The ceremony of handing over the keys to the Holy Kaaba in Mecca has been completed. Shaykh Abdul Wahab bin Zainul Abedin Al-Shaybi accepted this key as the 110th incumbent three days after the death of Shaykh Saleh, the newly deceased key keeper of the Kaaba. The key was handed over to him as the oldest person in the Shaybi family.

On June 25, the recently deceased Shaykh Dr. Saleh’s son Abdur Rahman.

Shaykh Abdul Wahab Al-Shaybi’s responsibilities include opening and closing the doors of the Holy Kaaba, conducting washing and cleaning activities, supervising the changing of the Ghilaf (kiswa) of the Kaaba, and welcoming guests to the mosque.

Before this, last 21 June, the last key holder of the holy shrine, Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Zainul Abedin Al-Shaybi passed away in Makkah. He was the 77th key from the time of Muhammad’s (pbuh) conquest of Mecca and the 109th from the era of his ancestor Qusay bin Kilab.

Taking the key of the Holy Kaaba, Shaykh Abdul Wahab said, “I pray to the Almighty Allah, that He may grant me Tawfik to fulfill this important responsibility.” Special thanks to Saudi King Salman and Prince Mohammed.

Meanwhile, Shaykh Nazar Al-Shaybi, a member of the Al-Shaybi family, said, “Since ancient times, the tradition of handing over the keys of the Holy Kaaba to the oldest person of the Al-Shaybi clan has been going on. Accordingly, this key was given to Sheikh Abdul Wahab.

Now we will wait for him to supervise all related work including changing the gilaf of the Holy Kaaba on the first night of the next Hijri New Year.

Sheikh Abdul Wahab will serve as the 78th key holder since the conquest of Makkah by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the 110th key holder since the era of his ancestor Qusai bin Kilab. He was a descendant of the famous Sahabi Uthman Ibn Talha (RA). About whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘O descendants of Talha, accept this key. You shall have it.

No one will take it away except a tyrant.’

Originally, the keys of the Kaaba belonged to the Al-Shaybi tribe since the pre-Islamic period. On the day of the conquest of Makkah in the eighth Hijri i.e. 629 AD, Rasulullah (PBUH) himself honored Uthman Ibn Talhar (RA) by handing over the keys to that tribe. Since then his descendants have kept the key. At present, the kings and dignitaries of Saudi Arabia enter the holy Kaaba by taking the keys from them.