Understanding collective action rooted in genuine care rather than ideology, following Rabia's model of pure devotion applied to community bonds.
Rabia al-Adawiyya taught that love of the Divine transcended fear of punishment or hope for reward—a disinterested devotion. In community organizing, this translates to mobilizing people through authentic care for one another's wellbeing rather than transactional benefits or coercive pressure. When organizers cultivate genuine love for their community members, relationships deepen, trust solidifies, and collective action becomes sustainable. This concept challenges the instrumental mindset that reduces organizing to extracting commitments. Instead, it asks: How do we build movements where people show up because they genuinely care about each other's flourishing? Rabia's legacy suggests that communities held together by love prove more resilient through hardship, more creative in problem-solving, and more capable of transforming injustice because members act from devotion to one another, not external incentives.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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