It was placed in that corner. Allah has prescribed for His servants to kiss it as a complete act of humility and devotion. That is why ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with him—when he kissed it, said, “I know full well that you are only a stone; you can neither harm nor benefit.” He spoke the truth, for stones themselves have no power to harm or benefit. Harm and benefit are in the hand of Allah alone, as He, the Exalted, says: “Say: In whose hand is the dominion of all things, who protects and none can protect against Him, if you know? They will say, ‘In Allah’s.’” (Al-Mu’minūn 23:88–89).

Yet he—may Allah be pleased with him—made it clear that his kissing of the Stone was solely to follow the Prophet ﷺ, saying, “Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ kiss you, I would never have kissed you.” In other words, I kiss you in obedience to the sunnah, not out of hope for benefit or fear of harm, but simply because the Prophet ﷺ did so.

For this reason, nothing of the Sacred Kaʿbah is to be kissed except the Black Stone alone. As for the Yemeni Corner, it is merely to be touched—that is, wiped with the hand—but not kissed. With respect to the Black Stone, the best practice is to wipe it with one’s right hand and then kiss it; if that is not possible, he should touch it and kiss his hand; if—