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Ka'bah also called the Baitullah (House of Allah), is situated in the center of Masjid Al Haraam, covered with the black cloth having verses of Holy Quran woven with yellow gold mixed thread. The cloth of Ka'bah is also called Kiswah. Why is Ka'bah covered with black cloth? There is not any rule in verses of The Holy Quran which says to cover Ka'bah with black cloth. It has been a practice from many centuries to cover Ka'bah with black cloth and each year this Kiswah/ Ghilaf/ Black covering is replaced with a new one in the days of Hajj. Read list of places to visit for ziarat in Makkah.

 

Where is the Black cloth of Ka’bah Prepared?

It is said that Ka'bah was covered with Kiswah (Ghilaf) first time in 7th century. In the era of Ayyubids, Mamluks and Ottoman kings, the black cloth of Ka'bah was manufactured in Egypt and transported to Saudi Arabia. This practice continued until 1927. After it, Black cloth of Ka'bah is prepared in Saudi Arabia.
 
Kiswah is a silky black cloth that is set on Ka'bah as a covering. Each year on 9th of Zil Hajj when almost all people go for Hajj and the Grand Mosque is almost empty, 160 artisans and technicians replace the older black cloth of Ka'bah with the new one.

 

Old Covering of Ka’bah:

The old black covering of Ka'bah is either preserved in parts in the museums or it is cut into parts and distributed as gifts in the artisans or other officials. The Ka'bah Kiswah is black from outside and is white from the inner side. The overall cladding of the black cloth of Ka'bah is 670kg raw silk, 120kg of gold threads and 100kg of silver threads.
 
Many hardworking Saudi craftsmen prepare the Ka'bah cloth in a factory of Makkah who weave Ghilaf of Ka'bah with silk and cotton threads along with setting each and everything diligently and deep concentration. Why Ka'bah Kiswah is black? Well, there is no special reason for this.
 
Ka'bah Kiswah has 3 colours mainly, it is black from the outside part, white from inside and yellow where the Ka'bah's door is located. The yellow colour is also of shining gold and silver threads which are used on the verses of Holy Quran woven on the Ka'bah to make them visible.

 

Ghilaf/ Covering of Ka’bah, and the Importance of Ka’bah:

Hijr-e-Aswad also has a completely black colour. Ka'bah black covering has been modified to some extent in a couple of previous centuries. If you see the picture of Ka'bah black cloth in Ottoman rule, it would look somewhat different from the present look. Get best Umrah packages and deals here.
 
For Muslims, it doesn't matter what colour of Ka'bah or Ka'bah covering is, they are devoted to this sacred place because of its superiority. Ka'bah is of great importance, and Qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims, along with it, various traditions and Islamic practices are connected with Ka'bah. This is the reason Muslims decorate Ka'bah from love and devotion with silk cloth having gold and silver mixed woven verses of Sacred book of Islam, The Holy Quran.
 
 
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