Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar is a famous mosque that holds high reverence amongst Muslims. According to local beliefs, it houses Moi-e-Muqqadas – the sacred hair of Prophet Muhammad's beard. Also known by different names like Assar-e-Sharief, Dargah Sharif and Madinat-us-Sani, this mosque is an epitome of love and devotion of Muslims for the Prophet. The construction of this shrine started in 1968, under the supervision of Muslim Auqaf Trust's Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. The construction of this white marble edifice with a domed structure was completed in the year 1979.

The mosque has a deep-rooted history that dates back to the 17th century. The place where the mosque stands today was originally the site of Ishrat Mahal and a garden, which were built in 1623 by Shah Jahan's subedar Sadiq Khan. Upon his arrival in 1634, Shah Jahan ordered to convert the palace into a place for offering prayers. When Moi-e-Muqqadas arrived in Kashmir in 1699, it was kept in the Naqashbad Sahib for some time, before becoming a part of the Hazratbal. Although this shrine is frequented by locals on Fridays for mass prayers, it experiences an influx of visitors on special occasions, when holy relics are displayed.

The silvery white Hazratbal Mosque is revered for housing a relic, the Prophet’s hair. Situated near the Dal Lake, the only domed mosque in Srinagar is a place of serenity, a must visit. Women are allowed only till the first part of the mosque. The Hazratbal Mosque lends a historic and divine appeal to Srinagar. As you walk down the corridors of this famous religious sanctum, you marvel at the intricate Persian and Iranian architectural influences.

A dazzingly white structure on the far bank of the Dal, Hazratbal Shrine houses a relic that is believed to be Prophet Mohammed’s hair. It can be reached by a shikara on the Dal Lake or by road through the city.

Hazratbal Shrine is important because it holds a sacred relic, a hair, of Prophet Muhammad, referred to as the Moi-e- Muqqadas. The story goes that the hair was brought to Bijapur by a descendant of the Prophet; his descendants - fallen on hard times - sold it to a Kashmiri businessman, Nurud- Din Eshai. Aurangzeb then seized it and sent it to the Ajmer Dargah but later restored it to the owner. The Moi-e- Muqqadas reached Kashmir in 1700 where Eshai’s daughter, Inayat Begum, built this shrine to house it.