ihyaus sunnah

Tawaf

What if I cannot reach the Black Stone?

Point your palms towards the Black Stone and kiss them. This is istilam. Pushing or hurting others to kiss the Black Stone turns a sunnah into a sin, so point to it instead.

The Kaaba and the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah
Pilgrims at tawaf around the Kaaba

What istilam is

Each time you reach the Black Stone line, face it, say Bismillah, Allahu akbar and make istilam. If you can reach the Black Stone without pushing anyone, kiss it. Otherwise point your palms towards it and kiss them.

Do not push

Pushing or hurting others to kiss the Black Stone turns a sunnah into a sin. Pointing to it from the line carries the reward of istilam without the harm.

For sisters

Kissing the Black Stone usually means pressing into crowds of men, so sisters point to it from the line instead. See Umrah for women.

At the Black Stone

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ، اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ

Bismillāh, Allāhu akbar

In the name of Allah. Allah is the Greatest.

The takbir is in Bukhari, and Ibn ʿUmar added the Bismillah (Bayhaqi)

More questions

Do I need to touch the Black Stone?

No. Pointing towards it is enough when you cannot reach it safely.

Can I kiss the Yamani corner?

You may touch it with both hands or the right hand if you can, and you may also kiss it, but do not turn your whole body towards it.

What do I say?

Say Bismillah, Allahu akbar each time you return to the Black Stone line.

Perform your Umrah with confidence

Follow every rite in order, with counters and duas in Arabic, in our step by step Umrah guide. To study the Hanafi rulings behind it with qualified teachers, see our courses, or explore our apps. Ihya us Sunnah is sustained by its community, so please consider supporting our work.

This guide follows the Hanafi method and is based on Shaykh Mufti Wajid Iqbal's Umrah book, Essential Islam. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.