Holy Kaaba Receives New Kiswa as Islamic New Year Begins in Saudi Arabia

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia marked the beginning of the new Islamic year with the ceremonial replacement of the Holy Kaaba’s Kiswa (the black silk covering) at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
A spiritually uplifting ceremony was held at Masjid al-Haram, where the new Kiswa was installed after being transported from the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa (Kiswa Factory).
Around 250 specialists from the Kiswa Factory, along with workers from the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, participated in the replacement process. The operation was completed in approximately four hours, while pilgrims and worshippers continued their prayers and Tawaf as usual.
Since 2022, the annual replacement of the Kiswa has been carried out on the first day of the Islamic New Year.
Previously, the Kiswa was traditionally changed on the morning of 9 Dhul-Hijjah during the Hajj season, after pilgrims had departed for the plains of Arafat, when the number of visitors in the Grand Mosque was at its lowest.
The replacement ceremony once again presented breathtaking and emotional scenes, highlighting the reverence and significance of one of Islam’s most sacred traditions.