Rabia's model of pure devotion applied to adoptive parenting: loving a child for their own sake, not for biological connection or expectation of gratitude.
Rabia al-Adawiyya taught that love offered purely—without expectation of return, without condition, without the need to possess—reflects divine love itself. In adoptive parenting, this concept challenges the unspoken expectation that a child 'owes' gratitude for being chosen or rescued. Instead, it asks parents to love the child as Rabia loved God: for the sake of love itself, not for what it secures or proves. This dissolves the transactional undertone that can haunt adoption narratives. The child is not completing a family or fulfilling a parental dream; they are a complete person being welcomed into belonging. This shifts adoptive love from conditional approval to unconditional presence, creating psychological safety for the child to develop identity freely, without the burden of repaying their parents' sacrifice or investment.
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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