JEDDAH: In a change to tradition, on the dawn of the new Islamic year 1444, a new veil, the Kiswa, was installed on the holy Kaaba in Mecca on Saturday morning.
In previous years, the old Kiswa was replaced once a year during the Hajj, especially on the morning of the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, after the Hajj pilgrims had left for Mount Arafat.
The following day coincides with Eid al-Adha, when the Kaaba was dressed in a new Kiswah in preparation for receiving worshipers in the morning. But last month, the Iru Haram General Presidency announced a change to the traditional ceremony of changing the Kiswa. According to the new change, the annual ceremony of changing the Kiswa took place on the eve of Muharram 1, the first day of the Hijri calendar.
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al Sudais, Head of the Iru Haram Office, said that the change was made based on the royal decision. The Saudi Press Agency reported that a team of 200 Saudi national technicians from the King Abdulaziz Complex for the construction of the Kiswa of the Kaaba, under the supervision of Sheikh Sudais, replaced the Kiswa with a new one early on Saturday. The new Kiswa consists of four aspects.
Kiswa is fourteen meters tall. Made of natural silk. The construction cost is more than two crore riyals. A 95 cm wide belt is placed at the top third of the Kiswa. The belt contains fragments of Islamic calligraphy. The length will be 47 meters. Meanwhile, the inside of the Kiswa consists of a thick white cotton cloth. The kiswa is spitted in pieces with each portion. A piece was made as a curtain in front of the door. After hanging everything, five kashtas are sewn together. Kiswa is made using 850 kg of raw silk and 120 kg of silver and gold threads. The silk is dyed black.