MAKKAH:  A new Kiswa was installed early Sunday at the holy Kaaba in Makkah on the first day of the Islamic new year (1 Muharram, 1446h) by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Carrying out the task of installing the elaborately designed black cloth cover was a team from the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Kiswa of the Kaaba composed of 159 skilled craftsmen under supervision of engineers and technicians specially trained for the complicated process.

As described by SPA, the special work team first removed the gold-embroidered pieces of the Kaaba's old Kiswa while the new one was being brought to the Grand Mosque from the complex.

The Kiswa contains 53 gold-embroidered pieces consisting of 16 for the belt area, seven for under the belt, four corner pieces, 17 lanterns, five pieces for the door curtain, one piece for Al-Rukn Al-Yamani, and two pieces for the Black Stone outline, along with the gutter.

The complex’s operational staff includes 159 skilled craftsmen who work to produce 56 gold-embroidered pieces for the holy Kaaba’s Kiswa. Work is done by hand and it takes them between 60 and 120 days to complete one gold-embroidered piece.

A total of 120 kilograms of gold, 100 kilograms of silver and 1,000 kilograms of silk are used in the production of the Kiswa. As one piece, the Kiswa weighs 1,350 kilograms and measures 14 meters high, and consists of four separate sides and a door curtain, according to the complex in charge of Kiswa production.

The covering is adorned from the outside with inscriptions woven with black threads.

To install the Kiswa, the four sides have to be lifted separately to the top of the Kaaba to allow for the complicated process to be done. "After all the sides are fixed, the corners are sewed from the top of the covering to the bottom. After that is done, the curtain is placed, which requires time and skill in putting it up. An opening is made in the black fabric that is the size of the curtain, which is approximately 3.33 meters wide until the end of the covering and 6.35 meters long. Then, three openings are made in the black fabric to fix the curtain from under the fabric. Finally, the edges are fixed by sewing them into the black fabric on the covering," SPA explained.

On May 22, about three weeks ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage, the lower part of the Kiswa was raised. The procedure is repeated every year to protect the Kiswa from getting soiled and damaged as pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba.

It used to be that the Kiswa was replaced during the Hajj season, specifically on the morning of Dhul Hijjah 9 after the pilgrims go to Mount Arafat, in preparation for receiving worshippers the next morning, which coincides with Eid Al-Adha.

Last year, Saudi Arabia's General Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques announced the change in tradition so that the annual event would be held on the eve of Muharram 1, the first day in the Hijri calendar. 

Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, president of the Two Holy Mosques presidency, had said the change was being made based on a royal decision.

RIYADH: Saudi newlyweds Abdulaziz Khashogji and Amirah Al-Bassam tied the knot in style as the first-ever couple to have their “zaffa,” or wedding entrance, on Jeddah’s F1 circuit.

“Both of us have unconventional ideas when it comes to our lifestyles,” the 32-year-old groom told Arab News.

“The shoot and the location were both iconic and really special; we’re both so grateful we made our night as special as our relationship,” 26-year-old bride added.

Last week, the newlyweds made their first entrance as husband and wife on a red 2024 Ferrari Roma Spider waving to their guests and driving across the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, famed as the fastest and longest street circuit in F1 at 6.175 km.

When approaching the planning of their reception and entrance, the couple’s vision was simple, with a slogan of “less is more.”

“I proposed the venue and Amirah thought it would be cool to just have a simple wedding dinner that was iconic. Adding the Ferrari for our entrance was the touch that made it extra special,” Khashogji said.

Photos and videos of the unique wedding reception circulated on social media over the weekend, with many commenters showing interest and excitement over the extraordinary Saudi wedding entrance.

When asked how the idea of the F1 wedding photo shoot came about, Al-Bassam said: “Given that the wedding reception was at the circuit, and my husband is a car and motorsport fanatic, it would have been rude not to,” she said.

“His lifelong passion is Formula 1 and his favorite manufacturer is Ferrari, so we had to do the shoot in a Ferrari at the F1 track,” she added.

A new benchmark for wedding venues has been set, and it’ll be a tough one to follow.

Zaid Khashogji, Relative

Khashogji told Arab News that the decision to hold the wedding reception at the Jeddah F1 circuit “was a mutual decision” driven by the couple’s “love for unique experiences and cars in general.”

The groom works in Saudi Motorsport and manages the circuit, hosting the F1 race along with the other events that take place at the track all year round.

“I’ve been with Saudi Motorsport since the first F1 race in 2021 as part of the hospitality team running premium hospitality. Since that day I knew I wanted to have my wedding in this venue, and when I met Amirah and fell in love with her, we both knew that it would be the perfect place for both of us,” he said.

There was some initial skepticism when the couple first told family and guests about the location they had in mind, Al-Bassam said.

“But everyone was blown away as soon as they showed up. The guests loved the venue, the idea, and everyone had an amazing time, which felt very rewarding to share our joy with everyone,” she added.

Rema Al-Yahya, a close friend of the bride, shared her experience of the unique ceremony. “I’ve never seen a wedding entrance like this before. It was really unexpected and everyone loved it. It was a truly memorable experience that perfectly captured the couple’s personality,” she said.

The groom’s brother, Zaid Khashogji said that the entrance was a “spectacle.”

He added: “For my brother it was a dream come true. Growing up, Aziz used to always say ‘Hawaii? Como? When I get married, it’ll be on an F1 track!

“Subhan Allah, he manifested it from a young age … back when the idea of having a Formula 1 track in Saudi Arabia was nothing more than wishful thinking! And it was amazing to see it happen in our hometown, no less.

“A new benchmark for wedding venues has been set, and it’ll be a tough one to follow!”