Ashuqan Tomb

The "Ashuqan O Arefan Shrine" is situated on the slopes of Sher Darwaza Mountain, near Kabul Shur Bazaar, one of oldest and historical places in Kabul.

The city of Kabul currently has comparatively contemporary dwellings and large buildings in comparison to the past, yet the beauty of old Kabul is still alive around this shrine and the mud houses that stand tall to it.

The Ashuqan (Khwaja Abdul Salam) and Arefan (Khwaja Abdul Samad) are said to be the sons of the famed Persian poet Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, who, historians claim, brought Islam to Kabul alongside Arab Muslims in the 12th century.

Inside the main entrance, the tomb of Ashuqan (Khwaja Abdul Salam) is in a special room crossing a long wooden designed hall.

During the time of King Bahram Shah of Ghaznavids, the Ashuqan O Arefan Shrine was constructed in the traditional architectural style, with wood utilized to enhance its beauty.

On Thursdays and Fridays, not only Kabul locals visit this shrine; people from all across Afghanistan come to pray for fulfillment of their aspirations.

The installation of a chandelier atop the celling of the Ashuqan mausoleum structure, as well as the usage of various colored miniatures, have added to the splendor of this shrine.

There is a separate mosque for worshipers named the "Ashuqan O Arefan Masjid" located between Ashuqan O Arefan shrine.

According to Mohammad Atiq, a 65-year-old shrine guard, the shrine was established following the Zoroastrian period and the advent of Islam in Afghanistan.

The tomb of the Arefan, which is surrounded by decorative wood, is located in front of the shrine's main entrance and near the mosque.

The city of Kabul was almost in ruins due to the civil war in the 90s, but the "Ashuqan O Arefan" still stands, since Kabulis regard it as one of the holiest sites.

At the shrine the principle is that the Ashuqan (Khwaja Abdul Salam) should be visited first, followed by the Arefan (Abdul Samad) the two fighters of Islam.

In addition to an ablution room in the shrine's courtyard, there are also ancient mulberry trees that add to the beauty of the place.