8 Secrets of the Kiswa, The Holy Kaaba's Mysterious Cover

8 Amazing Facts About Kiswa

There are many tales about the Kiswa, the cloth that covers the Holy Kaaba in Capital, Saudi Arabia. From tales of how it was made to accounts of its destruction by terminate, the Kiswa has many stories to inform and secrets to share. Inspect out these 8 fascinating facts about the Kiswa's background and building and decide on your own if any of them may hold true!

1) Who Designed It?

The kiswa is a fabric that covers the holy Kaaba in Capital. It is made of black silk and is stitched with gold calligraphy. Every year, a brand-new kiswa is made and the old one is cut up and sold as mementos.

Each year, a brand-new kiswa is made by a group that is composed of local embroiderers and Arab ladies who donate their time. One participant of each group usually stands for their country's consular office in Saudi Arabia as component of a neighborhood solution project. Typically, it takes about 20 days to earn each kiswa manually. The kiswa is designed based upon a well-known Qu'ranic verse and must be big enough to cover all edges of the holy Kaaba - something that requires skillful accuracy. Each year, simply weeks before Hajj period starts on August 21st , an revealing event for that year's kiswa occurs at Al Haram Mosque in Capital.

2) What Materials are Used?

The kiswa is made of silk, woollen, silver strings and gold. It is stitched with verses from the Quran and various other Islamic themes.

How Many Individuals Work on It? (2 sentences)]

About 60 artisans work on the kiswa at any provided time. It takes them about 4 months to complete one kiswa.

What is the Purpose of the Kiswa? (3 sentences)]

The kiswa is used to cover the holy Kaaba in Capital. It is replaced every year on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah. The old kiswa is cut up and dispersed to mosques about the globe.

3) Why Is it Kept Secret?

The kiswa is a black cloth that covers the whole outside of the Kaaba. It is made of an unique silk that is hand-woven in Saudi Arabia and after that stitched with verses from the Quran. The kiswa is replaced every year on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah.

The background of the kiswa is as mysterious as its manufacturing process. We have no idea for certain where it comes from or who makes it—the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia ordered that its manufacturing be kept a secret to prevent cheating in its weaving—and we have no idea what happens to old kiswas. It is also unclear how much it costs to earn a kiswa, but they are considered valuable and just one individual has access to them at any provided time. Before they are installed on the Kaaba, no one outside of that room knows what is being installed on that particular year.

4) Where Does it Come From?

The kiswa is a black cloth that covers the whole outside of the Kaaba in Capital. It is made of a cotton-silk mix and is stitched with verses from the Quran. The kiswa is replaced every year on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah.

It takes 2 months to sew a brand-new kiswa, and it is said that no 2 years' kiswas are exactly alike. Unlike various other holy websites in Islam, covering or decorating its framework isn't prohibited as it is considered component of its background. In truth, residents often include mirrors to earn it shine more wonderfully throughout celebrations. However what makes a brand-new kiswa unique is when pilgrims reach write their names on it before covering up the Kaaba with it.

5) How Much Does it Weigh?

The kiswa is the black cloth that covers the Holy Kaaba in Capital. Every year, a brand-new kiswa is made and the old one is cut up and dispersed to mosques about the globe. The kiswa is made from a mix of silk and cotton and can weigh up to 600 kg.

It is difficult to know how much exactly, because every year a various kiswa is made and no one outside of Capital knows its exact percentages. Some resources estimate that it evaluates in at about 600 kgs. However, there are more accurate resources we can use to better understand its weight.

6) How Long Does it Last?

The kiswa is made of black silk and gold string and is replaced every year. It takes about 24 months to earn one kiswa. Over 1,600 meters of fabric and 700 kgs of silver and gold string are used in its manufacturing. The worth of each kiswa is about US$5 million.

Sadly, it is taken two times. Burglars dug a passage under one corner and appeared a steel grill throughout a trip. They attempted to transport it out with vehicles but authorities foiled their caught them and initiatives. The first kiswa days back to 1079 CE and was replaced in 1321 CE by Sultan container Saif Al Mansur from Cairo who also decorated it with jewels. In 1810 Sultan Mahmud II needed to change 2 cushions because of damage triggered by rainfall sprinkle seeping through cracks in Badshahi Mosque in Lahore where it is kept for greater than 200 years after every Hajj (Islamic trip). It also experienced problems when British soldiers inhabited Medina throughout Globe Battle I and kept their ammo inside for greater than a year before moving them outside Medina.

7) What's Underneath it?

The kiswa is a black cloth that covers the entire of the Kaaba. It is made of pure silk and measures about 60m in size and 30m in size. Every year, the kiswa is replaced with a brand-new one on the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah. The old kiswa is after that cut up and dispersed to Muslim rulers and dignitaries as presents.

But what exactly is underneath this magnificent cloth? Let's have a look:

1. The first layer is a hefty drape made of thick cotton or woollen. This safeguards the kiswa from tear and wear.

2. The second layer is a sheet of rugged fabric known as fadija. Its purpose is to prevent dirt from building up on the kiswa. 3. Beneath it are 3 items of handwoven silk sheets which make up the body of the kiswa. 4. Next, there are 3 more layers which make up its cellular lining - another item of handwoven silk, complied with by 2 items of very fine bed linen and finally, a white muslin veil for protection versus light 5. And at last comes ikhtiyarid - literally meaning choice, it is an ornamental boundary playing around the external side, consisting of either red or gold embroidery performed in slim strings 6.

8) When was it Replaced Before?

The kiswa is replaced every year on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah. It is made of black silk stitched with verses from the Quran. The top 3rd is gold-embroidered.

In Saudi Arabia, a group of 1,000 weavers works throughout the year on 7 individual items that are stitched with each other to form the end product.

Each item evaluates about 400 kg (880 pound) and measures 20 m × 60 m (66 feet × 200 feet). It takes 8 months to complete.

The kiswa costs about $5.3 million to earn and is moneyed by contributions from Muslims about the globe.