Love as Self-Recognition Beyond Role

Rabia al-Adawiyya taught that love transcends utility and expectation—it exists purely for its own sake. For parents, this principle transforms self-relationship: you are not merely a function or role-player. By cultivating love toward yourself independent of what you produce or provide, you recognize your inherent worth beyond parenting. This Sufi-rooted practice asks: What would you love about yourself if no one depended on you? How might pure devotion to your own becoming reshape your identity? This concept invites parents to practice self-regard not as selfishness but as spiritual discipline, mirroring Rabia's radical love of the Divine for its own sake, not for reward or duty.