Sufism and the Way of Blame: Hidden Sources of a Sacred Psychology

by Yannis Toussulis, Robert Abdul Hayy Darr (Foreword)

This is a definitive book on the Sufki way of blame that addresses the cultural life of Sufism in its entirety. Originating in ninth-century Persia, the way of blame (Arab. malamatiyya) is a little-known tradition within larger Sufism that focused on the psychology of egoism and engaged in self-critique. Later, the term referred to those Sufis who shunned Islamic literalism and formalism, thus being worthy of blame. Yannis Toussulis may be the first to explore the relation between this controversial movement and the larger tradition of Sufism, as well as between Sufism and Islam generally, throughout history to the present. Both a Western professor of the psychology of religion and a Sufi practitioner, Toussulis has studied malamatiyya for over a decade. Explaining Sufism as a lifelong practice to become a perfect mirror in which God contemplates Himself, he draws on and critiques contemporary interpretations by G. I Gurdjieff, J. G. Bennett, and Idries Shah, as well as on Frithjof Schuon, Martin Lings, and Seyyed Hossein Nasr. He also contributes personal research conducted with one of the last living representatives of the way of blame in Turkey today, Mehmet Selim Ozic.

280 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2011

Reviews

[Murshida Va · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful and surprisingly accessible if somewhat academic treatise on a very "secret" or rarely understood aspect of Sufism. It can perhaps assist the uninitiated reader in a deeper understanding. My one caveat is: the author insists the roots of Sufism are purely Islamic and references Hazrat Inayat Khan and Gurdjieff in putting forth his argument against what he views as popularization. As an educator and Guide in the lineage of Hazrat Inayat Khan, I find Toussulis' arguments spurious in this area, though perhaps understandably biased. Nonetheless they are likely to mislead the reader. My point of view, of course, is also understandably biased, simply in a different direction. Bowing.

[Moose · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title and the blurb about this book make it seem like it will shed light on the the Way of Blame but it spends very little time on this topic. Instead, this book is a history of Sufism through its various influences through the Middle East and Central Asia.

Not a bad read but definitely not what the author promises.

[Benjamin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glad this is exists but it is far and away mostly a dry academic historical accounting with very little content pertaining to spiritual doctrine or theology as such.

[Eduardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly well-researched volume covering a not-very-well-known branch of Sufism, the Malamatiyya.

[Murshida VA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many gems and real insight into the deeper aspects of Fana... the much misunderstood, especially in the West, practice of effacing the self...