The pinnacle of Mecca known as the Kaba contains the Black Stone
. This Black Stone was respected and worshipped in pre Islamic times and is an Islamic relic during the life time of the Prophet and all Muslims who make the holy trip.
According to traditional Islamic beliefs, the Black Stone was first found by Ibrahim and his son Ismail as they were looking for stones to build the Kaba. They immediately saw its value and made it the Kaba cornerstone. Another school of thought suggests that it could actually be the remnants of a meteorite that fell upon earth. This theory cannot however be put to the test without removing the stone from its current location in Makkah which would be sacrilegious and offensive to all Muslims around the world.
In Islam many people have different ideas as to what the Black Stone of Mecca really means. Some people believe that it is simply just a stone that was kissed by Prophet Mohammed, therefore many people of the Muslim faith revere the stone as a symbol of trust in Mohammed rather than a trust in the stone itself. Other Muslims believe that the Black Stone is simply just a marker which can help a devotee keep count of the ritual of circulating the Kaba also known as Tawaf and one of the most important rites of Islam.
There is also another group of Muslims who firmly believe that the Black Stone possesses inexplicable powers. The belief that the stone fell down to earth from the sky during the time of Adam and Eve suggests that it has the ability for sinners to be purified of all their sins. The age old belief is that the stone was at one time a glittery white and due to all the sins it was immersed it has now changed to black. However according to Islamic religious beliefs the power of the Black Stone can only assist you in the spiritual cleansing process.
No matter what you believe as a Muslim visiting Mecca and the Black Stone is an important part of the Islamic faith and one that each Muslim should perform. Makkah accommodation is easy to find as there are many hotels who want to offer the believer a place to stay. Finding a Makkah hotel is not an impossible task for the tourist but definitely a favorite of many pilgrims is the Raffles Makkah Palace which offers convenient accommodation for the pilgrim.