mahalla

thumb|right|upright=1.5|View of Sarshahar Mahallah in Ordubad, [[Azerbaijan]] A mahalla (, also transliterated as mahallah, etc.) is an Arabic word that comes from the root ḥ-l-l (), and originally denoted a place where one makes a halt. It has been variously translated as district, quarter, ward, or neighborhood in many parts of the Arab world, the Balkans, West and Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and nearby nations. In the Maghreb, it referred to a military formation or campaign for tax collection in the service of the sultan and his makhzen.

==History== Historically, mahallas were autonomous social institutions built around familial ties and Islamic rituals. Today it is popularly recognised also by non-Muslims as a neighbourhood in large cities and towns. Mahallas lie at the intersection of private family life and the public sphere. Important community-level management functions are performed through mahalle solidarity, such as religious ceremonies, life-cycle rituals, resource management and conflict resolution. It is an official administrative unit in many Middle Eastern countries.