Research Article

The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover

Number: 9 June 10, 2025
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The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover

Abstract

The Kaaba, regarded sacred since its existence, has been covered as part of a centuries-old tradition, the exact time of its origin remains uncertain. However, it is known that the Kaaba was veiled by the pre-Islamic jahiliyyah period. Upon the prophet Muhammad’s emergence, the practice of covering the Kaaba became more codified, and subsequent rulers acknowledged the responsibility of maintaining this tradition. During the Mamluk period, when they held the caliphate, the manufacturing of the kiswa (the Kaaba cover) became fully institutionalized. Following the Mamluks, the Ottomans inherited this tradition, and for centuries, the Kaaba cover was produced in Egypt through a specialized organization. Furthermore, the completion of its production and its delivery to Mecca were celebrated with a ceremony peculiar to the Kaaba cover. However, on July 21, 1798, when the French army under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte entered Cairo, Egypt was officially occupied, and the production of the kiswa was interrupted. The Ottoman Empire reacted promptly, but as Egypt remained under occupation, the kiswa could not be produced there. In response, preparations began in the capital, Istanbul, and the courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque was transformed into a kiswa production facility. During the period of French occupation in Egypt (1798-1801), the kiswa was produced four times in succession in Istanbul, ensuring that the Kaaba remained covered and that the ceremonial tradition was upheld. A grand ceremony, similar to those held in Egypt, was organized in Istanbul with large attendance, and this event was recorded in the Ottoman ceremonial registers.

Keywords

References

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Directorate of State Archives of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Ottoman Archive Documents A.}d (Sadâret Defterleri), 354, vr.8b-10b; 355, vr.57b- 60a.
  2. C.AS (Cevdet Askeriye), 103/4668, 21st December 1801.
  3. C.EV (Cevdet Evkâf), 131/6532, 22nd Agust 1801.
  4. EV.d (Evkâf Defterleri), 38338, 16th January 1799.
  5. HAT (Hatt-ı Hümâyûn), 93/3795, 19th July 1800;93/3795-A, 18th May 1800; 109/4340; 109/4340-A, 24th April1801; 109/4340-B; 109/4340-C; 112/4494, 1798; 113/4507;113/4507-A; 344/19635, 9th March 1808; 344/19635-F, 9th March 1808; 346/19699- A, 25th November 1814; 1301/50619; 1471/46,10th January 1799; 1480/33.
  6. TS.MA.e (Topkapı Sarayı Evrakı), 877/69, 18th January 1808; 1256/7, 24th June 1814.
  7. Books and Articles Ağca-Diker, S. (2016). Surre-i Hümâyûn ve Geleneksel Teşrifatı. In. S. A. Kahraman (Ed.), Surre-i Hümâyûn. (pp. 65-95). Istanbul: IBB Kültür A.Ş.
  8. Ahmed Cevdet Paşa. (H.1309). Târîh-i Cevdet (Tertîb-i Cedîd). Dersaâdet: Matba‘a-i Osmâniyye.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Calligraphy

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 10, 2025

Submission Date

January 20, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 26, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2024 Number: 9

APA
Erdoğan, A. (2025). The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover. Lale, 9, 35-53. https://izlik.org/JA87CC64TN
AMA
1.Erdoğan A. The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover. Lale. 2025;(9):35-53. https://izlik.org/JA87CC64TN
Chicago
Erdoğan, Ayşenur. 2025. “The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover”. Lale, nos. 9: 35-53. https://izlik.org/JA87CC64TN.
EndNote
Erdoğan A (June 1, 2025) The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover. Lale 9 35–53.
IEEE
[1]A. Erdoğan, “The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover”, Lale, no. 9, pp. 35–53, June 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA87CC64TN
ISNAD
Erdoğan, Ayşenur. “The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover”. Lale. 9 (June 1, 2025): 35-53. https://izlik.org/JA87CC64TN.
JAMA
1.Erdoğan A. The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover. Lale. 2025;:35–53.
MLA
Erdoğan, Ayşenur. “The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover”. Lale, no. 9, June 2025, pp. 35-53, https://izlik.org/JA87CC64TN.
Vancouver
1.Ayşenur Erdoğan. The Kaaba Cover Produced in the Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque and the State Ceremony Organized for This Cover. Lale [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 1;(9):35-53. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA87CC64TN