The Path of Blame: An Unusual Islamic Approach on the Way to Spiritual Perfection
The Path of Blame: An Unusual Islamic Approach on the Way to Spiritual Perfection

Summary/Abstract: In the complex landscape of Islamic mysticism developed from the 9th centuryonwards, an unusual trend emerged that is known as Malāmatiyya or the “People ofBlameˮ. The particular discipline and teachings professed by this school on the wayof spiritual perfection stressed out the necessity of a continuous self-control overthe soul by exposing oneself to personal or public humiliation. This strange habit ofMalāmatiyya adherents, who otherwise were very discreet people hiding their deepspiritual level, often tookon some unusual forms.Some of them were mentioned insignifi cant stories, anecdotes or sayings. All of these prove their capacity to perceiveGod’s presence in every aspects of life or, as Ibn Arabi says, in the secondarycauses, also named by him “divine veilsˮ. Therefore, beside their eccentricities theMalāmatiyya adepts kept their strong fi delity to Islamic tradition and faith and didnot promote a spirituality estrangedfrom a religious basis. Nowadays some NewAge infl uences try to assimilate this particular branch and generally the Sufi sm asan expression of an universalistic spirituality of humanity and this misinterpretationmakes it necessary to highlight its particular Islamic character.

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