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Mazar-i-Sharif

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Mazār-i-Sharīf or Mazār-e Sharīf (Persie: مزارِ شریفPersie pronunciation: [ˌmæˈzɒːr ˌi ʃæˈriːf]) is the fowert lairgest ceety o Afghanistan, wi a population o aboot 375,181.[1] It is the caipital o Balkh Province an is linked bi roads tae Kabul in the sooth-east, Herat tae the wast an Uzbekistan tae the north. Mazari Sharif means "Noble Shrine," a reference tae the lairge, blue-tiled sanctuary an mosque in the centre o the ceety kent as the Shrine of Hazrat Ali or the Blue Mosque. It is believed bi some Muslims that the site o the tomb o Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin an son-in-law o Prophet Muhammad, is in Mazari Sharif. Twelver Shi'as housomeivver, believe that the real grave o Ali is foond athin Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq, as wis disclosed bi the Saxt Twelver Shi'a Imam, Ja'far as-Sadiq.[2] The ceety is a major tourist attraction acause o its fabulous Muslim an Hellenistic aircheological sites. In Julie 2006, the discovery o new Hellenistic remains wis annoonced.[3] The ethnic majority in the ceety are Tajiks.

References

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  1. "B. Demography and Population" (PDF). Afghanistan Statistical Yearbook 2006, Central Statistics Office. Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. Archived (PDF) frae the original on 3 Julie 2009. Retrieved 12 Januar 2011.
  2. Shaykh Al Mufid. Kitab al Irshad, Translated by I.K.A Howard. pp.1-6
  3. BBC News Balkh Monument...link


Coordinates: 36°42′00″N 67°07′00″E / 36.7°N 67.1167°E / 36.7; 67.1167