MAKKAH: Prince Saud bin Mishal, Deputy Amir of the Makkah Region, performed the ceremonial washing of the Kaaba on Thursday on behalf of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, in one of the most revered traditions in the Islamic world. The ceremony, held inside the Grand Mosque, saw Prince Saud cleanse the interior walls of the Kaaba using cloths soaked in a mixture of Zamzam water and rose water, a special blend prepared in advance by the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.
The symbolic act, rooted in a prophetic tradition dating back to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), was carried out in the presence of high-ranking officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and custodians of the holy site. Among the participants was Sheikh Sabah Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as well as Kuwait’s Consul General in Jeddah and Permanent Representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Yousef Al-Tunaib.
Sheikh Sabah Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait’s Consul General in Jeddah Yousef Al-Tunaib.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that the ceremony involved “daubing the interior walls of the Kaaba with cloths soaked in Zamzam water mixed with rose water,” a process that symbolizes purification and reverence for Islam’s holiest site.
The washing of the Kaaba, performed at least once a year, is a tradition that traces its roots to the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) act of cleansing the sacred structure upon the conquest of Makkah. The ritual continues to draw wide participation from Islamic leaders and dignitaries, serving as a powerful symbol of unity and devotion across the Muslim world. — KUNA
