Mazar-i-Sharif ("noble shrine") in northern Afghanistan takes its name from the Blue Mosque at its center, the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, reputed by local and Shia tradition to hold the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. A shrine on the site was rebuilt by the Seljuq sultan Ahmad Sanjar, destroyed in the Mongol invasion around 1220, and rebuilt again in the fifteenth century under the Timurid ruler Sultan Husayn Bayqara; its blue tile mosaic exterior and gold domes draw visitors of multiple sects and traditions.
Facts
Origins
FoundedA shrine on the site was built by the Seljuq sultan Ahmad Sanjar, destroyed in the Mongol invasion around 1220, and rebuilt in the fifteenth century under the Timurid ruler Sultan Husayn Bayqara, reputed to hold the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib. 1 Origin of the NameThe name is Persian and Dari for "tomb of the exalted" or "noble shrine", referring directly to the shrine reputed to hold the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, around which the city grew. 1 History
Notable DevelopmentThe city hosts major annual Nowruz, Persian New Year, celebrations centered on the shrine, including the ceremonial raising of the Janda banner, drawing pilgrims from across Afghanistan and Central Asia. 1 Attributions
TraditionIslam, with particular Shia veneration: the Shrine of Hazrat Ali is reputed to hold the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, drawing visitors of multiple Muslim sects and traditions. 1 Traditions
Sacred and Liturgical LanguagesArabic in Quranic and Shia devotional use, with Persian and Dari in local veneration of the shrine. 1 Connections
Associated With
Ali, Figures The Blue Mosque at its center is the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, reputed by local and Shia tradition to hold the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica (online academic reference)Encyclopaedia Britannica editors
This source names Mongols directly: "Mazar-i-Sharif ("noble shrine") in northern Afghanistan takes its name from the Blue Mosque at its center, the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, reputed by local and Shia tradition to hold the tomb of Ali ibn..."
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica (online academic reference)Encyclopaedia Britannica editors
This source names Muhammad directly: "Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. A shrine on the site was rebuilt by th..."
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica (online academic reference)Encyclopaedia Britannica editors
The shrine the city takes its name from.
Source The Oxford Dictionary of World ReligionsJohn Bowker (ed.)
Contained In
Related To
Sacred To
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica (online academic reference)Encyclopaedia Britannica editors
Sources
1. Encyclopaedia Britannica (online academic reference)
Encyclopaedia Britannica editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 2024s.v. Mazar-i-Sharif, Shrine of Hazrat AliView the Source The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
John Bowker (ed.), Oxford University Press, 1997on Shia veneration of Ali ibn Abi TalibView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.