The Kiswah is a holy cloth that covers the Kaaba.
Riyadh: The holy Kiswah which covers the Kaaba will be screened at the Islamic Arts Biennale, 2025 in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. This will be the first time that Kiswah will be shown outside the city of Mecca. The Biennale, “And All That Is in Between”, will run from January 25 to May 25 in Jeddah. Islamic and contemporary artefacts will be displayed in it.
What is Kiswah?
The Kiswah is a holy cloth that covers the Kaaba, the sacred stone building at the center of the Great Mosque in Makkah (or Mecca), that is considered to be the physical center of Islam and is called “the House of God.”
Every year the Kiswah is removed and the Kaaba is redraped in a new cloth on the 9th day of the month of Dhu al-Hijah, the day the pilgrims leave for the plains of Mount Arafat during the Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah. It is also called “Kiswat al-Kaaba” in Arabic.
The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has pointed out that a Kiswah is considered the “highest form of creative production in Islamic art”. The Biennale will showcase the historical development of Kiswah and the craftsmanship associated with it. Visitors to the Biennale will be able to see the intricate weaving and embroidery of Kiswah made of silk, gold and silver threads.
The Kiswah that will be displayed is the one that was used to cover the Kaaba last year. This exhibition coincides with the establishment of the Kiswah Factory (King Abdulaziz Complex) in Saudi Arabia. This factory has been making Kiswah since 1927. Kiswah will be returned to the factory when the Biennale is over.
What is the importance of Kiswah?
The literal meaning of Kiswah is cloak. It is a black cloth with intricately embroidered cloth, which covers the Kaaba. The Kaaba is a cubical stone structure located in the center of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, the holiest site of Islam.
In 8 AH (629-630 AD), Prophet Mohammad covered the Kaaba with a Yemeni cloth.
According to a report published in Saudi daily Arab News in 2020, ‘The Kiswa: The Story Behind the Covering of the Holy Kaaba’, “After the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet retained the previously used kiswah and did not change it until a woman burnt it.” After this, the Prophet covered the Kaaba with a Yemeni cloth. After this, the kings and sultans have also continued the work of covering and taking care of the Kaaba.
Weight of more than a thousand kilos
At present, the Kiswah that covers the Kaaba weighs more than 1,000 kg. It is made of silk, embroidered with gold and silver threads. It consists of four large parts and a door curtain.
It takes a year to make, with more than 100 employees completely focused on its embroidery. The existing Kiswah contains 670 kg of raw silk, which is dyed black. It contains 120 kg of gold thread and 100 kg of silver thread. The verses of the Quran on the cloth are embroidered with gold and silver threads.
