Shrine of the Cloak
Kandahar, Afghanistan
Open to visitors
The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.
Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.
In Kandahar, Afghanistan, the Shrine of the Cloak (Khirka Sharif) is an Islamic architectural complex centered on the veneration of a khirqa believed to have belonged to the Prophet Muhammad during the Night Journey of 621 AD. The cloak itself remains locked away and is rarely displayed, maintained by a single family who have served as its guardians for over two and a half centuries. The shrine's keepers have traditionally revealed the relic only to recognized leaders of Afghanistan, though in times of grave crisis—natural disasters or other calamities—it has been publicly shown to offer spiritual reassurance to the faithful. The complex also houses the Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani and contains other Islamic antiquities. Visitors typically pray first in the congregational mosque before proceeding to tour the mausoleum and the separate structure sheltering the historic relic.
Movement
- Type
- mosque
- Place
- Kandahar, Afghanistan
This building on
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Location