▁often ▁as ▁a ▁sal ut ation . ▁In ▁Arab ic , ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁pl ural ▁form ▁of ▁" Bar ak " ▁and ▁commonly ▁translated ▁as ▁" bl ess ings ". ▁Specifically , ▁" Bar ak at " ▁refers ▁to ▁bless ings ▁or ▁a ▁div in ely ▁inspired ▁guidance . ▁This ▁guidance ▁or ▁influence ▁may ▁be ▁found ▁among ▁persons , ▁places , ▁things , ▁and ▁actions . ▁ ▁Begin nings ▁ ▁Bar ak at ▁began ▁as ▁a ▁partners hip ▁between ▁a ▁car pet - we aving ▁business ▁based ▁in ▁P un j ab , ▁Pakistan ▁and ▁a ▁car pet - s elling ▁business ▁based ▁in ▁Cambridge , ▁Massachusetts . ▁The ▁two ▁found ers , ▁Hab ib ul lah ▁Kar imi , ▁an ▁Afghan ▁refuge e ▁living ▁in ▁Pakistan , ▁and ▁Chris ▁Wal ters , ▁an ▁American ▁small - bus iness ▁owner , ▁decided ▁to ▁rein vest ▁their ▁prof its ▁back ▁into ▁the ▁communities ▁where ▁they ▁have ▁been ▁working , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁promote ▁education , ▁particularly ▁for ▁women ▁and ▁girls . ▁ ▁Bar ak at ▁originally ▁wanted ▁to ▁open ▁its ▁first ▁school ▁in ▁Afghan istan , ▁but ▁the ▁Soviet ▁withdraw al ▁and ▁following ▁the ▁Afghan ▁Civil ▁War ▁left ▁the ▁country ▁in ▁too ▁much ▁tur mo il ▁to ▁make ▁this ▁possible . ▁Instead , ▁Walter ▁and ▁Kar imi ▁turned ▁their ▁efforts ▁to ▁At to ck ▁City , ▁in ▁Northern ▁Pakistan , ▁where ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁Afghan ▁refuge es ▁had ▁settled , ▁and ▁began ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁the ▁now ▁three ▁schools ▁Bar