Khawaja or Khwaja (Persian: خواجه‎ khvājeh, in Arabic: خواجة‎ khawājah) is a title used in the Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia. It means Master , Lord, the title is also closely related to other terms in Sufism. Originally an honorific, it later became common as a surname. The spellings Hodja or Hoca (Turkish), Hodžić (Bosnian), Hoxha(Albanian), Hodža (Slovak), Hotzakis (Greek), and Al-Khawaja are also used.
The Persian word Hodja (خواجه) is also used to refer to those who have “wisdom” as well as “knowledge”. In Arabic they are called “ârif” (عارف), which is different from “âlim” (عالِم)(a very knowledgable person). An “ârif” has a virtue of “irfan” (wisdom)that is closely associated with deep insight into and reflection on the entities, which is known to be the “profound and deeper knowledge of the things” (or the truth about the things). This insight and reflection is said to be revealed through the practice of sufism (sayr al-sulûq) and manifests itself with refined moral behaviour and wisdom. A privileged and prestigious group of Hodjas like Rûmi, Suhreverdî, Rabbanî, Gilanî or Bahaeddin are called “hacegân” (خواجه) who are also the figures mostly concerned with sufism, hikmet (حكمت) and spiritual wisdom.

Song: Khwaja Ma Khwaja
Artist: A. R. Rahman