Malamatiyyah

Muslim mystic group in the Sufi tradition that flourished in Iran during the 8th century. The name, derived from the Arabic la'ma (“to be wicked”), refers to the group's focus on their own failings and misdeeds. The Malamatiyyahs saw self-blame as conducive to detachment from worldly things and disinterested service to God. To avoid praise and respect, they hid their knowledge and piety, and they made known their faults as a reminder of the need for self-improvement, while remaining tolerant and forgiving toward others. See also Sufism.