Annual Ghilaf-e-Kaaba changing ceremony in Makkah

MAKKAH - The annual ceremony to change Ghilaf-e-Kaaba was held at Masjid-e-Al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) in Saudi Arabia on Thursday where millions of Muslims have gathered to perform Hajj.

The ceremony to change the cover, which also known as Kiswa, of the Kaaba, is organised on 9th Zilhaj every year after Fajr prayer on the day of Arafat that is major pillar of the Hajj.

The new cover inscribed with verses from the Hol Quran has been prepared with 150kg of gold and silk fiber.

Size of the Ghilaf is 657 square metre and it is comprised of 4 pieces.

Stay at Arfat

Over two million faithful are heading to Arafat soon after Fajr prayers where  a Hajj sermon will delivered from Masjid-e-Nimra.

The pilgrims will stay at Arfat till Azaan-e-Maghrib and then leave for  Muzdalfar where they will offer Maghrib and Isha prayers jointly and spend the night in the open sky.