Hajj Pilgrimage: Kaaba and Kiswah explained: What lies inside Islam’s holiest site

As the annual Hajj pilgrimage began on Monday, more than 1.5 million Muslims from around the world gathered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the sacred journey that forms one of the five pillars of Islam.Hajj is a religious obligation that every able Muslim is required to perform at least once in their lifetime. It takes place during the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, beginning on the 8th day and lasting about five to six days depending on the sighting of the moon, according to Islamic Relief Organisation. Once the crescent moon is observed, the four-day festival of Eid al-Adha follows.What is the Kaaba?A central part of the pilgrimage is the Kaaba, located in Masjid al-Haram (the Grand Mosque) in Mecca. Muslims around the world face the Kaaba during their five daily prayers, a direction known as the qibla, unifying more than 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide in a single act of worship.Al Jazeera notes that “the Kaaba, meaning cube in Arabic, is Islam’s holiest site and is at the centre of Masjid al-Haram.” It is believed to have been built by Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael (Ismail) as a house of worship in obedience to God’s command.Islamic tradition holds that Prophet Muhammad cleansed the Kaaba of idols after returning to Mecca in 630 CE, restoring monotheistic worship. Before Islam, it was a site of worship for various Arabian tribes.The structure measures about 13.1 metres in height, 12.8 metres in length and 11.03 metres in width, roughly equivalent to a four-storey building. It has a gold door on its northeastern side, raised about 2 metres above ground level, and its interior contains three wooden pillars, marble flooring, lanterns, and decorative textiles.During Hajj, pilgrims perform tawaf, circling the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times per circuit as an act of worship and unity. Many also try to touch or approach the Black Stone set into one corner of the structure.What is the Kiswah?The Kaaba is covered by the Kiswah, a black silk cloth embroidered with Qur’anic verses and Islamic phrases, including the declaration of faith.Al Jazeera describes it as “the black silk cloth that drapes the Kaaba,” and it is replaced once a year by a specialised team in Mecca.The Kiswah weighs approximately 670kg of silk, along with around 120kg of 24-carat gold thread and 100–120kg of silver thread. It is about 14 metres high and made of 47 stitched panels, produced by more than 240 workers using a multi-stage process involving washing, dyeing, weaving and embroidery.The estimated cost of producing the Kiswah exceeds 25 million Saudi riyals (about $6.6 million) annually. It is embroidered with Qur’anic verses, the Shahada, and inscriptions related to Hajj and the sanctity of the Kaaba.Historically, the Kiswah has been produced in Egypt, Syria, Baghdad and Yemen, reflecting changing Islamic rule and textile traditions. Its colours have also varied over time, including white, green, red and yellow, before black became standard.After replacement, sections of the old Kiswah are preserved, with valuable embroidered portions often donated to museums or official institutions. Other pieces are cut and distributed to government officials, organisations, and foreign embassies accredited in Saudi Arabia, according to Al Jazeera.More than 1.7 million people are taking part in this year’s Hajj, slightly higher than in 2025, despite the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.The festival is usually marked with the slaughter of a sheep, with some of the meat given to the needy.