Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has completed on Thursday the annual customary ceremony of replacing the Kiswa (cover) of the Holy Kaaba, continuing a tradition of care that spans over 100 years.

The Kiswa was crafted at the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa with skilled hands over the course of 11 months to ensure the highest standards of precision and quality. The Kiswa replacement ceremony took place at dawn Thursday, marking the beginning of the new Hijri year, and was broadcast live to the Islamic world.

Earlier in a ceremony on June 8, Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishaal handed over the new Kiswa to Abdul Malik bin Taha Al-Shaibi, the senior keeper of the Grand Mosque. The new Kiswa was produced using natural black-dyed silk, embroidered in gold and silver threads.

A specialized team of 154 Saudi professionals from the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa carried out the replacement process. The team was strategically assigned to various sides and the roof of the Kaaba based on their areas of expertise. The process began with dismantling the old Kiswa and installing the new one, which was then secured at the corners and across the roof of the Kaaba.

The new Kiswa weighs approximately 1,415 kilograms and stands 14 meters high. It consists of four separate panels along with the door curtain (sitara). Each panel was individually raised and aligned over the previous one, with the new Kiswa being gradually lowered as the old one was removed. This process was repeated for all four sides. Once in place, the decorative band (hizam) was aligned and stitched along a straight line around the Kaaba.

Next, the corners were sewn vertically from top to bottom to ensure a seamless and secure finish. The sitara, which requires precision and considerable time, was then installed. A cut was made in the black silk fabric to fit the curtain—measuring 3.30 meters wide and 6.35 meters long—and three openings were created beneath the fabric to insert the curtain. It was then sewn into the Kiswa from both the inside and outside to ensure proper placement.

The making of the Kiswa consumed approximately 825 kilograms of raw silk, dyed black at the complex, 120 kilograms of gold-plated silver thread, 60 kilograms of pure silver thread, and 410 kilograms of raw cotton.

It is noteworthy that the Thuluth Jali Murakkab Arabic calligraphy is used in writing the Qur'anic verses on the Kiswa of the Holy Kaaba in various sizes and styles. This script was chosen for its distinction as the most beautiful of Arabic scripts and its use in honorable and ceremonial contexts. It is a foundational script with precise rules, capable of accommodating complex structures and interweaving, which allows a greater number of words to be composed within a limited space, giving the Kiswa an exceptional appearance befitting the sanctity and majesty of the site.