Do Muslims Worship The Black Stone & The Ka'bah?

Question:

What is the rebuttal to the Malaahidah (atheists) who say: You O Muslims worship a stone and circumambulate around it! So how can you reproach others from worship of idols and statues/images?
Answer:

This is an evident lie, we do not worship the [black] stone but rather we touch it and kiss it - the same as the Messenger of Allaah SallAllahu 'alayhi wasallam did - in worship of Allaah and in emulating the Messenger of Allaah SallAllahu 'alayhi wasallam. The [Black] Stone is from the signs of Allaah similar to when we stand in 'Arafah, similar to when we stay in Muzdalifah and similar to when we circumambulate around the House (the Ka'bah). Likewise we kiss the Black Stone and touch it or gesture towards it because it is from the signs of Allaah. Hence our kissing it or touching it or signalling towards it is in worship of Allaah not the stone. Furthermore, for this reason when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab radhiallaah 'anhu kissed the [black] stone he said:

"Indeed I know that you are but a stone you neither benefit nor harm, and if it was not that I saw the Messenger of Allaah SallAllahu 'alayhi wasallam kiss you I would not have kissed you."

[Reported by al-Bukhaaree (1597), and Muslim (1270)]

Therefore the issue is regarding the matter of following and adhering and not worship of the stone. So they contrive lies against us whilst we do not worship the Ka'bah but rather we worship the Lord of the Ka'bah, so we circumambulate around the Ka'bah in worship of Allaah the Mighty and the Majestic; because Allaah has commanded us with that, so we obey Allaah the Mighty and the Majestic and we follow His Messenger SallAllahu 'alayhi wasallam .

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
'Aqeedatul-Haaj Fee dawil-Kitaab was-Sunnah, p22-23.
Translated by Abu 'Abdillaah al-Kashmiree