Category

Islam

Time Period

20th century CE

Size

166.2 × 62.5 × 0.9 cm

Material

Cotton and silk

Pilgrimage to Mecca, the holy city, is one of the five pillars of Islam central to the Muslim faith; it is an obligation for all able adult Muslims to complete the Hajj at least once within their lifetime. The center of the holy city is the Ka'ba located in the Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram). The entire Ka'ba is covered with a black satin curtain (Kiswa). Every year during the Hajj season, the Saudi royal family performs the process of cleaning and replacing the Kiswa. The Kiswa in our museum collection is a gift from the Muslim World League. The Quranic verse (20:82) embroidered with gold thread can be translated as: God says, I am truly Most Forgiving to whoever repents, believes, and does good, then persists on the guidance.

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