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The Kiswa (The Majestic curtain of holy Kaba)

The Kaaba in Makkah is the centre of Islamic world. Literally Kaba means a place to be treated with respect and may also be a derivative of a world meaning cube. It is a Place of worship which Allah commanded Ibrahim and Ishmael to renovate four hundred years ago. Al-Bait Al-Ateeq another name of the Kaba, which means the “The ancient house” is visited by muslims from all over the world for the annual pilgrimage known as Haj, One of the five pillars of Islam. It is because the significance of Kaba that great importance is given to majestic curtain which covers it. The curtain is known as Kiswa. The Kiswa has come from the different places since the Kaba was built. The color of Kiswa kept changing during the reigns of different caliphs and rulers. In earlier days Kiswa was changed on the 10th of Muharram but slowly it was shifted to the 10th of Dhul-Hijja which coincides with Haj. The Kiswa is in three parts.The "Sitar" (curtain) of the Kaba door, the inner lining curtain inside the Kaba and the"Hizam" (the belt) of the Kaba. The Kiswa is made in three stages. After the cover is design by well known artists, it is coloured.Intricate work includes the design of decoration .the imbroided inscriptions on the belt and Kaba door curtain, and the decorations on the jacquard cloth for the outer and inner cover. Next come the printing ad dyeing stages. The Kiswa is later woven And embroidered. Silveer and golden threads are used for embroidery. Kiswa is covered with richly embroidered Quranic verses, leaving an opening for the black stone. The unique embroidery is achieved in several stages. The embroidery is then covered with gold plated silver threads which Protrude two centimetres above the cloth. The Kiswa is made of approximately 670 kgof pure white silk and 150 kg of gold and silver. It cost is more than Rs. 17 million and considered one of the most exquisite works of Islamic art. It is manufactured at the factory Of Kiswa at Ummal-Joud a suburb of Makkah more than140 employees work in the factory. Skilled craftsman use a combination of the latest technology, ancient looms and artistic calligraphyto produce a work of exotic beauty. Usually the new cloth is to be ready before two month before Hajj. Before placing the new dress, the old Kiswa is cut into pieces and presented to the leaders of Muslim countries, diplomats and major institutions around the world. One such piece was presented to the United Nations. SUBHANALLAH