Zurareh reported that he inquired from Imam Baqir about what is meant by...

Zurareh reported that he inquired from Imam Baqir about what is

meant by: "When thy Lord drew forth from the children of Adam-from

He said: "(It means that He drew forth) from Adam's loins his

descendants until the Day of Resurrection, so they came forth in the

form of corpusclens. He then taught and acquainted them to His

creation; and had He not done so, no one would have known His

(Black) Stone, he said: "I know by Allah-that you are a stone which

neither harms nor benefits, and had I not seen Allah's Messenger

embrace you, I would not have embraced you."

However, Imam Ali (A) said: "Abu Hafz, do not say this, for Allah's

Messenger did not embrace it (the black stone) save for wisdom he

knew, and had you read the Quran and realized its interpretation, as

others have, you would have understood that it can harm and bring

benefits to you. It has two eyes and two lips and possesses a keen

tongue that testifies for those who fulfill their obligations to it."

Umar then said: "Then show me that in Allah's book, Abu Al-Hassan."

Imam Ali (A) said: 'Allah Almighty said: "When thy Lord drew forth from

the children of Adam (from their loins) their descendants and made

them testify concerning themselves (saying): Am I not your Lord? They

answered: Yea! we do testify. Thus, when they affirmed their

obedience to Him as their Lord and as His slaves, He make a

covenant with them that they would make pilgrimage to His sacred

House. He then created parchment finer than water and said to the

Pen: Write down My creatures' fulfillment of pilgrimage to my Sacred

House. The pen wrote mankind's fulfillment of pilgrimage on the

parchment, then it was said to the (Black) Stone: Open your mouth; it

fulfillment (of pilgrimage). The Stone then descended in obedience to

"O Umar, do not you say when you embrace the stone- I have fulfilled

my covenant, and kept my oath, so you may testify for me?'

Imam Ali (A) then said: "It is for this reason that you do so."

A large group of narrations, which include a study regarding the world

of Covenant, can be found such as al-Kafi collected by al-Kulayni, al-