A
khanqah or
khaniqah (also transliterated as
khankahs ,
khaneqa,
khanegah or
khaneqah ), also known as a
ribat – among other terms – is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a
Sufi brotherhood or
tariqa and is a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation. In the past, and to a lesser extent nowadays, they often served as hospices for
salik (Sufi travelers) and
talibe (Islamic students). Khanqahs are very often found adjoined to
dargahs (shrines of Sufi saints),
mosques and
madrasas (Islamic schools).
