Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Deputy Emir of Makkah and Deputy Chairman of the Central Hajj Committee Prince Saud bin Mishal handed over the kiswa (black cover) of the Holy Kaaba to its deputy senior keeper Abdul Malik Al-Shaibi on Tuesday.

The kiswa handover and receipt minutes were signed by Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and Abdul Malik Al-Shaibi, deputy senior keeper of the Kaaba. This is in preparation for the replacement of Kaaba’s kiswa with a new one on the first day of Muharram 1446.

The kiswa is made of special natural silk that is dyed black and manufactured by King Abdulaziz Complex For Holy Kaaba Kiswa, which is located at Umm Al-Jude neighborhood in Makkah. The height of kiswa is 14 meters, and in the upper third of it there is a belt with 95 centimeters wide and 47 meters long, consisting of 16 pieces surrounded by a square of Islamic decoration.

The kiswa consists of four pieces of cloth, each piece covering one side of the holy Kaaba, and the 5th piece is the curtain that is placed on the door of the Holy Kaaba and its manufacture passes through several phases.