Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 1612
sahih

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

The Prophet (ﷺ) performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba while riding a camel, and whenever he came in front of the Corner, he pointed towards it (with something).

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ طَافَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْبَيْتِ عَلَى بَعِيرٍ، كُلَّمَا أَتَى عَلَى الرُّكْنِ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 25, Hadith 98
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 2, Book 26, Hadith 681 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance, we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it, although it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit. In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺdid circumambulate round the Ka’bah in the Farewell Hajj, as recorded in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, while mounted on his camel that he used on journeys. Every time he ﷺreached the Black Stone, he would face towards it and point towards it. It has been narrated that he was carrying a crook on his hand – a staff with a crooked head – and was pointing with crook (towards it), then he would kiss the crook [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. He ﷺheld this sufficient from performing touching and kissing the Black Stone. His mounting of the camel during that hajj was due to illness. It is said that it was due to disliking turning away the people from the Black Stone, meaning, if he ﷺperformed Tawaaf walking, the people would turn away from the Stone every time the Messenger of Allah ﷺpassed by it, out of their reverence for him that he is not crowded around. It is also said that he did so, so the people are able to listen to his speech and be able to see his place and so that they can follow his lead. From the benefits that can be deduced from this hadeeth is that if one is unable to kiss the Stone, then one can still touch it with his hand, stick, or anything of that sort. The hadeeth highlights the easement of Islam concerning the acts of worship, and that it is permissible to perform the Tawaaf whilst riding if one is unable to perform it walking..
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