THE HOLY CITY OF MASHHAD |VLOG 9 | IMAM REZA SHRINE |PAKISTAN TO IRAN BYROAD.


The holy city of Mashhad is the administrative capital of the Khorasan province. Its present population is nearing two and half millions and occupies an area of more than 200 square kilometers. It is situated in the north-east of Iran between Binalood and Hazar mountain ranges. It is 945 kilometers away from Tehran and its altitude is 980 meters above the sea level. At present Mashhad is the second largest city in Islamic Republic of Iran after Tehran.

In the beginning of the third century Hijrah, Mashhad was a small village called Sanabad, situated 24 kilometers away from Toos. The summer palace of Humaid bin Qahtabah, the governor of Khorasan, during the end of the second century Hijrah was situated in that village. Harun al-Rashid, the Abbasid caliph, in order to put down the insurrection of Rafeh ibn Laith, went on an expedition to Transoxania. In 193 A.H./ 808 A.D., when he reached Toos, he became critically ill and died. He was buried under the hall of the palace of Humaid bin Qahtabah, in the Sanabad village.

The city of Mashhad came into existence when Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shi'ite Emam, after his martyrdom at the hands of Mamun, the Abbasid caliph (born. 786 A.D., ruled. 813-833 A.D.); on the last day of the month of Safar 203 A.H. / 5 September 818 A.D., was buried in the palace of Humaid bin Qahtabah beside the grave of Harun al-Rashid.

After this event, the mausoleum of Imam Reza (AS) became the pilgrimage center of the Shi'ites and the lovers of the Holy Ahl al-Bayt (AS) in the world and the small village of Sanabad was soon transformed into a flourishing city called as Mashhad ar-Reza (tomb sanctuary of Imam Reza (AS) also briefly called Mashhad. Mashhad literally means a place where a martyr has been buried.

By the end of the third century Hijrah, a dome was built on the grave of Imam Reza (AS) and many buildings and bazaars sprang around the holy shrine. Followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), from various parts of the world started visiting Mashhad for pilgrimage. In 383 A.H. / 993 A.D., Sebuktigin, the Ghaznevid sultan devastated Mashhad and stopped the pilgrims from visiting the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS). But in 400 A.H./ 1009 A.D., Mahmud of Ghazni (born 971, ruled, 998-1030 A.D.,) started the expansion and renovation of the holy shrine and built many fortifications around the city.

The holy shrine was decorated with fine marbles, quality wooden and stucco works. Mahmud of Ghazni also built the burial chamber on the grave of Imam Reza (AS).This square-shaped building which constitutes the center of the Shrine, before adding decorations and additional parts,had been apparently similar to Sang Bast (Tomb of Arsalan Jadhib), because of their simultaneity.

According to the earliest tomb inscription of Imam Reza(AS), kept in Astan Quds Razavi Museum, then the Shrine construction might have been reconstructed or repaired in 516/1122. This building was damaged severely during the Ghuzz invasion in 548/1153.After him his son Masud (b. 998 A.D., r. 1030-1040 A.D.) built a wall around the holy shrine and further beautified the holy shrine.

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