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).