Kaaba covering renewed in Mecca at start of Muharram

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The covering of the Kaaba in Mecca was replaced on the 1st of Muharram, the first day of the Islamic Hijri year, in an annual ceremony at the Grand Mosque. Workers removed the existing cloth and fitted new panels in sequence. The new covering, known as the Kiswah, was produced at the King Abdulaziz Kiswah Production Complex in Jeddah. It is woven entirely from natural silk, with gold and silver thread used in the ornamentation. Production began several months in advance under strict quality and craftsmanship standards. Before the replacement, the gold-plated and embroidered corner pieces on the four sides of the Kaaba were removed individually, after which the new cloth panels were installed in alignment. Saudi authorities have described the maintenance of the Kaaba and the Grand Mosque, including the annual replacement of the covering, as part of the kingdom's care of the holy sites. At dawn on the first day of Muharram, the Kaaba stood in its new covering, marking the start of the new Hijri year.