In the newly uncovered emails from the Jeffrey Epstein files, a set of documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice, it was found that in 2017, three parts of the holy Kiswa cloth that covers the Kaaba in Mecca were sent to Jeffrey Epstein in America. The emails were from February and March 2017 and discussed the arrangements for the delivery of the cloth.
What the Documents Reveal
From the emails contained in the released documents, the shipment was arranged by people with connections to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). An Emirati businesswoman named Aziza al-Ahmadi was involved in the transfer of the shipment with a man named Abdullah al-Maari. The emails contain information on how the shipment of the Kiswa cloth pieces was arranged from Saudi Arabia to the U.S. via air freight through British Airways.
Details of the Cloth Pieces
The emails mentioned three different cloth pieces that were associated with the Kiswa, which is the black cloth embroidered with verses of the Quran that covers the Kaaba, the most sacred place of Islam in Mecca.
- One that was said to be from inside the covering of the Kaaba.
- One that was from the outer embroidered cloth that had been used.
- A third one that was made of the same materials but was not used.
In order to make customs easier, the cloth that was not used was labeled in the emails as “artwork.”
Religious and Cultural Significance
The Kiswa has immense religious significance for Muslims across the globe. The Kiswa is changed every year during the Hajj pilgrimage, and the old cloth is handled with great reverence and distributed only after following strict custodial measures, which include giving it away as a gift to dignitaries, institutions, or museums. The link between the Kiswa and prayer/worship, and the fact that it is touched by millions of devotees circumambulating the Kaaba during tawaf, gives it immense religious significance.
In one of the emails mentioned in the files, the sender has mentioned the religious significance of the Kiswa, which was touched by devotees of various Islamic sects during tawaf, and many of them had left their prayers, wishes, tears, and hopes on the cloth.
Delivery and Timing
From the documents, it is clear that the cloth materials were delivered to Epstein house in March 2017, a period when Epstein had served a jail term and was a registered sex offender in the United States. The emails demonstrate the organization of the delivery process, such as customs and air freight.
What the Files Do Not Explain
The emails and records fail to explain why the cloth pieces were mailed to Epstein and what their purpose was. The records further fail to explain how the individuals who mailed the cloth pieces to Epstein knew him or if the official religious and government institutions in Saudi Arabia and the UAE authorized the removal and mailing of the religious items.
Since the emails are internal correspondence emails, they contain information about logistics but not any information about the legal reason behind the transfer.
Global Response and Context
This information has received a lot of attention because of the religious and cultural significance of the Kiswa. The Kiswa fragments are normally considered sacred artifacts, and their presence in the Epstein files has generated interest. However, the files themselves do not contain evidence of criminal activity merely through description. They are part of a larger set of files that have been released to shed light on the global network of Epstein.
Summary of Verified Facts
- Emails in the Epstein files from 2017 reveal that three parts of the Kiswa of the Kaaba were sent from Saudi Arabia to Jeffrey Epstein’s address in the United States.
- The coordination of the delivery of the items involved an Emirati businesswoman named Aziza al-Ahmadi and a person referred to as Abdullah al-Maari.
- The three parts consisted of one from inside the Kaaba, another from the outer covering, and an unused one.
- The emails contain information about air freight, documentation, and delivery, but no information about the motive or official authorization details.
- The emails highlighted the religious importance of the cloth because of the millions of people who touch it during Islamic rituals.
Aziza Alahmadi Email Content
From: Aziza Alahmadi
To: jeevacation@gmail.com
Subject: Fwd: New Shipment
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2017 22:15:56
Attachments: shipment_details.pdfHere is the attachment.
By the way, the black piece was touched by a minimum of 10 million Muslims of different denominations, Sunni, Shia, and others.
They walk around the Kaaba seven times, then everyone tries as much as they can to touch it, leaving their prayers, wishes, tears, and hopes on this piece. Hoping that after this all their prayers will be accepted.
Regards,
AzizaBegin forwarded message:
From: Abdullah Al Maari
Date: March 23, 2017 at 1:02 AM GMT+3
To: Aziza Alahmadi
Subject: Fwd: New Shipment
Source: epstein
