Sufi hospices, where a Sufi master lived with his disciples and received visitors, were known as:

Sufi hospices, where a Sufi master (shaikh or pir) lived with his disciples (murids) and received visitors, were known as "khanqahs".

About khanqahs:

NCERT explains that, by the 11th century, Sufism evolved into a well-developed movement, and the Sufis organised communities around the hospice or khanqah (Persian), controlled by a teaching master known as a shaikh (Arabic), pir or murshid (Persian).

The shaikh enrolled disciples (murids) and appointed a successor (khalifa).

He established rules for spiritual conduct and interaction between the inmates as well as between laypersons and the master.

Life in the khanqah:

• NCERT describes the khanqah of the Chishti saint Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi.
• It had several small rooms and a big hall (jama'at khana), where the inmates and visitors lived and prayed.
• The inmates included family members of the shaikh, his attendants and disciples.
• An open kitchen (langar) ran on unasked-for charity (futuh), and people of all backgrounds were served food.
• Visitors included soldiers, slaves, singers, merchants, poets, travellers, rich and poor, Hindu jogis and qalandars.

Practices in the Chishti khanqahs:

• Music, including qawwali, to evoke divine ecstasy.
• Zikr: the remembrance of God's name.
• Fasting and prayer.

Other related terms:

• "Dargah" (Persian, "court"): the shrine built over the grave of a Sufi saint.
• "Silsila": a chain of spiritual succession, linking the master to the Prophet.
• "Urs": the death anniversary of a saint, celebrated at his dargah.
• "Barakat": spiritual grace or blessing.
• "Jamaat khana": the hall in a khanqah.

Other names:

In some regions, Sufi hospices were also called "zawiya", "ribat" or "tekke".

Why not the other options?

• ✗Dargahs are tombs of saints.
• ✗Madrasas are schools of Islamic learning.
• ✗The Ibadat Khana was a hall built by Akbar.