Ali is reputedly buried in Afghanistan because his followers feared reprisals from his enemies and secretly transported his body there for burial near Balkh.
The Secret Burial and Rediscovery
The circumstances surrounding Ali's burial in Afghanistan are rooted in a desire to protect his remains from desecration. Here's a breakdown:
- Fear of Reprisals: After Ali's death, his followers were concerned that his enemies would desecrate his grave.
- Secret Transportation: To prevent this, they secretly transported his body to a location near Balkh, Afghanistan.
- Hidden Location: The burial was carried out in secret, and the exact location of the tomb was lost to time.
- Rediscovery: The tomb's location remained unknown until the 12th century. According to legend, Ali appeared simultaneously in the dreams of 400 nobles from Balkh, revealing the precise position of his burial site.
The secrecy and subsequent rediscovery contribute to the story of the Shrine of Hazrat Ali in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, which is now a major pilgrimage site.
