Qat Alhaj Muhammad Sheikh Rshyd Lwlany Llmnasbat Aldynyt

Within the historic city of Erbil, the ancient capital of Iraqi Kurdistan that rises around its famed citadel mound, the Hall of Hajji Muhammad Sheikh Rashid Lolani for Religious Occasions serves as a quietly beloved gathering place for the neighbourhood's rites of passage. Erbil is widely considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with archaeological evidence of settlement going back more than six thousand years. Its citadel, a UNESCO listed tell some thirty metres above the modern streets, towers over an urban landscape woven with bazaars, tea houses, and mosques reflecting Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen, and Assyrian influences side by side.

Halls of this type, called qaaa or saala, are a distinctive feature of Kurdish Iraqi urban life. They host the khitbah engagements, the majlis aza condolences for the deceased, the mawlid celebrations for the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and the communal iftars of Ramadan, offering a shared civic space where families honour their joys and sorrows in the presence of their neighbours. Sheikh Rashid Lolani belonged to a respected Kurdish family whose endowment provides the hall as a waqf for the surrounding quarter.

The building combines modest Kurdish vernacular with touches of modern Iraqi civic architecture. Pale cream limestone cladding faces the outer walls, a simple pitched roof of red clay tiles caps the hall, and a shallow porch with carved wooden columns welcomes guests through tall wooden doors. Window frames painted in pale blue soften the façade, and small planters with oleander flank the entrance.

Inside, the hall is a generous open space. Long rows of upholstered chairs line the side walls during seated occasions, while for communal prayer the carpets are rolled out across the centre and the furniture is set aside. A small mihrab niche on the qibla wall, framed in carved plaster, allows the five daily prayers to be performed here when needed. A modest kitchen and a gents and ladies rest area adjoin the main hall.

Families from across Erbil's older quarters hold their weddings, mawlids, and condolences in this hall, weaving the neighbourly life of Kurdistan's capital through its welcoming doors.