Kaaba’s senior keeper Al-Shaibi passes away

Last updated: Friday, October 24, 2014 2:54 PM

 

 

Sheikh Abdul Qadir Bin Taha Al-Shaibi, senior keeper of the Holy Kaaba, receives new key of Kaaba from Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the then emir of Makkah, and Sheikh Abdurahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques. — SG photo

 

 

HALED AL-HUMAIDI

OKAZ/SAUDI GAZETTE

 

MAKKAH — Sheikh Abdul Qadir Bin Taha Al-Shaibi, senior keeper of the Holy Kaaba, passed away on Thursday. He was 75.

 

Al-Shaibi’s body was buried in Makkah’s Al-Moalla Cemetery after offering funeral prayers at the Grand Mosque. A large number of citizens and officials of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques as well as his relatives attended the last rites.

 

Al-Shaibi died at King Khaled National Guard Hospital in Jeddah on Thursday morning. His death came while preparations were under way for washing of the Holy Kaaba on Nov. 8 (Muharram 15).

 

Al-Shaibi was named the senior keeper of Kaaba after the death of his paternal uncle Abdul Aziz Al-Shaibi four years ago. Last year, Sheikh Abdurahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency, handed the new lock and key of Kaaba to Al-Shaibi. The lock, which was made 30 years ago, was changed after authorities noticed that it was rusty.

 

Dr. Saleh Bin Taha Al-Shaibi, the oldest member of Shaibi family, will be the new keeper of Kaaba. The Shaibi family continues to honor the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by handing down the position of keeper (sadin) of the Kaaba to its oldest member.

 

The sadin is responsible for opening and closing the Kaaba gate and washing it. When the Prophet (pbuh) entered the Kaaba after conquering Makkah, he smashed all the idols inside it, washed it, closed its gate and then called Othman Bin Talha and gave him the key saying, “These keys will remain with you until the Day of Judgment.”

 

Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Shaibi was the 108th successor of Othman Bin Talha. On an earlier occasion, he had said: “The keeper of the Holy Kaaba is the only one responsible for its affairs. It is a huge honor that no one can take away from us because it was bestowed upon us by the order of Almighty Allah.” — SG

Source: Saudi Gazett