| Noble Shrine | |
|---|---|
مَقَام الشَّرِيفُ | |
 The shrine as photographed in 2012 | |
  Location within Afghanistan | |
| General information | |
| Type | Mausoleum |
| Location | Mazar, Afghanistan |
| Country |  Afghanistan |
| Coordinates | 36°42′30″N 67°06′40″E / 36.70833°N 67.11111°E |
| Named for | Ali (r. 656–661) |
| Completed | c. 10th–16th century CE |
| Known for | Purported resting place of the Rashidun caliph |
The Noble Shrine (Persian: مَقَام شَّرِيفُ, romanized: Maqām Sharīf) is an Islamic shrine in Mazar, Balkh Province, Afghanistan. The shrine purportedly houses the mausoleum of the fourth Rashidun caliph Ali (r. 656–661).
History
The first structure of the site dates back to the Seljuk era. It was built by the Seljuk sultan Ahmad Sanjar in the 11th century over the purported burial of caliph Ali.[1]
In the 13th century, the Mongol army of Genghis Khan invaded Balkh, where they massacred the Balkhi population and destroyed their places of worship. The mosque built by Sanjar was destroyed by the Mongols in the year 1220.[2]
In the 15th century, the Timurid amir, Sultan Husayn Bayqara, ordered a reconstruction of the destroyed building.[3] Local legend relates that the Sultan and his assistants were digging in the area when they saw a tombstone reading "This is the grave of Asadullah Ghalib, the friend of Rasul Allah, Ali Waliullah" which the other people rejoiced upon seeing.
In later years, various rulers made repairs and endowments, including the Shaybanid emir Abdul-Mo'min bin Abdullah 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.[4]
Gallery
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Muslim men praying during the month of Ramadan in 2012.
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Entrance to one of the buildings.
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Looking at the mosque from a far distance during the 2011.
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White Pigeons in the courtyard by the Blue Mosque.
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Close up.
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Persian-style tile work.
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A family feeding the pigeons
References
- ^ McChesney, R. D. (2014-07-14). Waqf in Central Asia: Four Hundred Years in the History of a Muslim Shrine, 1480-1889. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1-4008-6196-5.
- ^ "Rowze-i Sharif | Archnet". web.archive.org. 2016-06-11. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
- ^ "Rowze-i Sharif | Archnet". web.archive.org. 2016-06-11. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
- ^ "Rowze-i Sharif | Archnet". web.archive.org. 2016-06-11. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
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This page was last edited on 21 November 2023, at 20:50