In preparation for Hajj 2024, authorities in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, have raised the Kiswa, or Ghilaf-e-Kaaba, the cloth that covers the Holy Kaaba.
This annual tradition involves lifting the Kiswa by three meters and covering the lower part with a white cotton cloth (Ihram) that is two meters wide on all four sides. This practice is intended to protect the Kaaba from damage during the Hajj season.
Traditionally, the process of changing the Kiswa occurs on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. However, in 2022, the timing was adjusted to the first day of Muharram.
The Kiswa is black and composed of 670 kilograms of raw silk, with Quranic verses intricately woven in gold-plated thread. These verses are created using 120 kilograms of gold and 100 kilograms of silver threads. The belt of the Kiswa, which encircles the Kaaba, is made up of six pieces.