Companions on the Way: Sufism in 21st Century Oakland, California
Emily Victoria Hanlon
uO Research February 25, 2026 DOI: 10.20381/ruor-31769 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mahmoud Malamatian, an Iranian-American Sufi teacher, and his family |
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Sufism Honour Islam Context archaeology Wife Persian |
| Key findings | Argues that Mahmoud Malamatian's Sufism is profoundly traditional yet adapted for its time and place, emphasizing his pedagogical approach, lack of institutional affiliation, and the use of Sufi tabaqat for contextualization. |
Abstract
This project explores the religious philosophy, pedagogical practices and story of Mahmoud Malamatian, an Iranian-American Sufi teacher who practices in present-day Oakland, California. I have known Mahmoud, his wife Rozaneh and their family for eight years. To honour my proximity to the 'subject,' I employed a Lived Religion theoretical framework and gathered data using the qualitative autoethnographic research method. This dissertation highlights three themes in particular, (1) Mahmoud's pedagogical approach for teaching Sufism, (2) his lack of affiliation with any religious institution, and (3) Sufi tabaqat, a genre of Islamic and Sufi biographical manuals. The tabaqat serve as a tool for historically and religiously contextualizing, as well as defining Mahmoud's philosophy and practices. In particular, I consulted the tabaqat of the medieval Persian Sufi masters Sulami (d. 1034), Hujwiri (d. 1077) and Qushayri (d. 1072/3) and the work of Sufi poets and storytellers like Rumi (d. 1273) and Attar (d. 1221). This autoethnographic case study of contemporary Sufism, focusing specifically upon Mahmoud's philosophy, pedagogy and practices, explores these themes in the context of six specific subjects: Sufism generally; love (muhabba; ishq); lineage and transmission (silsilah); adab and companionship; storytellers and stories in Sufism; and gender and power. Ultimately, this work provides a window into a contemporary expression of Sufism that is profoundly traditional but adapted for its time and place.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualitative and Quantitative Features of Music Reported to Support Peak Mystical Experiences during Psychedelic Therapy Sessions Individuals with extensive experience administering psilocybin or psilocybin-containing... | 2017 | Survey and qualitative/quantitative analysis | n = 10 |
| Common Core Thesis and Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Mysticism in Chinese Buddhist Monks and Nuns Chinese Pure Land and Chan Buddhist monks and nuns | 2011 | Mixed-methods study | n = 139 |
| Do Drugs Have Religious Import? A 40-Year Retrospective | 2004 | Interview | |
| Narratives of the mystical among users of psychedelics Psychedelic drug users | 2021 | Qualitative study | n = 50 |
| Auras in mysticism and synaesthesia: a comparison. Synaesthetes who experience colors in response to human faces and figures | 2012 | Qualitative study | n = 4 |