Tag Archives: Muharram

That happens, even to me. Sometimes I learn something new. Yesterday it was through a story in the Al Arabiya (at https://english.alarabiya.net/News/saudi-arabia/2025/06/26/on-islamic-new-year-saudi-arabia-unveils-new-goldembroidered-kiswa-for-kaaba) where we are given ‘On Islamic New Year, Saudi Arabia unveils new gold-embroidered Kiswa for Kaaba’ with the byline “Made from 670 kg of silk and 150 kg of gold and silver threads, the new cloth is installed in a centuries-old tradition as fragments of the old Kiswa are gifted to world leaders and preserved in archives” it gives us “Saudi Arabia unveiled the new Kiswa, the black and gold cloth that covers the Kaaba in Mecca, on the first day of the Islamic New Year in a sacred tradition that dates back to the Prophet Mohammed.” As such this is a tradition that goes back a long time. I reckon that the event has been in place for over 1390 years and this is the first I hear of this? I know I had my mind on other things during primary school, but I was not that asleep and even after that I do not remember being told this, as such I reckon that many in the west didn’t know this. So not only were we told lies in school that the crusaders were there to fight of the saracens as they invaded to lands of Christ, now I learn that we were withheld a lot more than that? And there is a rather large setting. Consider the byline telling us “fragments of the old Kiswa are gifted to world leaders”, as such did no world leader in the west ever get this? I would imagine that Queen Elisabeth II got one, optionally Queen Juliana and/or Queen Beatrix as well. But I never heard this. So who is this event silenced? Consider that the new kiswa “The new Kiswa is made of 670 kilograms of natural black silk and 150 kilograms of gold and silver-plated thread. It features 68 Quranic verses embroidered with 24-karat gold-plated silver, all hand-stitched by skilled artisans using traditional Islamic embroidery techniques.” And I reckon that this should be shown in every newspaper on the planet, no matter if we are Christian, Buddhist  or Hindu. This is an important world event and we aren’t told this. So, when was the last time that you were intentionally kept n the dark? I get that it might not make front page news in places like Munich, Rotterdam or London. But no mention at all? I reckon that if the internet has one job, it would be to inform the people. In addition we are given “It is produced annually at the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Manufacturing of the Kaaba’s Kiswa in Mecca, and its estimated cost is approximately $4.5 million (SAR 17 million).” I would state that the need for a YouTube video on this process is seemingly long overdue (that is if there is no taboo against filming the event. Not all religious tainted event welcome filmmakers. When in doubt, try to find film on the Vatican library (just saying).

And that part is now shown with “The Kiswa is replaced every year on the first day of Muharram – which falls on Thursday in the lunar calendar – in a carefully coordinated operation involving over a hundred specialized technicians. The installation is carried out using electric lifts and scaffolding to ensure that no part of the Kaaba is exposed at any time.” OK, I get that until the new year this is not shown, but after the new year. Could it be shown then? And we conclude this lesson with “To protect the Kiswa from damage during the Hajj pilgrimage, a white cotton covering known as the “Ihram of the Kaaba” is temporarily added to its lower portion. This barrier shields the cloth from being touched, torn, or stained as millions of pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba during the peak days of worship.” OK, I get that, but all of this is new to me and I reckon new to a lot of non-Muslims. So why were kept in the dark? It might be a Muslim thing, but as I see the news in Al Arabiya, I doubt there was a religious reason to keep us in the dark and this has been going on for over a thousand years (plus more then 300 years in change). 

So, if my calculus is correct, every side gets cut into 14 pieces, which makes it one massive piece each. With the caption that the photograph has “The Kaaba’s Kiswa is replaced in an intricate ceremony.” I am merely given additional questions. None of this was known to me. I feel no guilt as I am not Muslim, but these elements give us a clear showing that the media is double guilty. To leave the people out of such an event is clearly the most near criminal event I have ever been a non-witness to. Even if people could not go to Mecca (non-Muslims are not allowed there). Is it so strange that no TV channel has muslims that could do this? The event is near boggling of unbridled proportions. 

As such I feel I learned two lessons. The first of the event of replacing the kiswa, the second of the discriminating media of avoiding this event and my logic is sound. Because if no media was allowed, Al Arabiya wouldn’t have covered this either.

Have a great day.