Badea Abu Al-Naja

Saudi Gazette

MAKKAH — The Kaaba Kiswa factory has opened its doors to visitors during the fasting month of Ramadan who want to see the various stages of manufacturing the rich cloth covering the holy building that stands in the center of the Grand Mosque.



They will also be able to learn about the factory’s heritage.



The general manager of the factory, Mohammad Bajoudah, pointed out a number of craftsmen have been entrusted with working on the kiswa to remove dust and any other impurities in a special way.



The full maintenance also include cleaning and polishing all golden areas of kiswa and carrying out any necessary sewing and mending.



Bajoudah explained that during Ramadan, another piece of the kiswa is sewed around the Kaaba to guard against expected pressure that may damage the cloth.



He pointed out visitors are received by 134 employees of the factory, of whom two are retirees and seven are temporary employees, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.



He added that the number of visitors average 100 a day and they are welcomed and provided with gifts and booklets.



He said that it is important to make an appointment to visit the factory and that visitors should be educated not to ask for silk yarn for blessings. The factory was established through a royal decree issued by King Abdul Aziz in 1927 in Al-Ajyad area of Makkah.



King Faisal ordered the establishment of the current factory, located in the Um Al-Joud area, a suburb of Makkah, but it was inaugurated in 1977 during the era of King Khalid.



This new factory incorporates departments devoted to various operations involved in the manufacture of the Kiswa, including dyeing and weaving the silk, embroidering the inscriptions with which the Kiswa is adorned, and putting together the different sections of the Kiswa.



About 200 artisans combine their talents to manufacture the Kiswa, in addition to the factory’s administrative staff, which was placed under the supervision of the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques in 1993.



About 670 kg of pure silk is required to weave the Kiswa, which is then dyed black.



The thickness of the silk cloth should be 1.37 mm, and it is lined on the inside by strong white cotton cloth.



Various inscriptions are woven into the fabric of the Kiswa in black in a manner that they encompass its complete surface.



Verses from the Holy Qur’an and expressions mentioning the date of the Kiswa are also woven onto it with gold thread.