The Annihilation of Self-Interest

Rabia practiced fana—the dissolution of the separate self—as the path to pure devotion. This directly addresses the mechanism of favoritism: we favor those who serve our ego's needs, our identity, our tribe, our advancement. When the separated self dissolves, these preferences lose their power. Favoritism thrives in environments where individuals prioritize their own benefit, their family's advantage, or their group's dominance. By practicing this annihilation of ego-driven preference, communities reduce corruption, nepotism, and the deep resentment that unfair treatment generates. The cost of clinging to self-interest is high: broken trust, fragmented loyalty, and the perpetual anxiety of maintaining status hierarchies. Rabia's radical love-practice offers a counterway: when nothing belongs to us and we own nothing personally, we cannot favor ourselves. This doesn't mean passivity but rather aligning actions with collective good rather than personal gain.