Women Take Part in Changing of Kaaba’s Kiswa in Saudi for First Time in History

Mecca, MINA – Women have taken part in the replacing of the Kaaba’s kiswa (cloth) for the first known time in history, as Saudi Arabia continues to push forward with its drive to promote female participation in numerous industries, MEMO reported.

According to the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques, female employees took part in the ceremonial changing of the Kaaba’s kiswa – the black cloth decorated with gold and silver threads which adorns the monument – on Sunday by carrying some of its components and handing them over to other workers, who then loaded them into a vehicle for transport to the Makkah’s Grand Mosque.

As part of the annual ceremony, which takes place after the Hajj pilgrimage season and on the new year of the Islamic calendar, participants dismantle the old kiswa and install the new one by securing it on the corners and roof of the Kaaba.

Although the roles of the female employees were limited to the preparatory phases of the ceremony, this was the first known instance in history that women have participated in the ritual. It comes amid the Kingdom’s continued drive to promote women in various fields and industries throughout the country. (T/R3/RE1)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)