Mausoleum of Imam Ali

This article is about shrine in Afghanistan. For the shrine in Iraq, see Imam Ali Shrine.
Mausoleum of Ali
مقام علی
The shrine as photographed in 2012
Religion
AffiliationIslam
ProvinceBalkh Province
Festivals
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusMausoleum and mosque
OwnershipGovernment of Afghanistan
Governing bodyMinistry of Information and Culture
StatusDamaged since 2025
Location
LocationMazar-i-Sharif
CountryAfghanistan
Map of Afghanistan with a pin marking the location of the shrine of Ali
Map of Afghanistan with a pin marking the location of the shrine of Ali
Location of the mausoleum and mosque in Afghanistan
Map
Interactive map of Mausoleum of Ali
Coordinates36°42′30″N 67°06′40″E / 36.70833°N 67.11111°E / 36.70833; 67.11111
Architecture
StyleTimurid
Completedc. 10th–16th century CE
Specifications
DomeTwo (maybe more)
Minaretsc. 10 (maybe more)
ShrinesOne: Ali (r. 656–661)

The Mausoleum of Ali (Dari: مقام علی, romanized: Maqām ʿAlī), also known as the Shrine of Hazrat Ali and the Great Blue Mosque (Dari: مسجد کبود), is a mausoleum and mosque complex located in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital and largest city of Balkh Province in northern Afghanistan.[1] It is a popular tourist attraction in the middle of the city, which is visited all year long by all people regardless of religion or sect.[2]

The complex purportedly houses the tomb of Caliph Ali, also known as the first Imam of Shia Muslims (r. 656–661). Many pilgrims annually celebrate Nowruz (New Year) at the site. At the annual Janda Bala ceremony, a flag used to be raised in honor of Ali. Some touched the flag for supposed luck in the New Year.[3][4][5] This particular ceremony has been officially halted in recent years.[6][7]

History

Further information: History of Afghanistan

The earliest surviving source stating Ali to be buried in Balkh is Tuhfat al-Albab of the Andalusian traveller Abu Hamid al-Gharnati (d. 1170).[8] Abd al-Ghafur Lari wrote that Muhammad al-Baqir, the fifth Shia imam, assigned Abu Muslim the task of transferring Ali's body to Khurasan, though this is likely apocryphal.[9] The land around the site was formerly a memorial mosque dedicated to Ali al-Balkhi, a Hanafi Muslim scholar and statesman who died in the same place.[10]

The first structure of the site dates back to the Seljuk era. It was a shrine built by Sultan Ahmad Sanjar in 1136.[1] In the 13th century, the Mongols under Genghis Khan invaded Balkh, where they massacred the Balkhi population and destroyed their places of worship. The shrine built by Sanjar was destroyed by the Mongols in the year 1220.[11] The Mongols were led to believe that there was a significant amount of treasure under it.[1]

In the 15th century, the Timurid amir, Sultan Husayn Bayqara, ordered a reconstruction of the destroyed building.[11]

In later years, various rulers made repairs and endowments, including the Shaybanid emir Abd al-Mu'min ibn Abd Allah Khan, who built a dome. Later, Berdi Beg, the Khan of the Golden Horde who reigned from 1357 to 1359, added several decorations to the building. In the modern era, a plan was created to renovate the whole complex in 1910.[11]

Sher Ali Khan, Emir of Afghanistan in 1860s, and some of his relatives are also buried at the site.[1] During the 2025 Balkh earthquake, the structure's minaret was partially damaged and cracks formed in the walls. Afghanistan's Ministry of Information and Culture immediately pledged to "assess and repair the damage".[12][13]

  • Men praying during Ramadan, 2012
    Men praying during Ramadan, 2012
  • Entrance to one of the buildings
    Entrance to one of the buildings
  • Distant view of the mosque in 2011
    Distant view of the mosque in 2011
  • White pigeons in the Blue Mosque's courtyard
    White pigeons in the Blue Mosque's courtyard
  • Close up
    Close up
  • Central Asian style tile work
    Central Asian style tile work
  • A family feeding the pigeons
    A family feeding the pigeons

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977). "An Historical Guide to Afghanistan: Chapter 25 Mazar-i-Sharif". Internet Archive. pp. 390–94. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  2. ^ "Over 800 foreign tourists visited Balkh this year". Pajhwok Afghan News. March 18, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  3. ^ "Afghans Celebrate Nawroz Amid Rising Hopes For Peace". TOLOnews. March 21, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  4. ^ "Flag-hoisting ceremony held in Balkh". Pajhwok Afghan News. March 20, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  5. ^ "Thousands celebrate Nowruz in Mazar-i-Sharif". UNAMA. March 22, 2010. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  6. ^ "Balkh Celebrates Nawroz But Without Customary Flag-Hoisting". TOLOnews. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  7. ^ "IEA cancel public holiday for Nowruz but say celebrations allowed". Ariana News. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  8. ^ McChesney 2014, p. 27.
  9. ^ McChesney 2014, pp. 30–31.
  10. ^ Ibn 'Inaba (2003). Umdat al-ṭālib fī nasab Āl Abī Ṭālib [The Seeker's Guide to the Genealogies of the Family of Abu Talib] (in Arabic) (1 ed.). Riyadh: Maktabat Jull al-Ma‘rifah.
  11. ^ a b c "Rowze-i Sharif". ArchNet. June 11, 2016. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  12. ^ Camino Gonzalez, Jenipher (November 3, 2025). "Afghanistan's historic Blue Mosque damaged by earthquake". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  13. ^ Qahar Afghan, Abdul (November 4, 2025). "Afghanistan earthquake survivors spend the night in the open; the quake damaged historical sites". Associated Press. Retrieved November 4, 2025.

Bibliography

Media related to Blue Mosque, Mazar-i-Sharif at Wikimedia Commons

allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrine_of_Hazrat_Ali