Pure Intention as the Root Practice

Rabia was obsessed with intention: every act, every thought must be purified of ego-serving motives and directed toward truth alone. Pure Intention as the Root Practice applies this discipline to favoritism. We rarely engage in favoritism believing it's wrong; instead, we justify it through plausible reasons: merit, compatibility, effort, family loyalty. Yet if we examine honestly, we often find ego at the root. We favor those who make us feel capable, intelligent, or worthy. We favor those who reflect our values back to us, confirming we're right. We favor those who serve our interests or amplify our status. Rabia's practice was to examine motivation ruthlessly. She asked: Am I doing this to serve truth or to serve myself? Applied to favoritism, this becomes: Am I excluding this person because they're genuinely unsuitable, or because they threaten me? Do I favor this person because they're truly deserving, or because they're comfortable? The cost of unexamined motives is that we perpetuate injustice while believing ourselves fair. Her legacy teaches that root practice requires honesty about what serves our ego versus what serves justice, community, and truth. When we align intention with higher purpose, favoritism loses its justification. The work begins with asking: What am I defending by maintaining these preferences?