Kirka Sharif

Khirka Sharif
Khirka Sharif, c. 1878 – c. 1880 CE[1]
Religion
AffiliationIslam
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusShrine and Friday mosque
StatusActive
Location
LocationKandahar, Kandahar District, Kandahar Province
CountryAfghanistan
Kirka Sharif is located in Afghanistan
Kirka Sharif
Location of the shrine in Afghanistan
Coordinates31°37′11″N 65°42′29″E / 31.6196°N 65.7080°E / 31.6196; 65.7080
Architecture
TypeIslamic
StyleAfghan
Completedc. 18th century CE

The Khirka Sharif[1][2] (Pashto: خرقه شريفه, romanized: Sacred Cloak;) is an Islamic building complex located in the center of Kandahar, Afghanistan.[3][4] The complex, which includes gardens and the local congregational mosque, became notable in English literature during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, when British India was trying to establish friendship with Afghanistan.[5] The complex houses a khirqa (believed to be the cloak of Muhammad) as worn by the Islamic prophet Muhammad during the Night Journey in 621 AH (1224/1225 CE).

Cloak of Muhammed

Main article: Cloak of Muhammad

This cloak reached the Khirka Sharif complex in Kandahar when it was donated by the 18th-century Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani, the father of modern Afghanistan and founder of the Durrani Empire. The sacred Muslim object itself had been given to Ahmad Shah by the amir of Bukhara around 1768. The cloak is said to have been worn by the Islamic prophet Muhammad during the famous Isra' and Mi'raj, or Night Journey, in the year 621.[5][6][7][8] It is one of the most revered relics in the Muslim world.[5]

Friday Mosque

The building containing the Khirka Sharif sits next to the historical Friday Mosque of Kandahar. The mosque's design follows many principles of Islamic architecture and local customs, with the interior being decorated and carved with green marble from Helmand region of Afghanistan. In addition, it has tiles that are mirrored with gilded detailing. The mosque also has a large courtyard and gravestone located on the premises of the Khirka Sharif building. The walls of the building are decorated with carvings, common in many Islamic mosques. The carvings of this mosque have trees and other foliage, and the designs are unique to each wall.[5][8]

Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah

Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani nearby Khirka Sharif
Main article: Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani

A short walking distance to the back of the building housing the Khirka Sharif is the Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani.[1][9][10][11][8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Ahmed Shah's Tomb, from Khirka Sharif, 1880". National Army Museum. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Ahmad Shah's Tomb from Khirka Sharif, Kandahar". International Dunhuang Programme. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  3. ^ "24 injured in Kandahar blasts, gunfire". Pajhwok Afghan News. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Peace Convoy Addresses Ghani, Lists Demands". TOLOnews. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  5. ^ a b c d "Kirka Sharif, the Shrine Where the Mantle of the Prophet is Preserved". wdl.org. Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  6. ^ Inskeep, Steve (10 January 2002). "The Cloak of the Prophet". NPR. Archived from the original on 18 January 2002. Retrieved 12 June 2008.
  7. ^ Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977). An Historical Guide To Afghanistan. The South (Chapter 16)
  8. ^ a b c "The Raglan Collection: Wellington, Waterloo and The Crimea And Works of Art from the Collection of the Marquesses of Londonderry". christies.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani, Kandahar City, Afghanistan". daryaexpeditions.com. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  10. ^ "Shrine of the Cloak Kherqa Sharif, Kandahar City, Afghanistan". daryaexpeditions.com. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Ahmed Shah's Tomb from Kirka Sharif [Kandahar]". bl.uk. Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.

Media related to Shrine of Muhammad's Cloak at Wikimedia Commons

allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirka_Sharif