Khanqah

A khanqah or khaniqah (also transliterated as khanqa, khaneqa (Persian: خانگاه‎), khanegah or khaneqah (خانقاه)), also known as a ribat (رباط) – 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 Sufi travelers (salik) and Islamic students (talib). Khanqahs are very often found adjoined to dargahs (shrines of Sufi saints), mosques and madrasas (Islamic schools). They are found throughout the Persian-influenced Islamic world, especially Iran, Central Asia and South Asia.