Muslims can now touch the Black Stone in Mecca virtually
Muslims believe the famous Black Stone descended directly from heaven and was given to the Prophet Abraham by the angel Gabriel
Saudi Arabia has launched an initiative to allow the Muslims around the world to touch the Black Stone at the Kaaba in Mecca virtually.
The initiative, which is using Virtual Reality (VR) technology, was launched on Monday by Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais, the General President for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque,reports Al Arabiya News.
The "Virtual Black Stone Initiative" will be part of the Kingdom's Agency for Exhibitions and Museums Affairs represented by the General Administration of Digital Exhibitions, in cooperation with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research at the University of Umm al-Qura. The initiative aims to use virtual reality (VR) and digital experiences that simulate the real reality.
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In May, Saudi Arabian authorities released new pictures that offer a never-before-seen close up view of the Black Stone in the Kaaba in Mecca. The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques captured the details on the Black Stone – known as Hajar Aswad in Arabic – with a new technique that uses stacked panoramic focus.
Muslims believe the famous Black Stone descended directly from heaven and was given to the Prophet Abraham by the angel Gabriel.
The stone is set within a pure silver covering and is located in the corner of the Kaaba, about a meter and a half from the ground.
