Pre-Islamic Origins
According to Islamic tradition, the Ka’ba was clothed even before the Prophet’s time. The Yemeni king Tubba’ Abu Karib (believed to have been a Muslim monotheist before Islam) is credited with being among the first to drape the Ka’ba with cloth. The practice of covering it continued in various forms through the Jahiliyya period, when different tribes maintained the honor of providing cloth.
After the Conquest of Mecca (8 AH), the Prophet confirmed the practice — reportedly covering the Ka’ba with Yemeni cloth and later with Egyptian cloth. The key role of providing the kiswah shifted among the rulers of Mecca’s overlords over the centuries: Yemeni rulers, then Abbasid Caliphs, then Fatimid Imams (who notably changed the color to white for a period), then Egyptian Mamluk sultans, then Ottoman Caliphs.
The Fatimid Kiswah — A Bohra Heritage Connection
During the Fatimid Caliphate (969-1171 CE), the Ismaili Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt held custodianship of the Two Holy Sanctuaries. The Fatimid Imams periodically sent kiswahs to both the Ka’ba and the Prophet’s Rawda — the kiswah was part of the Imam’s expression of responsibility for the spiritual centers of Islam.
There is also recorded a Fatimid-era practice of sending the mahmal (a decorated litter symbolizing royal patronage of the Hajj caravan) along with the kiswah. The Da’i al-Mutlaq tradition in the Bohra community carries this heritage — the Da’i’s connection to the sacred places of the Ahl al-Bayt (including Mecca and Medina) is a living dimension of the historical Fatimid stewardship.
The Current Kiswah — Production and Design
Material: Pure silk, dyed black. The cotton foundation is tested, then the silk cloth is woven.
Gold calligraphy: Gold and silver thread is used to embroider Quranic verses and the kalima across the cloth in the distinctive interlocking style. The embroidered panels include: Bismillah, Surah al-Ikhlas, Surah al-Baqara 2:144 (“So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram”), the shahada.
The Hizam: A gold band (hizam) runs around the Ka’ba approximately one-third of the way up, inscribed with Quranic verses in raised gold Arabic calligraphy.
Annual renewal: On 9th Dhu al-Hijja (Day of ‘Arafah), the old kiswah is removed and the new one is put on. Pieces of the old kiswah are considered baraka-laden and have historically been distributed to dignitaries or sold; smaller pieces find their way to museums and private collections worldwide.
The Spiritual Dimension
The kiswah is a visual expression of the concept of tawqir — reverence and honor for the sacred. Pilgrims who encounter the Ka’ba describe the effect of the black cloth as intensifying its presence — the darkness absorbs surrounding distractions and focuses attention on the structure itself. Touching the kiswah and the walls of the Ka’ba is a traditional practice of tawassul — seeking closeness and blessing through proximity to the sacred object.
See also: Masjid Al Haram, Ihram, Tawaf, Saee, Barakah