Muslim Spaces of Worship and Gathering

Sama‘khana at Dargah Agha Sahab
Jabalpur, India
The dargah is dedicated to an early 19 th -century Sufi figure, Hazrat Meerza Agha Mohammed,
from Lucknow, India.
Read more about the Dargah Agha Saheb and view a photo album of events at the dargah
The Khanaqah/Tekkiya and Zawiya
The khanqah is one of the earliest institutionalised spaces for the practices of Sufi communities.
In Egypt, they have existed since at least the 11 th century CE and were encouraged by the
Ayyubid ruler, Salah al-Din. The khanaqah complex often coupled religious piety with a place
for wayfarers, providing food, shelter for novices and travellers passing through the city.
The khanqahs are most prevalent in Egypt, Syria and Iran, with examples in India. It is often
equated with the term tekke or tekkiya, which are in more common use in Turkey and Iran.
The zawiya, which literally means a corner, refers to a section of a home or, in more recent
times, to a purpose-built structure in which Sufi Communities path/way (tariqa) congregate
for their weekly remembrance (dhikr) sessions. These are most often found in northern
Syria and Egypt.
Khanaqah of Sultan Barquq
Cairo, Egypt
Commemoration of Urs (death anniversary)
of Agha Saheb at the Dargah.
Credit: Agharang.
Mehfil-e Sama‘, ceremony of listening,
at Agha Saheb Dargah.
Credit: Aragang.
The khanaqah complex was built by
Sultan Barquq, the founder of the Burji or
Circassian Mamluk Dynasty, between 1384
and 1386 CE.
Read more about the Khanaqah of Sultan
Barquq
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A view of the khanaqah of
Sultan Barquq from the street.
Credit: Maison Bonfils, Archnet.
Reproduced with permission of the Fine Arts.
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