Saudi changes Kaaba's Kiswa on Muharram 1; Islamic New Year

Riyadh: At the start of the new Islamic year of 1444, Makkah's Holy Kaaba's new cover was installed on Saturday, Arab News reported.

Usually, the process was done annually, on the morning of Dhul Hijjah 9, before receiving worshippers in the coming morning, the morning of Eid Al-Adha. On the cover changing day, pilgrims will be going to Mount Arafat.

But this year, the tradition changed, and the same was announced in June by Saudi Arabia's General Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques. The cover (Kiswa) changing event was thus scheduled on Muharram 1, the Islamic New Year day. The change was done based on a royal decision, the president of the Two Holy Mosques presidency, Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, had informed.

Saudi Press Agency reported that Kiswa changing was done by a team of 200 Saudi technicians from the King Abdulaziz Complex for Manufacturing the Kaaba's Kiswa, and the event was supervised by Sheikh Sudais.

The weaving, stitching and printing of Kiswa were done by hand, and 47 pieces of cloth and thread were used in the process, which was carried out by the world's largest computerized sewing machine. The 16-meter-long fabric was made by the technicians of King Abdulaziz Complex after dying nearly 670 kilograms of raw silk black. Kiswa is stitched together in five parts and fastened to the base with copper rings.

Quranic verses were stitched onto the cloth with 120 kg of 21-karat gold thread and 100 kg silver thread. The total cost of making the 850-kilogram Kiswa, the most expensive cover in the world, is estimated at more than $6.5 million.