Tekke or Zawiyah. Zawiyah is a prime example of place for worship and meditation. It is mausoleum of venerated saints too. Origin of name Zawiyah is obscure.

„TheArabic etymological dictionary Lisan al-arab refers to zawiyah as a place situated in the Iraqi city of Basrah, where early Sufi circles developed.“[1] Another arabic dictionary are speaking about Zawiyah like a place of refuge for Sufis and the poor. People use the Zawiyah like Mosque and they make there five prayers per day. These place serves for meetings of tariqah and for their litanies (dhikrs), poems, and selections from the Quran. Zawiayh serves for various spiritual states like tarbiyah and khalwah. Tarbiyah is one of the highest form of spiritual initiation. „Under the direction of a spiritual guide, the aspirant isolates himself in the zawiyah, eats minimally, and recites dhikrs in the hope that they will bring him to spiritual fulfillment.“[2] Another type of spiritual experience brings Khalwah. Khalwah ritual consists of isolation a lack of sleep, restriction of food and the recitation of prayers for spiritual realization. Khalwah has social dimension too, because it confirm spiritual leaders reinforce their holy reputation for society, and some aspirants can be promote to positions of leadership.

The architectural style of Zawiyah is usually simple. All Zawiyahs have a large main area. The name of these area is sama´hana. Ceremonies are being made in this place. Larger tekkes often have additional areas. For example, some possess sama'hanas divided into different sections, including some reserved for musicians who play music during the Dhikr rituals. Some tekkes have small room for the Sheikh and his family. Bigger Zawiyah have some smaller rooms that allow for dhikr to be done. Dhikr is the central ritual of the Sufi Orders. „This is the mystical practice of the repetition of the Names of Allah in order to achieve … knowledge of God by way of contemplation“[3]

Some tekkes are used for charitable purposes and may be in a seperate buildingf for such purposes. One example is the Miskinler Tekkesi in Istanbul, which also has a large hospital. Tekkes have political role and they serve like a welfare institution.

[1] The Oxford encyclopaedia of the modern islamic world, page no. 371

[2] The Oxford encyclopaedia of the modern islamic world, page no. 371

[3] Saint and Sufi in Modern Egypt: Michael Gilsenan. Oxford university press 1973