Sufi Khanqah Lodge

Timeline

1. 1251–1260Konya · AnatoliaJalal al-Din Rumi (1207–1273) headed a khanqah in Konya, gathering disciples for samāʿ whirling, poetry recitation, and teaching of the Masnavi. The khanqah provided lodging and prayer space, attracting scholars and travelers from Anatolia and Persian-speaking regions, and became the core stronghold of the later Mevlevi order.
2. 1253–1260Damascus–Cairo · LevantFrom the late Ayyubid to early Mamluk period, numerous Sufi khanqahs dotted Damascus and Cairo, where branches of orders such as the Shadhili and Rifai taught, distributed porridge, and conducted funerals. Khanqahs were often maintained by waqf endowments and formed a complementary religious infrastructure alongside local mosques and madrasas.
3. 1256–1260Tabriz · AzerbaijanIn the early Ilkhanate, Tabriz as the capital hosted Sufi khanqahs and zawiyas that continued to receive traveling Sufis and Persian literati. Khanqahs provided spiritual refuge and social relief amid war and migration; some shaykhs interacted with the Mongol court, and Sufi networks became cross-ethnic religious bonds.