Ghilaf-e-Kaaba changing ceremony held at Masjid al-Haram
- By Sheeraz Soomro -
- Jun 16, 2026
The annual ceremony to change the Ghilaf-e-Kaaba (Kiswah) held at the Grand Mosque of Makkah (Masjid-Al-Haram) in Saudi Arabia.
The new Ghilaf has been prepared at a cost of seven million Saudi Riyal. Six hundred seventy kilogram pure silk, 120 kilogram gold and one hundred kilogram silver have been used in it.
What is the Kiswah?
The term Kiswah in Arabic means clothing made for covering the body, but it is also used as a term for the silk covering of the Kaaba. It is made of high-quality black velvet backed by a heavy-duty lining.
The covering of the Kaaba is made of 47 pieces of natural silk, each 98 cm by 14 metres. The outer layer of the Kiswa consists of 670 kg of pure silk. The lining on the inside is a strong cotton lining, which helps keep the silk on top.
Read more: Ghilaf-e-Kaaba changed as pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat
A golden thread adorns the black silk, inscribed with Quranic verses and phrases such as “There is no god but Allah” and “Glory be to Allah.”
The Kiswah also has a portion of the strap that wraps around to hold it in place. Measuring 46 meters in length and 95 cm in width, it is made of 16 pieces and is also embroidered with Quranic verses.