Blue Mosque

About

In Afghan tradition the Blue Mosque most often refers to the great shrine of Hazrat Ali in Mazar-i-Sharif, also known as the Hazrat Ali Mazar. The city itself takes its name from this sanctuary — Mazār-i Sharīf means 'the noble shrine' — and around its turquoise tilework an entire urban life has gathered.

The shrine is widely believed to mark the burial place of Imam ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and is held in deep affection across the Sunni and Shia traditions of Afghanistan. Its many domes and iwans are sheathed in the brilliant turquoise and cobalt tiles that give the building its popular name.

The Blue Mosque is also one of several places of worship known by that name around the world. Other notable examples include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, the historic Blue Mosques of Tabriz and Yerevan, the Sakhi Shah-e Mardan shrine in Kabul, and the Great Mosque of Herat — all so called for their characteristic blue-tiled façades.

Significance

For many Afghans the Blue Mosque of Mazar-i-Sharif is the most beloved sanctuary in the country, drawing pilgrims year-round and especially at Nowruz, when its great courtyards fill for the traditional raising of the janda banner.