Abū Qubays is a mountain in the Ḥijāz, western Arabia, deemed to be sacred, situated on the eastern boundary of al-masjid al-ḥarām, the Sacred Mosque of Mecca, facing the corner within which the Black Stone (al-ḥajar al-aswad) is located (Ibn Jubayr, 85). Varying opinions have been expressed regarding the origins of the name of this mountain. Some consider Abū Qubays to be a diminutive of qabas al-nār (firebrand), since it is said that two large pieces of tinder wood (markhayn) fell from heaven onto this mountain and Adam took them and created fire by striking one against …