New Kiswa adorns Holy Kaaba at dawn of Islamic year 1447 AH

MAKKAH: In a spiritual ceremony held in Masjid-ul-Haram, the Kiswa (the black silk covering of the Holy Kaaba in Makkah) of the Holy Kaaba was replaced on the occasion of the start of the new Islamic year 1447 Hijri.

The Kiswa refers to the black silk embroidered cloth that covers the Holy Kaaba, which is changed on the start of new Islamic calendar, Hijri, every year.

The annual changing of the Kiswa was performed by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque on Thursday.

The procedure started with the removal of the 6.35-by-3.33-meter golden curtain from the Kaaba’s entrance.

The new cover was installed after removing the old one in a ceremonial replacement carried out by a specialized team of 154 skilled Saudi craftsmen.

Gold-plated silver threads are used to precisely sew 68 Quranic verses onto 47 masterfully embroidered black silk panels that make up the new Kiswa. An estimated 1,415 kg is the total weight of the fabric.

It was made using 410 kilograms of raw cotton, 120 kilograms of gold-plated silver thread, 60 kilos of pure silver, and 825 kilograms of silk.

At the King Abdulaziz Complex, eight specialist weaving machines were also used to create 54 elaborate gold components for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa.

Every year, the Kiswa is changed, marking a new chapter in the Islamic calendar and a time of rebirth and veneration that has profound spiritual meaning for Muslims throughout the world.