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What's inside the Kaaba and what covers it? The story of the Kiswah
The first day of Hajj has begun, with more than 1.5 million Muslims from around the world making the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia – a once-in-a-lifetime journey for many.As part of the five-day rituals, pilgrims visit the Kaaba, encircling it counterclockwise several times.The Kaaba is draped in a black cloth called the Kiswah, which is embroidered in gold with Arabic Quranic verses.In this visual explainer, Al Jazeera breaks down 10 things to know about the Kaaba, its interior and its covering.1. What is the Kaaba?The Kaaba, meaning cube in Arabic, is Islam’s holiest site and is at the centre of Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque in Mecca.Muslims around the world face towards it during their five daily prayers, a direction known as the qibla, unifying more than a billion people in a single act of worship, regardless of where they are worldwide.The Kaaba measures 13.1m (43 feet) high, 12.8m (42ft) long and 11.03m (36ft) wide.(Al Jazeera)2. What is the history of the Kaaba?Muslims believe the Kaaba was originally built by the Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Prophet Ishmael (Ismail) as a house of worship, in direct obedience to God’s command.The Kaaba is referenced multiple times throughout the Quran, Islam’s holy book, including the moment Ibrahim and Ismail raised its foundations.Before Islam, the Kaaba was a site of worship for various Arabian tribes. That changed when Prophet Muhammad, who had migrated to Medina with his followers eight years earlier, returned to Mecca around 630 CE, cleansing the Kaaba of its idols and restoring it to a place of monotheistic worship.Mecca annually attracts more than 20 million Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. The images below offer a glimpse into how that journey has looked throughout history.3. What is inside the Kaaba?The Kaaba features a gold door on its northeastern side, standing more than two metres (six and a half feet) above the ground. Containing 280kg (617 pounds) of pure gold, it measures three point one metres (10 feet) in height and 1.9m (six feet) in width.The door is typically opened twice a year for a ceremonial washing of the interior.Muslim pilgrims touch the golden door of the Kaaba, as they pray ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 17, 2018 [Dar Yasin/AP Photo]The Kaaba’s interior is modest, with three wooden pillars supporting the roof and a staircase leading to the roof.Marble lines the floors and walls while lanterns hang from the ce...
What's inside the Kaaba and what covers it? The story of the Kiswah
What’s inside the Kaaba and what covers it? The story of the Kiswah News
Kiswah of the Kaaba: How Mecca's sacred cloth is woven with gold, silk ...
Kiswah of the Kaaba: How Mecca's sacred cloth is woven with gold, silk and centuries of tradition As dawn breaks on the 9th of Zulhijah in the holy city of Mecca, the eyes of Muslims around the world turn not only to the peak of the Haj pilgrimage, but also to a centuries-old tradition steeped in symbolism, the changing of the Kiswah, the black cloth that envelops the Kaaba.
Adorning the Hajj: Mahmal and Kiswa. Part 2. Robing the Kaaba as ...
• The Samadiyya or Kardashiyya, smaller embroidered panels, placed over the Kiswa at on the corners of the Kaaba. • A tall hanging or curtain over the Kaaba's single entrance, the Golden Door. Called the Sitara, Burdah or Burqu, it is the most elaborately designed element of the Kiswah al Kabah.
