George Sale, The Koran, commonly called the Alcoran of Mohammed, translated into English immediately from the original Arabic; with Explanatory Notes, taken from the most approved Commentators. To which is prefixed A Preliminary Discource (1734)

foundation ¹, and afterwards repaired by Abd’allah Ebn Zobeir, the Khalîf of Mecca, and at length again rebuilt by Yusof, surnamed al Hejâj, in the seventy fourth year of the Hejra, with some alterations, in the form wherein it now remains ². Some years after, however, the Khalîf Harûn al Rashîd, (or, as others write, his father al Mohdi, or his Grandfather al Mansûr,) intended again to change what had been altered by al Hejâj, and to reduce the Caaba to the old form in which it was left by Abd’allah; but was dissuaded from meddling with it, lest so holy a place should become the sport of princes, and being new modelled after every one’s fancy, should lose that reverence which was justly paid it ³. But notwithstanding the antiquity and holiness of this building, they have a prophecy, by tradition from Mohammed, that in the last times the Ethiopians shall come and utterly demolish it; after which it will not be rebuilt again for ever ⁴.

Before we leave the temple of Mecca, two or three particulars deserve further notice. One is the celebrated black stone, which is set in silver, and fixed in the south east corner of the Caaba, being that which looks toward Basra, about two cubics and one third, or, which is the same thing, seven spans from the ground. This stone is exceedingly respected by the Mohammedans, and is kissed by the pilgrims with great devotion, being called by some the right hand of God on earth. They fable that it is one of the precious stones of paradise, and fell down to the earth with Adam, and being taken up again, or otherwise preserved at the deluge, the angel Gabriel afterwards brought it back to Abraham when he was building the Caaba. It was at first whiter than milk, but grew black long since by the touch of a menstruous woman, or, as others tell us, by the sins of mankind ⁵, or rather by the touches and kisses of so many people; the superficies only being black, and the inside still remaining white ⁶. When the Karmatians ⁷, among other prophanations by them offered to the temple of Mecca, took away this stone, they could not be prevailed on for love or money to restore it, though those of Mecca offered no less than five thousand pieces of gold for it ⁸. However, after they had kept it twenty two years, seeing they could not thereby