Laurence Galian embraced Islam in 1980 taking the Islamic name "Abdullah". Galian "took hand" (Bai'at) with Grand Sheikh Muzafferuddin "Ashki" Ozak al-Halveti al-Jerrahi in 1981. Galian continued his studies with Sheikh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, Sheikh Nur al-Anwar al-Jerrahi (Lex Hixon), and Sheikh Salik Schwartz al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, at the Halveti-Jerrahi tekke (Spring Valley, New York) and the Masjid al-Farah (New York, New York). Galian traveled several times to the Halveti-Jerrahi tekke in Istanbul, Turkey. He subsequently studied with Sheikh Mansur al-Jerrahi al-Halveti (from Greece and Australia) in the 1990s. Laurence renewed his "hand" (also known as "Bai'at") in the Halveti-Jerrahi Order with Grand Sheikh Sayyid Safer Dal Efendi in 1996. Galian was bestowed the additional name "Muzaffer" by Haydar Baba of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order, in honor of the memory of Sheikh Muzafferuddin "Ashki" Ozak.