Muslim Saints of South Asia: The eleventh to ... - blog blog blog

THE MENDICANT SAINTS
moderate mystics did not give too much credence to them, remembering
that self-abasement was worse than pride. Al-Hujwiri,
speaking of people who take refuge in the status of malāmatī after
having committed an evil deed, comes to the conclusion:
In my opinion, to seek Blame is mere ostentation, and ostentation
is mere hypocrisy. The ostentatious man purposely
acts in such way as to win popularity, while the Malāmatī
purposely acts in such a way that the people reject him. Both
have their thoughts fixed on mankind and do not pass
beyond that sphere. The dervish, on the contrary, never even
thinks of mankind.
(al-Hujwiri 1992: 67)
Abu Hafs Suhrawardi in ‘Awārif al-ma‘ārif makes a distinction
between malāmatī and qalandar. The former, in his opinion, are truly
sincere, but do not want outsiders to get to know about their ecstatic
state and mystic experience. He regards the movement of qalandars
as an anti-social phenomenon, considering that they consciously
violate the injunctions of sharī‘at and defy religion and society.
The term qalandariyya is applied to people so possessed by
the intoxication of ‘tranquility of heart’ that they respect no
custom or usage and reject the regular observances of society
and mutual relationship. Traversing the arenas of ‘tranquility
of heart’ they concern themselves little with ritual prayer
and fasting except such as are obligatory (farā’id˝). Neither
do they concern themselves with those earthly pleasures
which are allowed by the indulgence of divine law ... The
difference between the qalandarī and the malāmatī is that
the malāmatī strives to conceal his mode of life whilst the
qalandarī seeks to destroy accepted custom.
(Trimingham 1971: 267)
Indeed, qalandars in every way possible used to flaunt their special
mystic status both in their outward appearance and in their conduct.
They wore a short khirqa which came down only to their thighs, a
shaggy fur-cap, a heavy iron necklace, ear-rings, looking like massive
rings worn on the fingers, and wide bracelets, generally called
‘qalandar’s implements’ (ālāt-i qalandarī). Undoubtedly these ‘implements’
were a sign of humble resignation to God’s will and of
repentance, since they reminded one more of a slave’s attributes than
of a free person’s ornaments.
180