Preparations are underway to replace the kiswa, the covering cloth of the Holy Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, on the first day of the New Islamic lunar Hijri Year 1446.
The annual ritual will be performed by 159 technicians and professional artisans on the 1st of Muharram, expected to fall on Sunday.
Muslims around the world pray facing the Kaaba and visit the sacred site in Mecca throughout the year.
As part of the process, the old kiswa is replaced with a new one composed of four pieces covering the sides of the sacred cube-shaped structure and a curtain on its door.
The kiswa is manufactured at the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa, manned by more than 200 artisans and administrative staff. The complex comprises departments for dyeing, automatic and hand-made textiles, printing, belts, gold embroideries, sewing, and assembling, where the world’s tallest computerized sewing machine is installed, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Other auxiliary divisions include a lab, administrative services, quality assurance, public relations, and occupational health and safety.
Around 1,000 kg of black-dyed silk is used in making the kiswa, in addition to 120 kg of gold wires and 100 kg of silver wires.
The outer part of the drapery carries Islamic embellishments with phrases such as “There is no god but Allah and Mohammad is the messenger of Allah”; “Glory and Praise is to Allah”; and “Glory is to Allah Almighty”. The cloth is also adorned with verses from the Holy Quran in gold and silver threads. The kiswa belt is made of 16 pieces.
