The mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani

Ahmed Shah Abdali's tomb, from Khirqa Sharif, Kandahar, 1880. Photo taken by Benjamin Simpson. Source

Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani. From " The Illustrated London News", 4 September 1880. Source

Tomb of Ahmad Shah Abdali. Illustration from book "Afghanistan" by Angus Hamilton, published in 1910. It is reproduction of an illustration published in London Illustrated News, published on 4 September 1880.

Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durranim 1840 (c). Painting by James Rattry. Source

Kandahar, Afghanistan, circa 1950's, showing a street scene and the mauseoum of Ahmad Shah Durrani. Photo by Paul popper.

James Rattrey writes:

"The sovereign who sleeps there, called by the Afghauns “the faultless King,” was the greatest monarch their country ever produced. The people of every Eastern nation, whether friend or foe, speak still in terms of the greatest admiration of his military skill, his nobleness of heart, clemency, and decision of character. His virtues were as numberless as his victories. Among the latter was the conquest of Delhi. Ahmed Shauh, with his son Timoor, crossed the Jumna, and after a severe battle with the Mahrattas took that city in 1759. The latter having regained the capital, entrenched themselves at Pauneeput, and prepared to meet the Douraunee monarch, who, with an inferior force and a few guns, destroyed nearly their whole army, consisting of a hundred thousand men and two hundred pieces of cannon. Thus Hindoostaun was at the mercy of the Afghaun; but policy and forbearance forbad him to extend his victories further in so remote a region, while his enemies the Seiks, whose star was in the ascendant, lay between his own mountains and the scene of his mighty conquests, and insurrection at home was rife in his absence. So, making over posts of importance to chiefs of Hindoostaun who had fought under him, he returned in 1761 to Candahar, the seat of government. Afterwards he returned to the Punjaub, to punish the insolent and gradually-aspiring Seiks; and having signally defeated them, he again retired to his capital, where he died of cancer in the face in 1773. In addition to his science and military skill, he was fond of study, and patronised men of learning and piety. In his latter years he was anxious to obtain the character of a saint: in this his Majesty’s wishes have been fulfilled, for his temple is regarded as the very perfection of sanctity, and is resorted to as a place of retirement by nobles or chiefs, who, discontented or tired with the world, profess to meditate and pray there. It is also frequented as an asylum by murderers and malefactors of every degree, and neither justice, nor power, nor rank, nor even the hand of royalty itself, dares to molest or touch them there. I believe that no European has ever been permitted to cross the threshold of this holy edifice; and though I, among others, often essayed it, no sooner did we show our unbelieving heads at the outer court yard than it was the signal for the Moollahs and Hadjees (pilgrims), who abounded there, to drive us away with boots and cries of disgust. Ahmed Shauh was succeeded by his son Timoor (father of Shujau ool Moolk), who was born at Meshed, and made Caubul the capital of his dominions, where he died."