Tariqa in Arabic means path and it denotes a Sufi brotherhood or chain or order.[3] The orders are governed by shaykhs, spiritual leaders that mentor Sufis. Shaykhs are identified by the signs of God's grace that are evident, such as the ability to perform miracles.[4] They take on people, usually male, that are committed to the Sufi lifestyle and want to progress further in their spiritual education. It is common for the shaykh to test a new disciple by ignoring them, assigning humiliating tasks or being rude to them.[5] When the disciple has passed these tests, he is introduced to the awrad, a series of prayers particular to that order.