King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah

النسخة اإلنجليزية Special IssueMakky In the Name of , the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

This issue has been released in cooperation with the General Presidency for the Affairs of the My dear sons and daughters, Grand and the Prophet's Mosque Praise be to Allah who has made the Sacred House a symbol of solidarity and security for mankind, and peace and blessings on the Messenger of Allah -Prophet Mohammad- and on his companions, followers and those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment. Throughout history, there is no other place on Earth that has been sanctified, honored, respected and visited in multitudes as the Holy Ka'bah. This sacred shrine is the beating heart of Islam to which billions of turn toward five times a day in prayer. Over many centuries, kings and princes have competed for the privilege of providing the Kiswah for the Holy Ka'bah. Caring for Islam's most sacred shrine and taking responsibility for covering it Head of the General Presidency for the was considered a sacred duty and an act of piety. In the past, the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the cover of the Ka'bah was made outside Makkah and then sent by Prophet's Mosque ceremonial procession to be draped over the House of Allah. Dr. Abdur-Rahman Abdulaziz As-Sudais This remained the customary practice until the modern Saudi era that has witnessed outstanding achievements and remarkable Deputy Head of the General Presidency transformations in all aspects of life including the manufacturing of for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque the Kiswah. For the first time and after many eras, the covering of Ahmad ibn Mohammad Al-Mansouri the Ka'bah was produced entirely in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. This significant achievement was realized thanks to King Abdulaziz -may General Director of King Abdulaziz Allah bless his soul- who ordered the construction of the first factory Complex for the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah in Makkah dedicated exclusively to the manufacturing of the Kiswah. Hismam ibn Sulaiman Alaa Ed-Din Since then, the wise leadership of the Kingdom of has been bestowing great care and attention to this majestic covering. General Director Assistant of Recently, King Salman ibn Abdulaziz issued a decree to change King Abdulaziz Complex the name of the Kiswah factory to "King Abdulaziz Complex for for the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah". This decree reveals His Majesty's will Kamal ibn Fayrouz Sawadi to immortalize the memory of King Abdulaziz whose pioneering endeavors and valuable contributions to Islam and the Kingdom Public Relations Manager of of Saudi Arabia are of utmost importance. All praise to Allah for King Abdulaziz Complex endowing us with adequate knowledge and skills to realize this for the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah achievement and establish an accomplished production facility for Ra'ed ibn Salah Al-Lehyani the blessed Kiswah. I wish to express my deepest thanks and most sincere prayers to Public Relations Employees of King the Custodian of the Two Holy , His Majesty King Salman Abdulaziz Complex ibn Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Crown Prince, Mohammad ibn Ahmad ibn Husayn Ba'ntar Salman, and His Excellency the Prince of Makkah Region for their Hamza ibn Abdul-Ilah Uyuni great care and keenness to provide the Kiswah factory with all the Ahmad ibn Talal Khayrallah capabilities of modern equipment and technology. I would also like to extend my thanks to all the craftsmen and Sa'ad ibn Ahmad Az-Zahrani artisans who are entrusted with the honor of making the Kiswah, Assaf ibn Saleh Al-Gharibi may Allah reward you for your sincere efforts. Photographers My dear sons and daughters, Bandar ibn Nayef Al-Lehyani Let me invite you to read the story featured in this issue It will take Abdul-Ilah ibn Salem Al-Ahmadi you on a pleasant journey to King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah where you will be introduced to the year-round work Phone: 00966125601168 and the different stages of manufacturing this spectacular black Fax: 00966125601816 covering.

Head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque Dr. Abdur-Rahman Abdulaziz As-Sudais

2 Makky A special issue on King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah dedicated by Makky Magazine, a publication of:

Welcome!

Neighborhood Centers Association Makkah Al Mukarramah Have you seen the Ka'bah before? Have you ever noticed the majestic black cloth embroidered with and silver that is draped over its cubic shape? This black silk covering is called the Kiswah. Every year, a ceremony takes place in which the old covering of the Ka'bah is replaced with a new one. Project of Glorifying the Sacred City * * * * * Have you ever wondered about the Kiswah, my friends? Editor-in-Chief As you might know, the Ka'bah is a huge structure and Dr. Ammar Abdullah Attar accordingly, the weight and size of the cloth wrapped around it is enormous. Content Review This huge black covering is embellished with Quranic Department of Research verses and Islamic designs that are skillfully hand- and Social Studies embroidered in threads of gold and silver. Production Manager Who makes the Kiswah? Where is it produced and what AbdulRahman Talal AbuAlnoor are the different stages of producing it? * * * * * Production To find out the answers to all these questions, my father, my sister and I decided to pay a visit to the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah factory located in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. It was an interesting and amazing trip! Do you want to know more about this trip? Have I [email protected] awakened your curiosity? Would you like to find out more about this great achievement? Read all about it in the coming pages of this issue. Makky

Mailing Address: P.O.Box 57571, Makkah 21955 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Tel: 00966125390101 Fax: 00966125390202 E-mail: [email protected] Whatsapp: 00966555027526

Makky Magazine has been indexed in King Fahad National Library Bib No.: 1428 / 4529 ISSN: 1658 - 3698 - 8

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the owner: Project of Glorifying the Sacred City. Makky Magazine is under no obligation to return any material received for publishing. Makky 3 Story: Tamer Abdul-Hamid Adventures of Makky Illustrator: Khaled Abdul-Aziz The Holy Ka'bah Kiswah

O Allah, forgive me, Family during have mercy on me rituals of Umrah and pardon me

O Allah, help me to remember You and to thank You

O Allah, grant me success in my studies

Let's make Istilam to the Yemeni Corner

The cloth that is covering Ya Allah! Did you know that it is the Ka'bah is beautiful Sunnah to touch the ..without Yemeni corner.. reciting any It is called invocation the Kiswah, Makkiya After the ..with a lot of facts and Tawaf.. details. We will talk about it after finishing the rituals of the Umrah The Kiswah of the Ka'bah is very smooth and soft. What is it made out of, father?

That's a long story.. 4 Makky At home Father, you promised to tell me about the Kiswah of the Ka'bah

Yes, I promised and I always keep my promises

The tradition of covering the Holy Ka'bah dates back to a long time before the First of all, mission of the Prophet you have to realize the sanctity -peace and blessings and exalted status of the Ka'bah in Islam. It is be upon him- the House of Allah and the heart of Islam symbolizing a unifying center of direction to which Muslims face in life and death. Every Muslim turns to Ka'bah in his/her prayers. That is why this sacred shrine Ka'bah has to be sanctified and respected.

King Tubba of the Covering the Ka'bah was was considered to be an the first person to drape the Ka'bah with cloth honor and a privilege; thus people competed with one another to aquire this honor

Coverings were draped No, usually the old Kiswah was not removed over each other until it was completely torn or heavily worn out

Didn't they remove the old cover before putting the new one?

You know what, Makky? I wish I could participate in draping the Kiswah I didn't imagine over the Ka'bah. It must be an amazing thing to do that the story of the Kiswah is so old.. I am sure it is! But you know, I do not think that the Kiswah made in ancient ..and times was as beautiful interesting too as the Kiswah made nowadays Makkiya Makky 5 How come No, not Is it true that in the you know about really! It's just Tomorrow, In Sha'allah, past, the Kiswah used this? Obviously a piece of we will pay a visit to King you have read to be made outside information I Abdulaziz Complex for the a lot about the came across the Hejaz? Kiswah of the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah Holy Ka'bah a long time ago

Yes it is! For a long Hooray, period of time.. hooray!

.. for example, it used to be made in Egypt

I know that you two are eager to learn more about Great! We are going on a the Kiswah. That is why I have a surprise trip to the Kiswah factory! for you

Father, you haven't finish yet! When was the Kiswah manufactured for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? Next King Abdulaziz Complex day.. This happened in for the Holy Ka'bah Kiswah 1346AH when King Abdulaziz -may Allah bless his soul- From that day on, decreed the the Kiswah is building of a manufactured in Makkah factory to produce Al-Mukarramah the Kiswah During the era of King Khalid -may Allah bless his soul- the factory was moved to a new building

Inside the complex Welcome!

Are you two ready for the tour?

Of course!

Recently, the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Salman ibn Abdulaziz, issued a royal decree to change the name of the Kiswah factory to "King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Ready and Ka'bah Kiswah" able! Here we are!

6 Makky The journey of Yes, indeed! This is the making the Kiswah very start of the Kiswah: takes a whole year the silk skeins

A whole year?! It must take lot of hard work and effort masha'Allaah

I am sure it consists of many Silk?! The Kiswah is stages made out of silk?!

That is why it is so soft and smooth

Oh! This is a complete We are provided with Exactly, Makky! However, there are a few water desalination plant! the best types of natural procedures that precede the silk in the world dyeing phase. First, we have Strange! to desalinate water These skeins are white and the Kiswah is always black

This means that the next phase is the dyeing phase

What does water have to do with making the Kiswah?

Most importantly, The groundwater used for As you might the quality of the silk skeins is know, the Kiswah remains soaking and washing the raw tested prior to the dyeing process draped over the Ka'bah for an silk skeins has to be pure entire year. That is why the silk has to be durable and resistant to withstand the rubbing and different weather conditions.

What is the next stage? Where does the silk go?

Makky 7 The silk is soaked and washed in Most of the stages are hot water to remove the layer of natural gum automated to preserve the called sericin covering the raw silk threads durability and strength of the thread

I believe the next phase is the dyeing process, isn't it? Is the entire manufacturing process automated?

No! The entire dyeing process Black is for the Right you are! is fully automated. Moreover, thorough exterior cover and A high-quality dye inspection measures are carried out green for the interior is used to guarantee steadfastness of the cover of the Ka'bah. required colors The complex also produces a cover for Is the silk the Prophet's room in dyed here? Al-Masjid An-Nabawi in Madina

Colors? Isn't the color of the Kiswah black?

This machine After the dyeing process, The dyed silk transfers silk skeins the dyed skeins are sent to the skeins are left into thread cones laboratory to test resilience, to dry before color steadfastness and Yeah! Only, we don't have proceeding to They look just that many cones durability the next stage like my mother's thread cones A laboratory?! Like the one we have at school?!

Definitely it is much bigger Makkiya

8 Makky These thread Next, the automatic weaving cones are arranged side Plain material and patterned by side in the automated loom weaves the material of the material into which invocations to weaving division to be Kiswah. Notice, there are two Allah and the profession of faith are wound a round a special kinds of textile cloth: wheel called a reel woven

In this stage, the printing of the designs and Until now, Now, it's time calligraphy that will embellish the Kiswah is carried all the work Exactly, the for you to learn out. To do the printing, a sheet of cotton fabric is processes about the manual stretched between these two parallel pieces is done by of washing, of strong wood machines dyeing and processes weaving are all automated processes

Then, the plain black silk is attached to the wooden frame to prepare it up for the printing process

Masha'allah! This script is amazing! All the text on the Kiswah After attaching the silk on the are written in the elegant rough cotton fabric, special types of ink Ath-Thuluth style are used to outline the designs on the Kiswah cloth

How are they printed?

Makky 9 Do you know what this is? I didn't know that the inscriptions on the Kiswah What kind of thread is this? are printed It doesn't look like silk thread

This is only a preliminary step I don't think this is thread. It's more like wire

These printed inscriptions are the base for the most important stage that characterizes the Kiswah, the embroidery

Silk, silver and gold-plated silver! Did Yes! I never Well, they are metal you hear that? imagined that threads made of pure making the silver or gold-plated Kiswah would silver. They are used to be such a embroider the designs complicated and calligraphy on the and majestic Kiswah process

These verses Verses and designs are placed and designs are on the door's cover of the Ka'bah and the middle embroidered with part cover of it called Hizam (belt), in addition to yellow cotton thread the other parts of the Ka'bah for the patterns that will be embellished with golden threads..

..and with white cotton thread for the patterns that will be embellished with silver threads

The spectacular embroidery work is done by skilled and devoted craftsmen

10 Makky They realize the Oh Allah! It is an immense effort significance of their work and the great honor The Kiswah is composed of bestowed upon them many pieces

That's right! The Ka'bah belt is made out of 16 pieces and 7 other pieces below the belt

12 lantern-shaped ..and another 4 square embroidered embroidered border for medallions under the belt the Yemeni corner which panels known as Samadiyyat An embroidered is also embellished with and 5 lantern-shaped are placed at the four corners border for the a golden line medallions above the of the Ka'bah which contain the .. Black Stone verses of Surah Al-Ikhlas

The Mizab of the Ka'bah is also embellished with golden borders

It is a unique How are the different parts masterpiece assembled together? It also attaches the embroidered parts of the Ka'bah belt and the This large sewing machine lantern-shaped medallions connects the different parts of the Kiswah together It is very huge! Masha'allah!

So is this the last stage of making the Kiswah?

Looks like you two had Yes, indeed! an interesting tour We have learned a lot No, not quite! of new things Sir, thank you very The work much for this amazing continues until tour inside the Kiswah the Kiswah factory. We really changing appreciate it ceremony is held Makky 11 After Ladies and gentlemen, Of course! The Kiswah is delivered some you are watching a live broadcast of the annual from the factory in five separate parts, in addition time ceremony of delivering the new Kiswah to the to the door's cover of Ka'bah keeper of Ka'bah key (Sadin) which is held on the first day of Dhu al-Hijjah Would you like to attend Makky, do you the ceremony remember the of replacing the last stage of the Kiswah? Kiswah?

It's a good opportunity since we are not going to perform this year

Of course, I agree! Impressive! The ceremony will take We still remember place on the 9th day of Dhu everything they al-Hijjah, the day of Arafat, told us in our tour because they separate pieces of the old Kiswah the at the Kiswah day before Factory

The ceremony of replacing the Kiswah begins The old Kiswah is removed The new Kiswah is lifted The door's cover of Ka'bah is installed

The parts are tied together

Oh Allah, increase the honour, greatness, dignity Amen! and awe of this House

12 Makky Amen! The End My Little Scientific Encyclopedia The Kiswah of the Ka'bah Facts and Numbers

In the past, the Kiswah was made outside Makkah. In 1346, King Abdulaziz Al Saud ordered the establishment of a factory in Makkah to manufacture the Kiswah. 800 Kilograms of pure silk are used to make the Kiswah.

120 Kilograms of gold-plated silver threads are used in embroidering the Kiswah

100 Kilograms of pure silver threads are used in embroidering the Kiswah

The number of threads used in one meter 10000 threads Did you know that the Ka'bah is not a geometrical cube which means that its four sides have different dimensions? The total weight of the The door of Ibrahim side is 12.15m in length, the side of Al-Hijr is 10.3m in length, the side of Al-Multazam is 11.82m Kiswah is approximately in length and the side between the two corners is 10.29m in length. The height of the Ka'bah is 14m.

The ceremony to replace the Kiswah takes place 1300 Kilograms annually on the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah Makky 13 It's Puzzle Time!

Prepared & illustrated by: Hany Saleh

We gave each embroidered shape a value. Use these values to solve the math problems shown below. Then, rearrange the letters to figure out the coded word.

1 1

7 5 3

The letters are: ...... ،...... ، ...... ، ...... The coded word is:

......

Do you know the different stages of manufacturing the Kiswah? Match each picture with the process name.

1 Printing 2 Weaving 3 Desalination 4 Silk manufacturing 2 5 Assembling the Kiswah sections 6 Embroidering

14 Makky Can you help this Haj find his way to the Holy Ka'bah? 3

1

2

3

4 Match each part of the Ka'bah with its name

1- The Black Stone

2- The Ka'bah Door

3- Al-Mizab

4- Al-Hijr

5- Ibrahim

6- The Yemeni Corner

7- The door's cover of Ka'bah

Makky 15 نسخة للمراجعة - غير مخصصة للتداول والنشر Come on,on, letlet's's colorcolor