Rare Facts About the Kaaba's Kiswah That Not Many Know

The Kiswah, the black cloth with golden calligraphy that covers the Kaaba, isn't just a covering for the sacred building-it's a masterpiece of Islamic art and history. Made from around 670 kg of natural silk and adorned with 120 kg of 24-karat gold thread plus silver thread, its production involves over 240 skilled workers at the King Abdulaziz Complex in Mecca, with costs reaching more than 25 million Saudi riyals, or about 100 billion rupiah. History notes that the Kiswah's color hasn't always been black; it was once white, green, yellow, even red before black became the signature look since the Abbasid era. One special part is the calligraphy belt (hizam), stretching 47 meters long and 95 cm wide, along with the Kaaba door curtain (sitarah), which has the most luxurious ornaments. The Kiswah is replaced every year just before the Day of Arafah through a special procession. The old Kiswah isn't thrown away but conserved; the highly valuable parts are kept or distributed to museums and official institutions in various countries, making it a symbol of unity and spiritual heritage for Muslims. https://mozaik.inilah.com/ibrah/inilah-deretan-fakta-langka-kiswah-kabah-belum-banyak-diketahui-umat