Touching or wiping the کعبۃ اللہ's cloth (Kiswah), walls, or any part of the کعبۃ اللہ — other than the حجر اسود and the Yemeni Corner — has no basis in the Sunnah and is considered an innovation. نبی کریم only touched (istilam) the حجر اسود (kissing it or pointing to it) and the Yemeni Corner (touching it with his hand). He did not touch the other two corners or the walls of the کعبۃ اللہ.
Touching or wiping the کعبۃ اللہ's cloth (Kiswah), its walls, or its corners — other than the حجر اسود and the Yemeni Corner — has no basis in the Sunnah and is considered an innovation by the majority of scholars. نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) only performed istilam (ritual touching/kissing) of the حجر اسود, and he would touch the Yemeni Corner with his hand without kissing it. He deliberately did not touch the other two corners (the Iraqi and Shami corners) or the walls of the کعبۃ اللہ.
Sheikh Ibn Baz stated that many حجاج mistakenly rub the کعبۃ اللہ's cloth on their bodies, wipe their faces against the walls, or press their chests against the cloth believing it carries blessings (barakah). None of this was practiced by نبی کریم, and it has no basis in authentic evidence. The blessings of the کعبۃ اللہ are in performing طواف around it, praying near it, and making دعا facing it — not in physical contact with its cloth or walls.
Sheikh Al-Albani emphasized that نبی کریم, who loved the کعبۃ اللہ more than anyone, only touched the حجر اسود and the Yemeni Corner. When Umar ibn al-Khattab kissed the حجر اسود, he said: 'I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah kissing you, I would not have kissed you.' This demonstrates that the touching is purely an act of following the Sunnah, not a belief that the stone itself holds power or blessings.
Umar came to the حجر اسود and kissed it, then said: 'I know that you are a stone; you can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.'
Umar came to the حجر اسود and kissed it, then said: 'I know that you are a stone; you can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.'
I never saw نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) touching anything of the کعبۃ اللہ except the two Yemeni corners (the حجر اسود and the Yemeni Corner).
I never saw نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) touching anything of the کعبۃ اللہ except the two Yemeni corners (the حجر اسود and the Yemeni Corner).
Scholars from different schools of Islamic jurisprudence offer varying perspectives on this matter.
Only the حجر اسود and the Yemeni Corner should be touched. Touching the کعبۃ اللہ's cloth, walls, or other corners has no basis in the Sunnah.
Hanafi scholars limit istilam to what نبی کریم practiced — the حجر اسود and Yemeni Corner.
Touching the کعبۃ اللہ beyond the حجر اسود and Yemeni Corner is not from the Sunnah. Wiping the cloth for blessings is an innovation.
Maliki scholars follow the hadith restricting touching to the two Yemeni corners.
The Shafi'i school limits ritual touching to the حجر اسود (kissing or pointing) and the Yemeni Corner (touching). The cloth and walls are not touched.
Al-Majmu' by al-Nawawi: istilam is only for the حجر اسود and Yemeni Corner.
Only the حجر اسود and the Yemeni Corner are touched during طواف. Touching other parts of the کعبۃ اللہ is an innovation that should be avoided.
Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah: نبی کریم only performed istilam of the two Yemeni corners.
This is a scholarly summary, not a personal fatwa. Consult your scholar for personal rulings.
Umar came to the حجر اسود and kissed it, then said: 'I know that you are a stone; you can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.'
Sahih al-Bukhari #1597 (sahih)I never saw نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) touching anything of the کعبۃ اللہ except the two Yemeni corners (the حجر اسود and the Yemeni Corner).
Sahih Muslim #1267 (sahih)