Muhammad Ashiq Hussain, the owner of the company that manufactured the central doors of the Kaaba and the covering for the Hajar-e-Aswad (the Black Stone), has passed away.

Muhammad Ashiq hailed from Ahmad Pur Sharqia, district Bahawalpur, Pakistan. His father, Malik Ghulam Qadir, was also a goldsmith who worked in the palace of Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Abbasi of Bahawalpur.

Muhammad Ashiq was sent to Medina, Saudi Arabia in 1970, where he worked as a shepherd. However, he later became one of the prominent gold traders in Saudi Arabia.

Muhammad Ashiq’s company was responsible for the installation of the central doors of the Kaaba, which are made of 200 kilograms of pure gold. His company was also entrusted with the construction and installation of the Baitul Allah Sharif (the Holy Kaaba) door.

Additionally, his company designed and installed the spout, which is responsible for carrying the rainwater from the roof of the Kaaba to the ground.

According to Muhammad Ashiq, in 1978, the Saudi government had awarded the contract for the redesign of the central doors of the Kaaba to a Lebanese company.

However, Muhammad Ashiq’s company took over the project and meticulously crafted the doors using 200 kilograms of pure gold. The installation of the doors was completed in just 15 days through the company’s diligent efforts.

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As a reward for his services, Muhammad Ashiq had requested to be granted the soil from the Kaaba, which had accumulated during the installation of the doors and the Hajar-e-Aswad.