Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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The Hajj--2026. It is near the time when thousands of Muslims Will undertake the long voyage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This journey (the Hajj) is one every Muslim aspires to undertake At least once in a lifetime. The Kaaba is the cube-shaped, most sacred mosque at the center. The Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) sits in the Kaaba's eastern corner. This Stone is the world-wide orientation for prayer. The Kaaba's corner is the starting point for the holy walk. The Tawaf is the act of walking around the Kaaba Counter-clockwise seven times. If one is close enough, one attempts to touch or kiss the Stone. No close examination of the Black Stone has ever been allowed, So there are several possibilities for what it may be. One possibility is impact glass or an impactite. Another is a meteorite (stony or carbonaceous), a popular choice. Arabian tradition venerates stones seen falling from the sky. It is said that the Black Stone descended from Jannah (Paradise). Lastly, it is possibly a terrestrial rock: agate, obsidian, or basalt. The Black Stone is no longer a boulder, but 8 to 15 fragments, As a result of fires, floods, and theft. It is now cemented and encased in a silver frame. The historical story suggests the Black Stone was originally white, But it took on the sins of humanity and turned black. Further, the story states the Stone was given By the Angel Gabriel to Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son, Ismail, To be placed in the Kaaba as a cornerstone. I lived in Turkiye, teaching for five years, So I was steeped in Islam and its traditions And thus, I learned a great deal about this religion. Frank Maurer 23 May 2026 1615 Hours.