Pir Mehmed Reshan

This article is about a Yazidi holy figure. For the settlement, see Mam Rashan. For the shrine, see Mam Rashan Shrine.

Pir Mehmed Rashan or Pir Mehmed Reshan (Kurdish: Pîr Mehmed Reşan, Pîr Memê Reşan, Pîr Mamreşan^[1]) was a 12th-century Yazidi saint (Pîr). The Mam Rashan Shrine on Mount Sinjar was built in honor of him.^[2][3]

Pir Mehmed Reshan
Lord of the rain and protector of harvest
View of the shrine of Pir Mehmed Rashan, adjacent to Maqlub Mountain near Bardarash
Other names	Şêr Memê Reşan ('Lion Memê Reşan')
Venerated in	Yazidism
Animals	Patron of cats[4]
Mount	Lion; In Yazidi religious texts, Memê Reşan is called Şêr Memê Reşan ('Lion Memê Reşan'), because there is a storyline about Memê Reşan, who, to show his power, saddled a stone, which then turned into a lion.[5]
Region	Kurdistan
Ethnic group	Kurds (Yazidis)

As a patron saint of agriculture, he is considered to be the protector of harvests and bringer of rain. His feast is celebrated in spring. There is a shrine dedicated to him at Lalish. Also, a shrine that is claimed as his tomb is situated behind Mount Maqlub near Bardarash, Iraq.^[6] During times of drought, special ceremonies are held at sites dedicated to him to pray for rain and blessing of cultivated land.^[7]

See also

• List of Yazidi holy figures
• List of Yazidi holy places