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 eedit

  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