Nigerian music star Asake has been trending online after a video surfaced showing him attempting to touch the revered Black Stone at the Kaaba during a recent visit to Mecca.
In the clip, he is seen amidst a tightly packed sea of worshipers all trying to move closer to the sacred stone embedded at the eastern corner of the Kaaba.
The atmosphere around the holy structure appears intense, with bodies pressed shoulder to shoulder as pilgrims stretch their arms forward in hopes of briefly touching the stone.
At several moments, the singer appears to be gently pushed along by the powerful movement of the crowd, the tide of worshipers carrying him closer as he leans forward, trying to reach the revered spot.
Dressed in a flowing white robe similar to those worn by many pilgrims visiting the holy sites, Asake blends into the throng of believers gathered around the Kaaba, a place that draws millions of Muslims from around the world every year.
The video captures just how overwhelming the crowd around the Kaaba can be, particularly near the corner where the Black Stone is located.
Pilgrims surge forward in waves, some raising their hands while others patiently wait for a chance to get closer. In the midst of the pushing and jostling, Asake stretches his arm toward the stone while maintaining his balance in the densely packed circle of devotees performing their rites.
The Black Stone itself holds deep religious significance in Islam.
Believed by Muslims to date back to the time of the Prophet Prophet Muhammad and the Prophet Prophet Ibrahim, the stone is set into one corner of the Kaaba and is traditionally touched or kissed by pilgrims if they are able to reach it safely.
Many Muslims follow this practice because it is believed that the Prophet Muhammad kissed the stone during pilgrimage, making it a symbolic act of devotion rather than an act of worship toward the object itself.
Due to the enormous crowds that gather around the Kaaba during pilgrimage seasons, however, most pilgrims simply raise their hands toward the stone from a distance.
Earlier, the Afrobeats star had also shared another spiritual moment from his journey. On his social media pages, Asake posted a clip showing himself offering prayers at Rawdah (Raudhatul Jannah) inside Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina, one of the most revered prayer spots in Islam believed to be a garden from Paradise.