Praise be to Allah, and may blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The hadith “The Black Stone is the right hand of Allah on earth” is not authentically established as a statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم through a reliable chain of transmission. Rather, it is famously reported as a statement attributed to Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما. Even assuming that it is authentically established, it does not mean that the Black Stone is an attribute of Allah تعالى, nor that it is literally the right hand of Allah. Rather, the context itself indicates that it is a comparison concerning status and honor.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله was asked about this hadith. He stated that its narration as a statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم comes through a chain that is not established, and that it is famously reported as a statement of Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما, with the wording:
“The Black Stone is the right hand of Allah on earth. Whoever touches it and kisses it, it is as though he has shaken hands with Allah and kissed His right hand.”
Accordingly, this wording cannot be used as evidence on the basis that it is an authentically established hadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Even assuming that this report is authentically established from Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما, it does not necessitate that the Black Stone is one of the attributes of Allah تعالى.
The evidence for this is that the report itself says:
“Whoever touches it and kisses it, it is as though he has shaken hands with Allah and kissed His right hand.”
The expression “it is as though” indicates a comparison, and that which is compared is distinct from that with which it is compared. Thus, it does not mean that whoever touches and kisses the Black Stone has literally shaken hands with Allah تعالى.
Furthermore, the expression is qualified by the words:
“on earth.”
It does not simply say: “The Black Stone is the right hand of Allah” without qualification.
This qualification has an effect on understanding the statement. It is therefore incorrect to remove the wording from its context and qualification and then build another meaning upon it.
No. The Black Stone is not an attribute of Allah تعالى.
If the report is authentic, its intended meaning is to explain the status of touching and kissing the Black Stone: this act is likened to what people do when they shake hands with an honored person and kiss his hand as an expression of respect and closeness. This does not mean that the Stone itself is an attribute of Allah تعالى.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله explained that the beginning and end of the statement make clear that the Stone is not one of Allah’s attributes, and that the purpose is to clarify the virtue and status of touching and kissing it.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin رحمه الله explained this report by saying:
“Therefore, the hadith is not among the texts concerning the attributes of Allah تعالى that have been interpreted away to a meaning contrary to the apparent meaning; there is no interpretation involved in it at all.”
The point is that this report is not, in the first place, an authentically established prophetic text concerning an attribute of Allah تعالى such that it could be said that Ahl as-Sunnah affirmed it or that others interpreted it away.
Therefore, using this report as evidence that the methodology of Ahl as-Sunnah in affirming the divine attributes necessarily leads to affirming that the Black Stone is “the right hand of Allah” is incorrect.
A distinction must be made between this report and the authentic, established texts concerning the names and attributes of Allah.
Whatever has been authentically established from Allah تعالى or from His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم concerning His attributes must be affirmed in a manner befitting Allah’s Majesty, without likening Him to creation, without making comparisons, and without asking how.
As for expressions that are not established through an authentic chain, they cannot be made a foundation in the subject of Allah’s names and attributes.
In this particular matter, it is not correct to say that the Black Stone is “the right hand of Allah” in the sense that the Stone is an attribute existing in Allah تعالى. This is not what the report means, nor is it indicated by its wording.
The statement “The Black Stone is the right hand of Allah on earth” is not authentically established as a prophetic hadith from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. It is famously reported as a statement of Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما.
Even assuming that it is authentic, it does not mean that the Black Stone is an attribute of Allah تعالى or that it is literally Allah’s right hand. Rather, the words “it is as though he has shaken hands with Allah and kissed His right hand” indicate that touching and kissing the Stone has been given the status of shaking hands and kissing in the context of honoring and showing respect. It does not affirm that the Stone is part of Allah’s attributes.
This report also cannot be used as evidence for denying the attributes of Allah that are established by authentic texts, nor is it correct to use it as an example of interpreting away an established divine attribute.
And Allah knows best.