A newly surfaced image from the latest US Department of Justice-released Epstein files has reignited outrage across the Muslim world after what appears to be a portion of the Kaaba’s sacred cloth or Kiswa was seen laid out on the floor, with Emirati billionaire Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and Epstein standing over it. The cloth, identifiable by its black fabric and gold Quranic embroidery, is a part of the Kaaba’s covering that was previously revealed to have been sent to Jeffrey Epstein, raising deep alarm and anguish among Muslims globally.
While fragments of the Kiswa are traditionally preserved or distributed under strict custodial and religious protocols, the idea that such a sacred object may have been used as a carpet inside a private home, especially one associated with convicted child sex offender Epstein, has been widely condemned as profoundly disrespectful. Social media platforms have been flooded with expressions of grief, anger and disbelief, with many calling for accountability and clearer explanations over how one of Islam’s most revered symbols ended up in such a context.
