The Qandeel Kiswa refers to the lamp-shaped embroidered motifs that appear on sections of the Kaaba’s covering. The word Qandeel (قنديل) means “lamp” or “lantern,” and the design is inspired by the Qur’anic imagery of light, most notably the verse: “Allāhu nūru as-samāwāti wal-arḍ” (Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth, Qur’an 24:35)
Their placement on the Kiswa, including the lamp-shaped (Qandeel) panels, reflects themes of divine life, sustaining power, and eternal light — concepts closely connected to the sanctity of the Kaaba as the spiritual focal point of Tawaf and worship. The repetition of “Yā Ḥayyu Yā Qayyūm” across multiple sections of the Holy cover follows a long Islamic artistic tradition in which key divine names are repeated for emphasis, devotion, and visual harmony within the overall calligraphic design
Historically, actual lamps were suspended inside the Holy Kaaba from its ceiling beams, particularly in the pre-modern and Ottoman periods, before modern lighting systems replaced them. The embroidered lamp motif reflects this long-standing tradition and symbolises divine light. These Qandeel panels are made from black silk—the same high-quality silk used for the external Kiswa—and are embroidered with silver thread plated in gold at the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Kiswa in Makkah
Qur’anic Verses
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ – Al-ḥamdu liLlāhi Rabbil-ʿĀlamīn – (Surah al-Fātiḥah 1:2)
ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ – Allāhu Nūru as-Samāwāti wal-Arḍ – (Surah al-Nūr 24:35 – opening phrase of Āyat an-Nūr)
Common Devotional Inscriptions (Asma’ al-Ḥusnā & Takbīr)
يَا رَحْمَٰنُ – Yā Raḥmān
يَا رَحِيمُ – Yā Raḥīm
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ – Yā Ḥayy Yā Qayyūm
ٱللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ – Allāhu Akbar –
Some pieces also include the name of the calligrapher or supervising official as part of the production record. The number and exact arrangement of Qandeel motifs can vary depending on the design of the Kiswa in a given year
