The Kiswa: The story behind the covering of the holy Kaaba

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has lifted the lower part of the Kiswa by about 3 meters and covered the raised area with white cotton fabric (approximately two meters in width from the four sides). (SPA)
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Updated 23 July 2020
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The Kiswa: The story behind the covering of the holy Kaaba

  • The Kiswa is replaced once a year on the 9th day of the month of Dul Hijjah after the pilgrims go to Mount Arafat

MAKKAH: On behalf of King Salman, Makkah Gov. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal on Wednesday handed over the Kaaba Kiswa (black cloth) to the senior caretaker of the Kaaba, Saleh bin Zain Al-Abidin Al-Shaibi.
The Kiswa will be replaced on the ninth day of the month of Dul Hijjah, following in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. 

It was reported that after the conquest of Makkah in the ninth Hijri year, the Prophet covered the Kaaba in Yemeni clothes as he performed his farewell pilgrimage.

The Kiswa is replaced once a year during Hajj after the pilgrims go to Mount Arafat, in preparation for receiving worshippers the next morning, which coincides with Eid Al-Adha.

Meanwhile, the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has lifted the lower part of the Kiswa by about 3 meters and covered the raised area with white cotton fabric (approximately two meters in width from the four sides).

The move was designed as a precaution to maintain the cleanliness and safety of the Kiswa and prevent tampering with it.

The colors of the Kaaba’s coverings have seen regular changes through the ages.




The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has lifted the lower part of the Kiswa by about 3 meters and covered the raised area with white cotton fabric (approximately two meters in width from the four sides). (SPA)

The Prophet Muhammad covered it with white-and-red striped Yemeni cloth, and Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, Umar ibn Al-Khattab, and Uthman ibn Affan covered it with white. Ibn Al-Zubayr covered it with red brocade.

During the Abbasid era, it was draped once with white and once in red, while the Seljuk Sultan covered it with yellow brocade. The Abbasid Caliph Al-Nassir changed the Kiswa’s color to green and later to black brocade, and this has remained its color to the present day.

Dr. Fawaz Al-Dahas, director of the Center of Makkah History, told Arab News: “The Kaaba was covered once in white, once in red, and once in black, and the choice of color was based on the financial means in every era.”

Qubati fabric was brought from Egypt and was one of the best types of fabric used to cover the Kaaba. The Yemeni Kiswa was also a quality cloth and most famous at the time.

On why the colors changed over the ages, Al-Dahas said that white was the brightest color, but it was not durable. It often became torn, dirty, and impure as pilgrims touched it and because it was not practical or long-lasting it was replaced with black-and-white brocade and shimla, which was used for covering Arab tents.

“The varying financial means controlled the type of fabric used for the Kaaba’s Kiswa,” Al-Dahas added.

He noted that the way humans perceived the Kiswa evolved after that, and it was replaced with a red brocade and qubati Egyptian cloth. Also, an antaa, which is a rug of leather, or a musouh, a collection of rough clothes, would be added to it.

“The Kiswa used to get changed from time to time whenever the fabric was available. This has been the case in the eras of the Rashidun Caliphate, the Umayyads, and the Abbasids,” he said.

Black was finally chosen at the end of the Abbasid era because it was durable and could withstand being touched by visitors, pilgrims, and people from different cultures from around the world.

With the continuation of the Umrah season, Al-Dahas said that the Kiswa was lifted to the middle of the Kaaba to preserve it and to prevent people from touching it.

History books speak of the first man to cover the Kaaba in pre-Islamic times, Tubbaa Al-Humairi, the king of Yemen. They mention that he covered the Kaaba in pre-Islamic times after he visited Makkah and entered it obediently.

Historians specialized in the Kaaba’s history mention in some accounts that Al-Humairi covered the Kaaba with a thick cloth called khasf and later with Maafir, which is originally named after an ancient city in Yemen where Maafir cloth was made. He then covered it with milaa, a soft, thin one-piece cloth known as rabitah. After that, he covered the Kaaba with wasael, a red-striped Yemeni cloth.

Al-Humairi’s successors used leather and qubati coverings with many others in the pre-Islamic era covering the Kaaba and considering it a religious duty and great honor.

Some accounts point out that the Kiswa at the time was layered on the Kaaba, and when it became heavy or worn out, it was removed or divided.

Historians confirm in an account that the Prophet was the first in Islam to cover the Kaaba with qubati, which is a thin white cloth made in Egypt and named after the Copts.

The accounts mention that in the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet kept the old Kiswa used in the era of the polytheists and did not replace it until a woman burned it while trying to scent it with incense. It was then covered with a Yemeni cloth.

Muslim kings and sultans then continued to undertake covering the Kaaba and caring for it.

During the Saudi era, the Kiswa has received great attention. The Islamic state that existed in Egypt at the time continued to send the Kiswa for centuries.

The Saudi founder King Abdul Aziz gave directions for the establishment of a private house for making the Kiswa in Ajyad neighborhood close to Makkah’s Grand Mosque, the first house dedicated to weaving the Kiswa in the Hijaz since the Kaaba was covered in the pre-Islamic era until the present era.

It was the factory where the first Kiswa in the Saudi era was manufactured in Makkah. Production was later moved to Umm Al-Joud. The new location was equipped with the latest advanced machines in the weaving industry at the time and continued to produce Kiswas that surpassed all previous ones.

A royal decree was issued by King Salman to change the name of the Kaaba Kiswa factory to the King Abdul Aziz Complex for the Kaaba’s Kiswa.

The desalination department is the first of the complex’s sections. It is responsible for the purity of water, which reflects on the quality and texture of silk, and the desalination of groundwater for washing and dyeing silk.

The dyeing process starts after the removal of the waxy layer coating the silk threads. The silk is then dyed in black and green using hot tubs and special chemicals mixed and weighted in specific rations to ensure the required degree of color stability.

The cotton lining of the Kiswa is also washed and the silk is then dyed with black for the outer drape and with green for the inner one, as is the case for the covering of the Prophet’s chamber. Every Kiswa requires 670 kg of natural silk.

Various tests are carried out on silk and cotton threads to ensure their conformity to required standards in terms of the strength of silk threads and their resistance to erosion and climatic conditions. Tests on the silver-coated threads are also conducted to ensure their suitability and high quality.

With regard to machine textile manufacturing, the complex is equipped with advanced Jacquard machines, which create woven Qur’anic verses and produce black silk engraved with verses and prayers as well as plain silk made for printing verses and silver-thread and gold-plated embroidery. These machines use 9,986 threads per meter to weave the Kiswa in record time.

In the printing department, the process of placing the first drawing starts from printing the Qur’anic verses and Islamic motifs on the Kaaba’s belt. The section also prepares the manasij, two sides made of solid wood, and white raw fabric is pulled between them. The plain silk is then placed on top and the belt of the Kiswa is printed on it before the Kaaba’s door and the embroidery are added. Workers use silkscreen printing for the Qur’anic verses with white and yellow ink.

The belt department takes care of embroidering the gold, silver, and motifs. This process is carried out by placing cotton threads of different densities over the threads and the motifs printed on the black fabric. Technicians then begin making the necessary stitches of fillings and domes using silver wire coated with gold.

Sixteen pieces are produced for the Kaaba’s belt with Qur’anic verses written on them; six pieces of different sizes under the belt; four firm pieces for the Kaaba’s corners; 12 lamps below the belt; five pieces above the corner of the Black Stone, and the outside curtain of the Kaaba’s door.


Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

Updated 2 min 8 sec ago
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Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in an expanded ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Fiuggi, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The meeting will discuss the current situation in the Middle East, SPA added.

During his stay in Fiuggi, Prince Faisal will hold a number of discussions that will address regional and international issues.


Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister

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Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister

  • Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance

RIYADH: CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Al-Marshad received First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Hokim Kholiqzoda and his accompanying delegation in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, the Saudi fund’s development projects were discussed, as well as ways to enhance development cooperation between both sides, the official account wrote on X.

Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance.

Kholiqzoda’s visit included a tour of the Saudi fund’s exhibition center, which showcases the organization’s 50-year journey, including notable development projects and their impacts on the lives of beneficiaries.

 


World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

Updated 24 November 2024
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World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

  • Top World Health Organization official commends Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field

RIYADH: The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday. 

The event unites leading medical experts, humanitarian organizations, and families from around the globe to share vital insights, discuss innovative separation techniques, and forge collaborative pathways in the pursuit of improved lives for conjoined twins. 

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar delivered a speech on behalf of King Salman celebrating the achievements of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has become a global leader in the field.

“Since 1990, 143 cases of twins from 26 countries have been reviewed by my dear colleagues, who have successfully separated a total of 61 pairs of twins to date,” he said. 

Prince Faisal added that it is the only program globally specializing in separating conjoined twins, making it one of the largest humanitarian medical programs in the world. 

He also highlighted a recent milestone: the UN General Assembly is considering an initiative by Saudi Arabia to designate Nov. 24 as the annual World Conjoined Twins Day.

In a video address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, congratulated Saudi Arabia on its leadership in organizing the conference.

“I commend Saudi Arabia for its leadership in organizing this important World Conjoined Twins Day Conference,” he said. 

This recognition would honor the medical and humanitarian efforts in this field and highlight the challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families. 

Ghebreyesus praised the initiative as a model for global collaboration in rare and complex medical cases. 

“The conference provides critical insights, from surgical innovations to long-term strategies, shaping rare initiatives. A broader platform and registry for congenital anomalies would benefit low and middle-income countries,” he said.

A keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief.

As the head of the multidisciplinary team for the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, Al-Rabeeah provided insights into the occurrence and challenges associated with conjoined twins.

The history of conjoined twin separation reveals both the challenges and progress in medical science. 

“The first successful separation was by Johannes Fatio back in 1689 by using a constricting band for a set of Omphalopagus twins or those sharing liver and gastrointestinal organs,” he said.

With a 0.5 percent incidence rate, this early success involved “presumably, a small joining in the skin, probably a little bit of the liver,” said Al-Rabeeah. 

He added that a major breakthrough came in 1957 with the first successful separation of Craniopagus, or twins sharing one brain. 

Al-Rabeeah said that the epidemiology shows distinct patterns: “In Western countries, it’s been estimated that we get one conjoined twins in every 50 to 200,000 births.” 

He added that, however, it is more prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa, “presumably because identical twinning and twinning is (found) more in dark-skinned people in Africa and also in Southeast Asia, increasing the incidence.”

The survival statistics, Al-Rabeeah reported, entail that “60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn, and those who live 40 percent of them will die in the first few days of life, and 70 percent of those who would survive will be females.”

He emphasized that the reasons behind this regional disparity remain unknown and require further research.

Throughout the conference, leading medical professionals presented their expertise on various aspects of caring for and separating conjoined twins. Topics included embryology, multidisciplinary team-building, antenatal care, and labor management. 

Dr. Nadia Al-Ghilan, from the maternal-fetal medicine department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, gave a presentation titled “Caring for Conjoined Twins: A Prenatal Journey,” describing the complex process of managing pregnancies involving conjoined twins.  

She said that caring for conjoined twins is a complex and delicate process as it requires meticulous prenatal planning and a dedicated medical team.

Al-Ghilan said that “this journey is filled with unique challenges, ethical considerations, and the utmost care to ensure the best possible outcomes for the twins and their family.” 

Early diagnosis, she stressed, is critical for effective prenatal referral, counseling, and planning for delivery and postnatal care.  

Al-Ghilan also underscored the importance of genetic testing in understanding the chromosomal health of conjoined twins. 

“Techniques like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling can help identify genetic abnormalities, providing valuable information for developing treatment strategies.”

The conference not only serves as a platform for scientific exchange but also fosters dialogue on building global partnerships to support conjoined twins and their families, particularly in low and middle income countries. The conference emphasized the importance of comprehensive care, from prenatal counseling to post-separation rehabilitation. 

For over 30 years, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has stood as a beacon of hope for families worldwide. The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins is set to continue this legacy, inspiring further advancements in the care and treatment of conjoined twins globally. 


Doctor describes difficulties in separating twins joined at the skull

Baby girls Rital and Ritag Gaboura, two craniopagus twins, lie on a bed at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
Updated 24 November 2024
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Doctor describes difficulties in separating twins joined at the skull

  • “Conjoined twins are rare, as has been said, but ‘cranomalies’ are extremely rare,” Dr. Felice D’Arco said

RIYADH: A London-based medical expert at a conference in Riyadh revealed the difficulties in separating a rare form of conjoined twins in which the patients are joined at the skull.

Dr. Felice D’Arco, consultant pediatric neurologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, spoke during the International Conference on Conjoined Twins on Sunday about the condition, which occurs in about one of every 2.5 million births worldwide.

“Conjoined twins are rare, as has been said, but ‘cranomalies’ are extremely rare,” he said.

For radiologists, this means there are no standardized CT and MRI scanning protocols in place for such complex cases, and very few recent cases from which to learn.

“We have protocols for everything, epilepsy, tumors, neurogenetic disorders, this is not the case for craniopagus twins because of their rarity,” D’Arco said.

Medical teams must be set in place, and there must be two of everything; two anesthetic teams, two sets of MRI monitoring, etc., the whole hospital staff is involved in what is considered as an operation taking place on two patients simultaneously, D’Arco explained.

While there is a need to standardize procedures, Dr. D’Arco acknowledged that every set of twins is unique.

“As a radiologist, you need to have the flexibility to change your protocol as needed.”

Therefore, he said, it is best to start with a series of questions relating to different critical parts of the body.

One potential issue is the bones. A dual source CT scan can inform radiologists which parts of the skull of each patient is infused, or “missing,” in the other.

Another problem is the relationship between the brains. D’Arco said that small breaches connecting the two brains, identified by 3D sequencing, present a risk that surgery will cause damage.

Considering the possible ethical and medical complications that could come up in cases in which one of the twins is at risk of dying, he said: “Sometimes you need to ask, can we separate without jeopardizing the lives of the children? These cases are complicated, baffling, and confusing.”


Riyadh Music Week to spotlight Saudi talent, creativity

Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission is poised to launch the inaugural Riyadh Music Week, running from Dec. 5 to 14 in the capital.
Updated 24 November 2024
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Riyadh Music Week to spotlight Saudi talent, creativity

  • Event will include global summits, local performances, awards and cultural displays 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Music Commission, in collaboration with MDLBeast and the Saudi Research and Media Group, is poised to launch the inaugural Riyadh Music Week, running from Dec. 5 to 14 at various venues in the Saudi capital.

The event will spotlight the Kingdom’s growing music sector, highlighting its creative and commercial evolution. It will also serve as a platform for dialogue with international stakeholders on music policy and development.

Among the highlights is the Global Music Makers Summit, a premier gathering of industry leaders and policymakers from around the world.

The event will also celebrate Saudi traditional music, with small venues in Riyadh hosting performances to show off local musicians’ diversity and talent.

The week will also host the Music Cities Convention and Awards, which will be held in the Middle East for the first time.

Riyadh Music Week will include panel discussions, seminars and workshops led by industry experts, covering the latest global music trends.

The program incorporates key events from Riyadh’s music calendar, such as XP Music Futures, SoundStorm, and the inaugural Billboard Arabia Music Awards.

The week provides a unique platform for local and international collaboration, celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich musical heritage and dynamic contemporary scene.

By supporting emerging and established artists, Riyadh Music Week underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to nurturing talent and growing its music industry.

The Saudi Music Commission, established in February 2020, leads this transformation, focusing on equal access to education, empowering talent and boosting the local economy.

Its efforts aim to enhance the Kingdom’s global musical identity while building world-class infrastructure and creating new industry opportunities.