The Qalandariyah was a roaming sect of Sufi dervishes. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفیگری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Darvesh or Dervish ( Arabic and Persian: درویش) as it is known in European languages refers to members of Sufi Its members were called Qalandaris.
The term covers variety of sects that were not centrally organized. One of such sects was founded by Qalandar Yusuf al-Andalusi, who came from Andalusia, Spain. Qalandar (قلندر is a title given to Sufi mystics especially in South Asia. Andalusia (Andalucía is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the most populous and the second largest in terms of land area Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The group practised asceticism and the use of hashish, alcohol, and other intoxicants. Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. Hashish (from Arabic: ar حشيش, lit "grass" also hash) is a preparation of cannabis composed of the compressed Starting in the early 12th century, it gained popularity in Greater Khorasan and neighbouring regions. Greater Khorasan (خراسان بزرگ (also written Khorasaan, Khurasan and Khurasaan) is a modern term for eastern territories of ancient Persia
First references to the order or it antedecents are mentioned in 11th century prose text entitled Qalandarname attributed to Ansarī Harawī. The term Qalandariyyat appears to be first applied by Sanai Ghaznavi (d 1131) in the seminal poetic works, where the diverse practices are described. Hakim Abul-Majd Majdūd ibn Ādam Sanā'ī Ghaznavi ( was a Persian Sufi ( Tajik) Poet who lived in Ghazna, in what is now Particular to the qalandar genre of poetry are terms that refer to gambling, games and alcohol, pederasty or Nazar ill'al-murd - themes commonly referred to as kufriyyat or kharabat. Pederasty or paederasty refers to an erotic relationship sexually expressed or not between an adolescent boy and an adult male outside his immediate family As a Sufi practice of spiritual realization and union with the godhead the meditation known in Arabic as Naẓar ila'l-murd (النظر إلى المرد "contemplation
The writings of qalandars were not intended as a celebration of plain libertinism in the Western sense of the word, but as antinomial practices of affirmation from negative action. Libertine has come to mean one devoid of any restraints especially one who ignores or even spurns religious norms accepted morals and forms of behaviour sanctioned by the larger society It can only be speculated as to how much these were applied by the dervishes themselves, however this may be the reason while the order was viewed suspiciously by authorities.
Sources
The Qalandariyyat in Persian Mystical Poetry from Sana'i 61-75 in The Heritage of Sufism, 2003 ISBN 1-85168-189-2.