warkadang:The Blue Mosque of Mazar-i-SharifThe Blue Mosque of Mazar-i-Sharif (lit.: ‘Tomb of the Exa
warkadang:The Blue Mosque of Mazar-i-SharifThe Blue Mosque of Mazar-i-Sharif (lit.: ‘Tomb of the Exalted’), also known as the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, is a mosque located in the Balkh province of northern Afghanistan. The site is thought to be the the final resting place of fourth caliph ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (d. 661 A.H.), cousin and son-in law of Prophet Muhammad. As one of Afghanistan’s most iconic sights, thousands of pilgrims from across the country and the rest of the world come to pay their respects at the tomb. An integral part of the mosque’s attraction are the white doves who are cared for by the mosque’s attendants.The mosque is decorated in beautiful Ghaznavid and Timurid style (1st half 12th century and 15th-16th centuries) with blue tilework. The shrine has a rich treasury that contains, among other objects, a marble slab remaining from the Seljuk shrine inscribed with the words ‘Ali, Lion of God.’ A number of other tombs are also located at this site, for example the tombs of Sher Ali Khan, Dost Mohammad Khan and various other Afghan rulers and religious leaders that were added throughout the centuries. Source | Photographs by Zekria Gulistani, Mohammad Kheirkhah, Thomas J. Abercrombie, Steve McCurry, Jane Sweeney, and Martin Gray. -- source link
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