It is its fruit. This means that the servant, seeing himself as subsisting with his Rabb (Lord) who is al-Qayyūm (the Self-Subsisting), becomes annihilated from all forms, and is absent from himself, since he is not self-subsisting. This also means that the servant is freed from the immersion in perceiving his own works and from the impurity of concealing his (acts of worship). This state is the disappearance of the Sufi ḥāl (spiritual state). The malāmati (follower of the malāmatī path) is one who is at the station of ikhlas (sincerity) but cannot grasp the reality of ikhlas. This is the clear distinction between the malāmati and the Sufi. (ʿAwārif, 49)
The difference between the Qalandari and the Malāmati is as follows: the Malāmati is careful to conceal his acts of worship. The Qalandari, on the other hand, seeks to destroy ʿādāt (customs). The Malāmati clings tightly to every door of goodness and virtue and accepts these as merits. However, he tries to conceal all his actions and states from others. In his behavior and dress, the Malāmati keeps himself at the level of ordinary people; by appearing like them in clothing, manner, and conduct, he tries to hide his state and remain unrecognized. Nevertheless, he seeks to attain higher degrees. He exerts gayret (spiritual striving) in doing everything that brings the servant closer to Allah. The Qalandari does not adopt any particular form, nor does he care about being recognized or unrecognized. He pays no attention to anything except the purity of qalb (the heart), which he regards as his capital.
As for the Sufi, he does everything in its proper place, acting with knowledge of all times and states. He puts people in their proper place, and Allah in His proper place. He conceals himself where concealment is required, and acts openly where openness is required. He carries out his affairs with mental composure, correct tawhid (the oneness of God), perfect maʿrifa (gnosis), truthfulness, and observance of ikhlas. (ʿAwārif, 51)
malāmatiyya/malāmiyya: The Malāmatiyya have their own particular excellence in clinging tightly to ikhlas. For this reason, they attach great importance to concealing their states and actions, and they take pleasure in this concealment. So much so that the malāmatis fear the disclosure of any of their deeds or states as a sinner fears the exposure of his crime.
According to the method of the Malāmatiyya, dhikr (remembrance of God) is of four kinds: dhikr with the tongue, the qalb, the sirr (the innermost secret), and the ruh (the spirit). When dhikr is performed with the ruh, the sirr, qalb, and tongue fall silent and do not remember. This is the dhikr of witnessing (mushāhada). When dhikr is performed with the sirr, the qalb does not remember. This is the dhikr of heybet (awe). When the qalb begins to remember, the tongue falls silent. This is the dhikr expressing Allah's blessings and favors. When the qalb is heedless of dhikr, the tongue turns to dhikr. This is the dhikr of habit (ʿāda).
The umanāʾ (trustworthy ones) are those Malāmatis who do not reflect their inner state outwardly. Their disciples walk in the attitudes of rujūliyya (manliness) of the people of futuwwa (spiritual chivalry) (Kāshānī and Jāmī)... (Iṣṭilāḥ, 531; Kāshānī, 31; Jāmī, 5)
They say that the Malāmatiyya have a weak lisān (expression). (Futūḥāt) The Malāmatis are the masters and imams of those who belong to the path of Allah. The Master of the Universe, Muhammad, is among them. They are those who put things in their proper place, the malāmatiyya/malāmiyya, and those who do good and sound deeds, possessors of ḥikma (wisdom), those who put causes in their proper place, remove what should be removed, and do not alter or corrupt anything among the creatures in accordance with Allah's determination (it is said that they possess these qualities) (Nabhānī).
The Malāmatis are those who leave to the world what the world requires, and to the hereafter what the hereafter requires, not allowing any confusion between things and ḥaqīqa (inner realities), and who look at them with the gaze of Allah. (Whoever removes something from the place Allah has assigned to it has not recognized the Truth and has not appreciated its worth. Whoever to it (to nature)...