In the context of Sufi tradition, the term ‘khanqah’ stood for:

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

SSC GD Previous Paper 7 (Held On: 13 Feb 2019 Shift 1)

Answer 1

The correct answer is a hospice.

Key Points

A khanqah is a building designated especially for gatherings of Sufi brotherhood.
In the past and to a lesser extent nowadays, they often served as hospices for Saliks (Sufi travelers), and Islamic students.
Khanegah is also known as Khanqah or Khaniqah or Ribat.
Khanegah's are very often found adjoined to dargahs (shrines of Sufi saints), and turbes (tombs of notables), mosques, and madrasas (Islamic schools).
In the Arab world, especially North Africa, the Khaneqah is known as Zawiyah.
Khanqahs later spread across the Islamic world, from Morocco to Indonesia.