Love as Verb, Not Noun

Rabia al-Adawiyya distinguished sharply between love as sentiment and love as practice. Favoritism often masquerades as love—'I love this person, so I show them favor'—but it's actually possession disguised as affection. True love, in Rabia's tradition, is a verb: the continuous action of wishing well for someone and supporting their flourishing. When love is defined by feeling or preference, it's unstable and selective. When it's defined by practice—showing up, listening, serving without calculation—it can be extended to everyone. This distinction is crucial for communities struggling with nepotism or cliques. You don't have to feel spontaneous affection for everyone to act lovingly toward them. In fact, the willingness to serve those you don't particularly like is the mark of spiritual maturity. This reframe prevents the cost of favoritism that comes from believing love is scarce and should flow only to chosen few. When love is a verb, there's no contradiction between preferring someone's company and treating everyone with equal dignity. The practice of love becomes a discipline, not a lottery determined by chemistry or similarity.