AFMZR: Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
| location name |
Mazar-i-Sharif |
| population |
375181 |
| country |
Afghanistan |
| locode country |
AF |
| status |
Airport |
| lat |
06706E |
| long |
3642N |
| timezone |
Afghanistan Time |
Mazar-i-Sharif Description
Mazār-i-Sharīf or Mazār-e Sharīf is the fourth largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 375,181 as of 2006. It is the capital of Balkh province and is linked by roads to Kabul in the south-east, Herat to the west and Uzbekistan to the north. Mazari Sharif means "Noble Shrine", a reference to the large, blue-tiled sanctuary and mosque in the center of the city known as the Shrine of Hazrat Ali or the Blue Mosque. It is believed by some Muslims that the site of the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, is in Mazari Sharif. Twelver Shi'as however, believe that the real grave of Ali is found within Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq, as was disclosed by the Sixth Twelver Shi'a Imam, Ja'far as-Sadiq. It is more likely that the shrine is that of Zarathushtra, the Iranian founder of the first universally monotheistic religion. As a common theme in the Iranian lands falling into the hands of the advancing muslims, the true identity of many holy and sacred sites were hidden to prevent their sacrilege and destruction. The city is a major tourist attraction because of its famous shrines as well as the Muslim and Hellenistic archeological sites. In July 2006, the discovery of new Hellenistic remains was announced.
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