Watch: Holy Kaaba focus of Medina exhibit

Cairo: An exhibition on the Holy Kaaba, housed at the Grand Mosque in the Saudi city of Mecca, is underway at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, showcasing original, old pieces of the cloth cover or Kiswah of the sacred site.

The exhibit also features tools used in washing the Holy Kaaba and perfuming it as well as visual displays of its cloth cover.

Also on display are pictures highlighting features of the Holy Kaaba including its door, lock and the Black Stone.

Visitors of the exhibit also get the chance to learn in detail about the process of making and embellishing the cloth cover of the Holy Kaaba during the 12-day event, which opened on Monday.

Muslims direct towards the Holy Kaaba in their prayers.

Millions of Muslims from across the globe flock to Saudi Arabia around the year to visit and encircle the Kaaba, and pray at the Grand Mosque where Muslims also perform rites of Umrah or lesser pilgrimage.

More than 6 million Muslims performed Umrah during the current season that started in Al Muharram, the first Islamic month, Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khatib has recently said.

The past Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ended on April 20, marked a U-turn in the influx of worshippers to Islam’s holiest site in Mecca, which witnessed large crowds of the faithful, underlining its full recovery from the pandemic-induced fallout.

Saudi authorities described the season as exceptional, citing record numbers of worshippers thronging the Grand Mosque in Ramadan when Umrah usually peaks.

After undertaking Umrah, many Muslims head to Medina to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque and visit Al Rawda Al Sharifa, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is located.