RAAP—039
SACRED TEXTILE OF KISWAH
This 19th-century waistcoat, originating from the Malay Peninsula, was constructed using a segment of the internal kiswah—the sacred textile that adorned the interior walls of the Kaʿba and was ceremonially replaced on an annual basis during the Ottoman era. The reuse of such a revered textile in garment-making reflects both the devotional piety and the transregional circulation of Islamic material culture across the Malay world.
The embroidered inscriptions on the waistcoat include a partial verse from Surah al-Baqarah (2:144), affirming the qibla, or direction of prayer, as an expression of unwavering devotion to Allah. Supplementary inscriptions articulate core tenets of Islamic belief: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger” and “Glory be to Allah, the Great.” Notably, two medallion motifs, stylized in the form of hanging mosque lamps, are inscribed with the invocation “Ya Manan” (O Bestower), a name of God that emphasizes divine mercy and sustenance. The waistcoat thus serves as both a devotional object and a material testament to the spiritual and cultural affinities that shaped Islamic identity in 19th-century maritime Southeast Asia.
The embroidered inscriptions on the waistcoat include a partial verse from Surah al-Baqarah (2:144), affirming the qibla, or direction of prayer, as an expression of unwavering devotion to Allah. Supplementary inscriptions articulate core tenets of Islamic belief: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger” and “Glory be to Allah, the Great.” Notably, two medallion motifs, stylized in the form of hanging mosque lamps, are inscribed with the invocation “Ya Manan” (O Bestower), a name of God that emphasizes divine mercy and sustenance. The waistcoat thus serves as both a devotional object and a material testament to the spiritual and cultural affinities that shaped Islamic identity in 19th-century maritime Southeast Asia.