WHAT IS AGATE (AQEEQ, AQIQ, AKEEK) STONE?

The Aqeeq stone is a very blessed stone and there are numerous Hadiths describing its many benefits. It is a variety of Chalcedony (Yamani) which is itself a form of Quartz which are Silicon Dioxide minerals and are colored by impurities of iron oxide. In fact, this stone belongs to the Stringed Quartz family and the Caledonian (Yemeni) category of stones.

Its chemical formula is SiO2 and its hardness is 7 (diamond with a hardness of 10 has the highest degree of hardness and is considered the most durable among all gemstones). This hardness is one of the ways of pricing Aqeeq and distinguishing its original from fakes. For example, if you have a synthetic Aqeeq ring and rub a rough woolen cloth on it, it will be scratched, but the surface of the original Aqeeq will be more polished. It is mined in different parts of the world such as Iran, Iraq, Alaska, Brazil, Argentina and China. But the best quality of Aqeeq is extracted from the mines of Sanaa in Yemen and is a very thick, cohesive and porous stone, with a reddish-brown color that is the most popular color of Aqeeq