Newly released documents and photos linked to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation have triggered widespread outrage in the Muslim world after revealing that pieces of the sacred Holy Kaaba’s Kiswah was used as carpet inside Epstein’s home
According to files attributed to the United States Department of Justice, at least three pieces of the Kiswah were transported via British Airways and labeled as “artwork” during shipment. The documents indicate that the transfer was coordinated by UAE-based businesswoman Aziza al-Ahmadi, with involvement from several intermediaries, including Daphne Wallace, described in the files as an associate of Epstein.
One email cited in the documents underscores the religious significance of the cloth, noting that it had been touched by millions of Muslim pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah rituals and symbolised their prayers, tears, and hopes.
The Kiswah is traditionally replaced annually, and older pieces are typically preserved or gifted by Saudi authorities under strict protocols.
The files further include a photograph purportedly showing Epstein inside one of his residences alongside an unidentified man, standing over a black-and-gold cloth resembling the Kiswah laid out on the floor, purposely to be used as carpet. The image has circulated widely on social media, prompting anger and condemnation from Muslim users who view placing the sacred cloth on the ground as a grave act of desecration.
Social media platforms were flooded with expressions of shock and grief, with many users questioning how such a revered Islamic artefact could have been removed from Saudi Arabia and transferred into private hands. Religious scholars and commentators online described the alleged use of the Kiswah as a carpet as deeply offensive and contrary to Islamic reverence for the Kaaba.
Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges, owned multiple luxury properties, including a private island in the US Virgin Islands where he is accused of committing sexual crimes against underage girls. The documents do not clarify the intended purpose of the Kiswah pieces or whether their acquisition complied with Saudi regulations governing sacred objects.
Saudi authorities have not publicly commented on the claims contained in the files, and no official confirmation has been issued regarding how the Kiswah pieces left the Kingdom or whether they were authorised gifts.
