Encyclopedia of Islam

Majnun and Layla

  

449  J

---

literature, medieval Persian and Urdu love poetry 

and narratives, and, according to some scholars, 

medieval European romance.

See also 

Folklore

;  p

ersian

 

langUage

 

and

literatUre

.

Ruqayya Yasmine Khan

Further reading: Michael Dols, Majnun: The Madman in 

Medieval Islamic Society (New York: Oxford University 

Press, 1992); Nizami, The Story of Layla and Majnun.

Translated and edited by Rudolf Gelpke et al. (New 

York: Omega Publications, 1997).

maktab

  See 

kuttab

.

Malamati Sufis

All Sufis seek to control the desires of the self 

(nafs), which prevent the individual from reach-

ing God, but while many try to do so by devoting 

themselves to outward forms of worship, Mala-

matis reject outward display of their devotion, 

considering this too to be feeding the self’s desire 

for acceptance by society. Malamati Sufism is not a 

clearly defined system of beliefs, but a set of prac-

tices and a psychology relating to the principle 

of refraining from actions that would gain the 

approval of society, including public performance 

of the prescribed forms of worship. Malamatis 

do not seek the approval of society, and they do 

not fear its blame. The Malamati Sufis base their 

beliefs on the Quranic verse: “They struggle in the 

path of God and fear not the blame of any blamer” 

(Q 5:54), and thus their name is derived from the 

Arabic word malama, meaning “blame.”    

As a consequence of their avoidance of public 

worship, Malamatis were often accused of not 

acting in accordance with religious law and con-

demned by orthodox authorities. Nevertheless, 

most Malamatis tried to live within the world, 

wearing clothing that did not attract attention and 

often working in the marketplace as artisans.

Though similar religious attitudes existed 

before the advent of Islam, Malamati Sufism in its 

Islamic form developed in the region of Khurasan 

in the ninth century, in part as a response to the 

extroverted ascetism of the Karramis. The first 

major figure of the Malamati movement was Ham-

dun al-Qassar (d. 884) of Nishapur, who taught 

the renunciation of the need to please people, 

which would lead to actions done in hypocrisy 

(riya). Malamatis did not participate in Sufi rituals 

such as 

dhikr

 and samaa (musical audition), since 

in doing so their inner states might be revealed. 

Because of the invisibility of Malamatis, it is 

difficult to discern any structured organization 

under that name and to determine the extent 

to which their influence spread. It seems likely, 

though, that the principles of Malamatism led 

some to purposely seek the blame of others by 

openly violating religious and social conventions, 

and these came to be known as Qalandars. The 

Naqshbandi order may also have been influenced 

by Malamatis, in its refusal of distinctive clothing 

and its preference for a silent dhikr. In Ottoman 

lands, Malamati principles were incorporated into 

the Malami and Hamzawi orders. 

See also 

asceticism

; 

sUFism

.

Mark Soileau