I Don't recall the "Details," but I THINK the "Stone" is some sort of Holy Icon.
From what Little I can glean, Loss of this "Icon" would UTTERLY DISASSEMBLE "Islam!"
WHAT FUN!!--to UTTERLY OBLITERATE the icon worshipped by one's psychopathic adversaries!
"DREAMS OF GLORY!!"
STILL------
Doc
You were aware, of course, that it's not that big black cube you see in the pictures. Right? You did know that?
Folks I know who have been there and participated say there are several items to be seen once the big black heavy curtain is pulled up. They are several fossilized logs much like you can see out West in the petrified forest. In addition there is a larger rock, clearly of meteoritic origin on top of the logs. The stones look very much like an altar. Some report seeing other, smaller meteors, in and amongst the petrified wood pieces.
The Kaaba/Khaba is a very ancient structure. Moslem tradition says it was Abraham's altar where he proposed sacrificing his son but was stopped by an angel. No doubt it is of some archaeological interest, and no doubt Moslem archeologists have performed all sorts of studies on it on behalf of it's current protector, the Saudi royal family.
The whole point of the Haj is visit the place where, according to the Moslems, "God Visited Man". Even after you'd turned it to radioactive glass, the "place" in terms of it's global coordinates would still exist. As far as the petrified wood and the meteors are concerned, the Empty Quarter between Saudi and Yemen has many more of the same stuff lieing about on the surface. These guys could be back up and running the Kaaba/Khaba (with hazmat suits) within months after the cooling of the fireball.