corner. When he reaches the fourth, which is the Yemeni Corner, he touches (istilam) it. Al-Khiraqi said: "And he kisses it." The correct position according to Ahmad is that he does not kiss it, and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars. It is narrated from Abu Hanifah that he does not touch it. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr said: It is permissible among the scholars to touch the Yemeni Corner and the Black Corner; they do not differ regarding any of that. The only thing they differentiated between is the kissing; they viewed kissing the Black Stone as prescribed, while they did not view kissing the Yemeni Corner as such. As for touching both, it is a matter upon which there is consensus. He said: Mujahid narrated from Ibn 'Abbas who said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when he touched the corner, he would kiss it and place his right cheek upon it." He said: This is not authentic. Kissing is only recognized with respect to the Black Stone alone. It is narrated from Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would not touch anything except the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner. Ibn 'Umar said: "I have not ceased touching these two corners, the Yemeni and the Black Stone, since I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, touch them, whether in times of crowding or ease." Both were narrated by Muslim. And because the Yemeni Corner is built upon the foundations of Abraham, peace be upon him, touching it is Sunnah, like the one containing the Stone.
(1) Omitted from: B, M. (2) In A: "Ibn al-Mundhir". (3) Omitted from: Original. (4) Omitted from: Original, A. (5) Extracted by Al-Bayhaqi, in: Chapter on touching the Yemeni Corner with his hand, from the Book of Hajj. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 5/76. See also what was extracted by Ibn Abi Shaybah, in: Chapter on those who, when touching the Yemeni Corner, would place their cheek upon it, from the Book of Hajj. Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 4/40. (6) The first (narration), in: Chapter on the recommendation of touching the two Yemeni corners..., from the Book of Hajj. Sahih Muslim 2/924. It was also extracted by Al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on touching the two corners in every circumambulation, from the Book of Rituals (Manasik). Al-Mujtaba 5/184; and Al-Bayhaqi, in: Chapter on the two corners that adjoin the Stone, from the Book of Hajj. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 5/76. The second (narration), in: Chapter on the recommendation of touching the two Yemeni corners, from the Book of Hajj. Sahih Muslim 2/924. It was also extracted by Al-Bukhari, in: Chapter on the Raml (jogging) in Hajj and 'Umrah, from the Book of Hajj. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/185; and Al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on touching the other two corners, from the Book of Rituals. Al-Mujtaba 5/185; and Al-Bayhaqi, in: Chapter on touching the Yemeni Corner with his hand, from the Book of Hajj. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 5/76.
