Pure Devotion as Antidote

Rabia famously prayed: "O God, I do not worship You from fear of Hell, nor do I worship You in hope of reward, but I worship You for Your sake alone." This statement encapsulates her vision of pure devotion—love untethered from calculation or condition. Pure devotion is an antidote to favoritism because it breaks the transaction that drives preference. When we love someone because they benefit us, impress us, or align with our interests, we are engaging in commerce. Favoritism is inevitable under these conditions because we will naturally allocate more love to those who offer more return. But when we practice pure devotion—showing up consistently, deeply, and authentically simply because doing so is right—we step outside the economy of exchange. This shift is profoundly difficult because our entire social system is built on reciprocity and reward. Yet Rabia's tradition insists it is possible and necessary. By cultivating pure devotion in at least one relationship or one community, we create a template for what love without favoritism can be. We discover that it is not diminishing but liberating, not costly but enriching.