Saudi Arabia: Kaaba’s Kiswa to change as Hijri year 1445 begins
Ten-stage process ensures Kaaba’s drapery meets highest standards
Dubai: As the new Hijri year 1445 dawns, Saudi Arabia prepares for the annual ritual of changing the Kaaba’s kiswa, or drapery.
The General Presidency of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, alongside the King Abdul Aziz Complex for Holy Kaaba Kiswa, has confirmed readiness for this esteemed task.
Amjad bin Ayed Al Hazmi, Undersecretary-General of King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaabah Kiswah, stated that all preparations have been completed. The change of the Kaaba’s drapery will follow specific operational plans to ensure its timely and quality execution. He noted that the livery will be hand-sewn by national experts, guaranteeing the most magnificent presentation of the new Kaaba cladding.
Additionally, fifteen employees have been trained specifically for this task. Director of Kaaba Kiswa maintenance department at the Grand Holy Mosque Fahd Al Jabiri, said that the purpose of the rigorous training is to familiarise participants with the process, enhancing their capabilities and skills. “The department is working to expedite the task completion with utmost performance within a record period of time,” Al Jabri added.
The making of the Kaaba’s kiswa is an intricate process involving ten industrial stages, emphasising the significance and honour associated with this sacred duty.
The process starts with the desalination of silk, where the temperature of the water used to wash the silk is strictly regulated. The silk is then treated in sweetened water according to certain specifications and standards. The second stage involves the removal of the preservative wax layer “Sericin” from the silk at high temperatures, followed by the dyeing of the silk in black for the outer garment and green for the inner cladding. The dyed silk is then dried.
In the third stage, samples of silk are taken for testing before and after dyeing to ensure resistance to climatic factors and tensile strength. The fourth stage witnesses automated weaving of more than 9,900 threads per metre of silk by dedicated machines.
Subsequent stages include printing of Quranic verses and embroidering them with gold and silver wires onto the belt of the Kaaba, hand embroidery of Islamic motifs, and assembly and sewing of the dress. The final stage involves the replacement of the old Kaaba drapery with the new one and the installation of the Kaaba door curtain.