(pl. Khaniqahhā) from Persian, lit. ‘residence’. Khaniqa is a term for a Sufi meetinghouse which serves as a residential teaching centre for Sufi disciples. It seems to have first been used as a term to designate this function in Persia in the 9th CE century; a famous khaniqa was established by Muḥammad b. Karrām (d. 839 CE) the founder of the Karramiyya ṭarīqa. Khaniqas are usually designed to house Sufis, provide places for communal worship, and feed the residents, guests and travellers. Like zāwīyas, khaniqas are also used as burial-sites of Sufi masters. As the institution spread, its architectural form developed according to local needs and customs. Khaniqas today are spread over many parts of the Islamic world, especially the Persian-influenced regions (Iran, Central Asia and South Asia).
