Thousands gather in Batley to see rare Islamic artefacts

At the heart of the exhibition at Batley Town Hall stood the Kiswa - a 29-foot-long cloth made of pure silk, embroidered with Quranic verses in 22-carat gold and silver thread.

The Kiswa is used to cover the Kaaba - the sacred, stone structure at the centre of the Great Mosque in Mecca - and is traditionally replaced every year during the Hajj pilgrimage on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah.

Also on display were pieces from the tomb of Prophet Muhammad, relics from inside the Kaaba, the Kaaba’s original lock and key, and ceremonial tools used for its cleansing.

Organisers say these items are so rare that even in Mecca and Medina, they are not usually accessible to the public.

Operations manager and Dewsbury resident, Riyaz Maniar, described the exhibition as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

He said: "These artefacts are incredibly significant to the Muslim world. Some of the pieces are from inside the Kaaba and even from the tomb of Prophet Muhammad items usually reserved for the Saudi royal family."

The exhibition was made possible by Sheikh Ilyas and was supported by the council’s Community Alliance group for Batley - Coun Habiban Zaman, CounYusra Hussain, and CounAdam Zaman - who contributed from their ward budgets to ensure the exhibition remained free and accessible to the public.

Councillor A Zaman said: "We are absolutely delighted to have brought this event to Batley.

"For the first time ever, Batley Town Hall welcomed such a large audience for a spiritually enriching and historically significant occasion."