Standing in the Masjid al Haram, looking at the Kaaba, I felt my heart racing. Millions of people circle this beautiful black cube every year. We all know about Hajr e Aswad, the Black Stone. But do you know that each corner of the Kaaba has its own special name? I did not know this for a long time. When I finally learned about it, I felt like I had discovered a hidden treasure. Today I want to share this beautiful knowledge with you. It made my tawaf feel so much more meaningful.
The 4 Corners, One by One
Each corner of the Kaaba has a name based on the direction it faces. Tawaf starts and ends at the Black Stone corner and goes anticlockwise. Here they are in order.
Rukn al-Aswad — Black Stone Corner
This is the eastern corner and the most famous one. It contains the Hajr e Aswad, the Black Stone. Every tawaf starts and ends here. Pilgrims either kiss the stone, touch it with their hand, or simply point toward it from a distance. The Prophet ﷺ kissed it during his tawaf. This is the corner that faces roughly toward east.
Rukn Iraqi — Iraqi Corner
After passing the door of the Kaaba and the Hijr Ismail area, you reach the Iraqi corner. It points toward Iraq in the north. This corner is not touched during tawaf. The reason is that it does not rest on the original foundation of Prophet Ibrahim. When the Quraysh rebuilt the Kaaba, they shortened the walls to save cost, so this corner was moved from its original position.
Rukn Shami — Syrian Corner
This is the western corner, pointing toward Sham, which was the old name for Syria and the surrounding region. Like Rukn Iraqi, this corner is also not touched during tawaf. It too sits on the shortened foundation. Pilgrims walk past it as part of their tawaf without stopping.
Rukn Yamani — Yemeni Corner
The last corner before completing each round. It faces Yemen in the south. This corner is built on the original foundation of Prophet Ibrahim, which is why the Prophet ﷺ used to touch it with his hand during every tawaf. This is a Sunnah. Pilgrims touch it if they can, but do not kiss it. If the crowd is too thick, you can simply walk past without gesture.
Did You Know? The Kaaba was originally built with two doors at ground level, one for entry and one for exit. The raised single door we see today happened because the Quraysh ran out of halal funds during reconstruction!
Touching the Corners Without the Crowds
When doing tawaf, try to touch or kiss Hajr e Aswad if you can. But do not push or hurt anyone. A wave or gesture from far is also accepted. Touch Rukn Yamani if possible. It is usually less crowded than Hajr e Aswad. Do not touch the other two corners as this is not from sunnah. The best time for tawaf is late night or early morning. Fewer crowds make it peaceful. Wear comfortable shoes that slip off easily. Stay hydrated and take breaks when needed.