruler dismiss him, or not? If the ruler cannot put an end to this, may he move this performance to a place too cramped for dancing, or not?
He—may Allah be pleased with him—replied:
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Neither Allah nor His Messenger nor the imams of the Muslims have commanded kissing any part of the graves of prophets and righteous people or rubbing oneself against them—whether the grave of our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the grave of Abraham, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, or anyone else’s grave. Nor have they commanded kissing or touching the Rock in Jerusalem or the two northern corners of the Ancient House. Rather, only its two southern corners are to be touched, in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: he touched only the two southern corners and kissed only the Black Stone.
They agree that the two northern corners are neither to be touched nor kissed. They agree that the two southern corners are to be touched, and they agree that the Black Stone is to be kissed. As for kissing the Yemeni Corner, they differed, holding three well-known views.
One view is: