The provided text presents a theological argument contrasting the Black Stone of the Kaaba with the Christian concept of Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone, and interprets 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 as a call for separation from practices deemed "unclean." This perspective is rooted in a specific interpretation of Christian scripture and Islamic tradition.

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The Black Stone, known as al-Ḥajar al-Aswad in Arabic, is a significant relic in Islam, embedded in the eastern corner of the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Islamic tradition holds that it was a stone from Paradise given to Adam and Eve, and later found by Abraham and Ishmael when they were building the Kaaba.[1] Before the advent of Islam, the Kaaba was a sanctuary for various pagan deities in pre-Islamic Arabia, and the Black Stone was indeed venerated in those pagan rituals.[2] Islamic tradition, as recorded in sources like Sahih al-Bukhari, acknowledges the pre-Islamic veneration of the Kaaba and its components, including the Black Stone.[3] The practice of kissing or touching the Black Stone and circumambulating the Kaaba (Tawaf) are central rituals in the Islamic pilgrimage (Hajj and Umrah).[4] These practices are understood by Muslims as acts of devotion to God, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad, and not as idolatry of the stone itself.[5]

In contrast, the Christian theological concept of the "Cornerstone" refers to Jesus Christ. This imagery is drawn from several biblical passages. Psalm 118:22 states, "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."[6] This verse is frequently quoted in the New Testament and applied to Jesus, particularly in passages like Ephesians 2:20, which describes the church as "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."[7] The Bible consistently emphasizes monotheism and explicitly condemns idolatry, as seen in Exodus 20:3-5, which prohibits having other gods and making graven images.[8] The passage from 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty," is a call for believers to maintain spiritual purity and separation from practices or influences deemed unholy or contrary to God's will.[9] This verse is often interpreted within Christian theology as a directive to live a life distinct from the world's sinful practices and to avoid association with idolatry or anything that compromises one's faith in God.[10]

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