Love Without Condition or Measure

Rabia famously rejected the notion that we should love God from fear of punishment or hope of reward—this conditional love mirrors how favoritism operates in human relationships. When we favor those who benefit us, entertain us, or share our identity, we love conditionally. Her alternative is love without measure: a devotion that flows not because of what we receive but because giving is its own purpose. Applied to favoritism, this means practicing equal regard for the overlooked and the celebrated, the difficult and the charming. This is not indifference but rather a disciplined heart that sees worthiness everywhere. The cost of refusing this practice is a contracted life: we remain trapped in transactional relationships, always calculating who deserves our attention, never experiencing the freedom of boundless belonging.