A khanqah, also known as a ribat, is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood or tariqa and is a place for spiritual practice and religious education. The khanqah is typically a large structure with a central hall and smaller rooms on either side. Traditionally, the kahnqah was state-sponsored housing for Sufis. Their primary function is to provide them with a space to practice social lives of asceticism. Buildings intended for public services, such as hospitals, kitchens, and lodging, are often attached to them. Khanqahs were funded by Ayyubid sultans in Syria, Zangid sultans in Egypt, and Delhi sultans in India in return for Sufi support of their regimes. The word khanqah is likely either Turkish or Persian in origin. In the Arab world, especially North Africa, the khanqah is known as a zāwiyah. In the former regions of the Ottoman Empire, they are locally referred to as tekke in Turkish, teqeja in Albanian, tekija in Bosnian, and takiyya in Arabic. In South Asia, the words khanqah and dargah are used interchangeably for Sufi shrines. Scholars in the Mamluk world often did not differentiate between khanqahs, ribats, zawiyas, and madrasas.

Khanqah - Wikipedia