MANAMA, MAR 19 (DNA) – A broker is asking for SR 8 million to sell a piece of cloth he claims comes from the Kiswah the embroidered black and gold cloth covering the Kaaba .

The broker did not say who was selling the piece of cloth, but added that it was old and belonged to Al Sheebi, the family looking after the Kaaba since pre-Islam times.

He insisted that the rare item was authentic and that he had an official licence from the Emirate of Makkah Province to sell it.

However, Abdul Malik Al Sheebi, a senior caretaker of the Kaaba , denied the claim and said that his family did not own a piece of the Kiswah, the silk and cotton cloth.

“Many people claim they have an authentic piece of the Kiswah and use my family’s name to gain the trust and confidence of those willing to buy it,” he said. “However, the pieces they put out for sale are often imitations made in India or Egypt. The original Kiswah belongs to the state and is preserved in special stores.”

Sultan Al Dossari, a spokesperson for the Emirate of Makkah, said they did not grant licences or permits to sell any part of the Kiswah.