• In Makkah, the customary changing of the kiswah, the covering of the Kaaba at the heart of the Grand Mosque that has become familiar to millions of pilgrims, takes place. All photos SPA
    In Makkah, the customary changing of the kiswah, the covering of the Kaaba at the heart of the Grand Mosque that has become familiar to millions of pilgrims, takes place. All photos SPA
  • The responsibility for the renewal of the embroidered kiswah belongs to Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. Tradition has it that the old kiswah is taken down, cut up and parts are gifted to people and organisations.
    The responsibility for the renewal of the embroidered kiswah belongs to Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. Tradition has it that the old kiswah is taken down, cut up and parts are gifted to people and organisations.
  • The work is done under the supervision of Sheikh Abdulrahman Al Sudais and carried out by a team from the King Abdulaziz Complex.
    The work is done under the supervision of Sheikh Abdulrahman Al Sudais and carried out by a team from the King Abdulaziz Complex.
  • The creation of a kiswah each year involves more than 200 specialist fabric workers and hundreds of kilograms of black silk. Gold thread adorns the black silk, spelling out Quranic passages as well as phrases such as 'no god but Allah', and 'glory to God'.
    The creation of a kiswah each year involves more than 200 specialist fabric workers and hundreds of kilograms of black silk. Gold thread adorns the black silk, spelling out Quranic passages as well as phrases such as 'no god but Allah', and 'glory to God'.

Covering of Kaaba changed to mark Islamic New Year


  • English
  • Arabic

The covering of the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah was changed on Saturday morning to mark the Islamic New Year.

The kiswah was usually changed each year on the ninth or 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, but was moved to the first day of Muharram this year.

Sheikh Abdulrahman Al Sudais, General President of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, said last month that the change of date was based on a royal decision.

The new kiswah was installed by a team of about 200 specialised workers and officials, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ornate black covering was made of about 850 kilograms of black raw silk, 120kg of gold wire and 100kg of silver wire, SPA said.

Replacing the kiswah is done separately for each side of the Kaaba, the square stone structure in the centre of the Grand Mosque that millions of pilgrims walk around as part of the Hajj rituals. The covering for each side is raised to the top of the Kaaba and unfurled over the old covering, which is then loosened and lowered.

After the old kiswah is removed it is cut into small pieces that are given out to selected people and organisations.

Since 1962, the kiswah has been produced at the Kiswah Al Kaaba factory in Makkah, owned and run by the Saudi Arabian government.

The factory takes a whole year to produce the covering, of which six to eight months is taken up by the embroidery.

The creation of a kiswah involves more than 200 specialist fabric workers. It comprises 47 pieces of natural silk, each 98 centimetres by 14 metres. The silk is given an inner lining of strong cotton to protect it.

Gold thread adorns the black silk, spelling out Quranic passages as well as phrases such as “no God but Allah”, and “glory to God” in the Al Thuluth style of calligraphy.

The kiswah is heavily perfumed with oud before being installed.

  • The official ceremony to raise the kiswah, the black silk curtain that is draped over the Kaaba, began on Sunday. All photos: @ReasahAlharmain via Twitter
    The official ceremony to raise the kiswah, the black silk curtain that is draped over the Kaaba, began on Sunday. All photos: @ReasahAlharmain via Twitter
  • The ceremony symbolises the start of the pilgrimage season.
    The ceremony symbolises the start of the pilgrimage season.
  • The silk curtain is 14 metres high and 47 metres in length.
    The silk curtain is 14 metres high and 47 metres in length.
  • It is raised by three metres to avoid potential damage caused by pilgrims who touch or hold on to it during the Tawaf, the circuits of the Kaaba.
    It is raised by three metres to avoid potential damage caused by pilgrims who touch or hold on to it during the Tawaf, the circuits of the Kaaba.
  • The kiswah is made from 670 kilograms of raw silk, with verses from the Quran woven in gold thread.
    The kiswah is made from 670 kilograms of raw silk, with verses from the Quran woven in gold thread.
  • The verses are woven using 120kg of gold and 100kg of silver thread.
    The verses are woven using 120kg of gold and 100kg of silver thread.
  • The kiswah is replaced every year during Hajj, after the pilgrims go to Mount Arafat.
    The kiswah is replaced every year during Hajj, after the pilgrims go to Mount Arafat.
  • The creation of a new kiswah involves more than 200 specialist fabric workers, as well as the hundreds of kilograms of black silk.
    The creation of a new kiswah involves more than 200 specialist fabric workers, as well as the hundreds of kilograms of black silk.
  • It is affixed to the stone by copper rings at the foot of the marble base.
    It is affixed to the stone by copper rings at the foot of the marble base.
  • The embroidered curtain was put on the Kaaba gate for the first time between 1300 and 1396.
    The embroidered curtain was put on the Kaaba gate for the first time between 1300 and 1396.
  • Pilgrims have begun to gather in Makkah in preparation of the start of Hajj next month.
    Pilgrims have begun to gather in Makkah in preparation of the start of Hajj next month.
The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass

Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)

Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm

Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km

Day 1 results:

Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)

Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)

Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla

Verdict:  Three stars 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Director: Venkat Prabhu
Rating: 2/5
The chef's advice

Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.

“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”

Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.

The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica

Best Agent: Jorge Mendes

Best Club : Liverpool   

 Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)  

 Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

 Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

 Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

 Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player:  Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

 Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

 Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)

 Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
  • Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
  • Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
  • The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
  • Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
  • It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
  • Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
  • Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 6 Huddersfield Town 1
Man City: Agüero (25', 35', 75'), Jesus (31'), Silva (48'), Kongolo (84' og)
Huddersfield: Stankovic (43')

Scores

Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand

%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

RoboCop%3A%20Rogue%20City
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETeyon%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENacon%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20PC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
LEADERBOARD
%3Cp%3E-19%20T%20Fleetwood%20(Eng)%3B%20-18%20R%20McIlroy%20(NI)%2C%20T%20Lawrence%20(SA)%3B%20-16%20J%20Smith%3B%20-15%20F%20Molinari%20(Ita)%3B%20-14%20Z%20Lombard%20(SA)%2C%20S%20Crocker%20(US)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESelected%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E-11%20A%20Meronk%20(Pol)%3B%20-10%20E%20Ferguson%20(Sco)%3B%20-8%20R%20Fox%20(NZ)%20-7%20L%20Donald%20(Eng)%3B%20-5%20T%20McKibbin%20(NI)%2C%20N%20Hoejgaard%20(Den)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

What went into the film

25 visual effects (VFX) studios

2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots

1,000 VFX artists

3,000 technicians

10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers

New sound technology, named 4D SRL

 

SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E268hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E380Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh208%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gulf Men's League final

Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Updated: July 30, 2022, 7:37 AM