Kaaba gets a new Kiswa

The Kaaba, House of Allah, was dressed in its new Kiswa (the cloth that covers the Kaaba) after Fajr prayer on Sunday by as many as 86 technicians and weavers.

The Kaaba is dressed in its new Kiswa on Dhul Hijjah 9, the Day of Arafat, every year. On this day the Grand Mosque is usually empty because all the pilgrims are gathered in Arafat.

The Makkawis, especially women, avail this opportunity to spend the entire day in the Grand Mosque praying and doing tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaaba.

The Kiswa is made of pure silk with gold threads at the cost of more than SR22 million. It is manufactured in a special factory in Makkah which is manned by 240 technicians, weavers and administrators.

The Kiswa is 95 centimeters wide and nine meters high. It is made upon 47 pieces which are joined together to cover all the corners of the Kaaba.