—if even that is not possible, he should simply point toward it with whatever he is holding or with his hand; yet he must not kiss the object he used to point, for that object never touched the Stone to deserve being kissed.

As for the Yemeni Corner, the only prescribed act is to touch it with the right hand. Unfortunately, some uninformed people—unaware of the reason for this rite—touch it with their left hand. The scholars have explained that the left hand is reserved for dealing with filth, impurities, and the like; it is not to be used in exalting the sacred symbols of Allah.

The remaining two corners—the Shāmī corner and the ʿIrāqī corner, that is, the north-western and north-eastern corners—are neither kissed nor wiped. They are not upon the foundations laid by Abraham, peace be upon him. When Quraysh resolved to rebuild the Kaʿbah they declared, “We shall erect it only with pure funds; we will not use money derived from usury.” Observe how Allah honored His House even through the hands of unbelievers. They gathered lawful wealth, but it was insufficient to complete the structure on Abraham’s foundations. After deliberation they decided to shorten the northern side, because the southern side houses the Black Stone and could not be reduced. Consequently, the building fell short on the northern side, and those two northern corners were no longer on Abraham’s original foundations—hence the Prophet ﷺ neither kissed nor wiped the north-eastern nor the north-western corner.

Years later, when Muʿāwiya—may Allah be pleased with him—made ṭawāf in the company of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās—may Allah be pleased with them both—Muʿāwiya proceeded to wipe all four corners: the Black Stone, the Yemeni Corner, and the two northern corners. Whereupon Ibn ʿAbbās said to him, “How…"