❖ Compilation: Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad Anwar Zāhid ḥafiẓahullāh
✦ Background: Conflict Over the Placement of the Black Stone
Ibn Saʿd reports:When the construction of the Kaʿbah reached the point where the Black Stone (Ḥajar al-Aswad) was to be reinstalled, each tribe laid claim to the honor of placing it, asserting their own right to do so. The dispute intensified to such a degree that bloodshed was feared.
Finally, they agreed upon a proposal: Whoever enters through the Bāb Banī Shaybah first would be given the responsibility to place the Black Stone. Everyone accepted this suggestion.
✦ The Prophet ﷺ Enters
The first person to enter through Bāb Banī Shaybah was none other than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.When the people saw him, they exclaimed:
"This is al-Amīn (the Trustworthy)! We are content with whatever decision he makes regarding our matter."
✦ The Just Decision of the Prophet ﷺ
The Quraysh informed the Prophet ﷺ of their agreement. He ﷺ then spread out his cloak on the ground and placed the Black Stone upon it. He said:"Let a representative from each of the four quarters of the Quraysh come forward."
The Quraysh were divided into four major clans, and the following were selected:
➊ ʿUtbah ibn Rabīʿah from Banū ʿAbd Manāf
➋ Abū Zamʿah from the second quarter
➌ Abū Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Mughīrah from the third quarter
➍ Qays ibn ʿAdī from the fourth quarter
The Prophet ﷺ then said:
"Each of you should hold one corner of the cloth and lift it together."
All of them lifted the cloak collectively, and when they reached the intended place, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ lifted the Black Stone with his own hands and set it in place.
✦ Ḥadīth Authentication:
➤ Chain of Narration: Weak (ضعیف)
This narration is found in the following sources:
- Al-Mustadrak of al-Ḥākim (1/458), Ḥadīth no. 1683
- Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah (1/116)
- Musnad Aḥmad (3/425), Ḥadīth no. 15589
- Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd, Vol. 1, p. 205
Reasons for weakness:
- The entire chain is dependent on Hilāl ibn Khabbāb, who is truthful (ṣadūq), but his memory deteriorated in the latter part of his life.
- His two students, ʿAbbād and Abū Zayd, narrate from him, but it is unclear whether they did so before or after his memory decline (ikhtiḷāṭ).
- In al-Mustadrak, Khālid ibn ʿArʿarah is also in the chain; his reliability is affirmed only by al-ʿUjlī and Ibn Ḥibbān, who are known for leniency in declaring narrators trustworthy.
- Moreover, Samāk ibn Ḥarb, another narrator, also suffered from memory issues toward the end of his life.
Some researchers consider the chain to be ḥasan li-ghayrih (sound due to supporting chains); however, the stronger opinion is that ḥasan li-ghayrih is still a category of weak ḥadīth and not independently strong.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ
⚠ Conclusion:
While the event is commonly recounted and holds moral and historical value, its chain of narration is not strong enough to be used as definitive evidence. The story should be shared with scholarly caution and appropriate context.
