Hijri 1440 – 2018-2019 CE
The Ghilaaf is made from the finest silk. Whilst the outside has a deep black colour, the fabric also has decorative prints. The silk also has a white lining that lends to the strength of the Ghilaaf
The composition of the cover is in this manner, just as in Arabic engineering, the interweaving have been written repeatedly.
This cover consists of 5 pieces. 4 pieces are designed as per the 4 sides of Kaaba. The 5th piece is especially for the door of the Kaaba. For every new cover there is a new white cloth inserted inside. The complete cloth consists of 47 pieces. Every piece is 14cm in length and 90cm in width. On the upper and lower portion of the cover on the belt, the Quraanic Ayats are embroidered on it
The Ghilaaf is changed every year on the 9th of the Dhul Hijjah so that on the day of Eid-Ul-Adhaa the Kaaba has a new kiswa (Ghilaaf)
The first row reads Ya Allah with two of Allah’s name Ya Hannan on the right side and Ya Mannan on the left side of it
HANNAN means “One who is merciful to His servants” and MANNAN means “One who is tremendous in giving”
In the following row, the core belief of Islam is written i.e.لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
which means “There is no God but Allah (and) Muhammad (PBUH) is messenger of Allah”.
In the last row, Allah is praised as سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ which means
“Allah is free from imperfection and all praise is to Him. Allah is free from imperfection, the Greatest”
Height of the Ghilaaf
14 Metres
Amount of silk used
670Kg
Width of the Ghilaaf on the side of the door
11.68 Metres
Width of the Ghilaaf between the Hajar Aswat and Rukn Yemeni
10:18 Metres
Width of the Ghilaaf on the Hateem side
9.90 Metres
Width of the Ghilaaf between the Rukn Yemeni and Rukn Shaami
12.4 Metres
Width of the Ghilaaf on the Hateem side
658 Metres
This monumental piece of fabric spans an astonishing 658 square metres, meticulously tailored to cover the
entire Holy Kaaba
The Kiswa’s height, at around 14 metres on each side, matches the towering dimensions of the Holy Kaaba, requiring a seamless balance of durability and aesthetic appeal. To achieve this, the silk used is of the
finest quality, dyed in a rich black tone that exudes elegance and solemnity
The silk is treated to achieve a soft, supple texture while retaining the strength to withstand the harsh conditions of the Arabian climate
Given the Holy Kaaba’s stone structure, the Kiswa must be designed to endure physical contact with the surface
Its thickness is calibrated to prevent wear and tear, with a strong cotton backing reinforcing the silk to add stability and resilience
