Rabia's embrace of hardship as a path to wisdom teaches that suffering shared across community erodes the illusion of hierarchy that favoritism depends on.
Rabia experienced profound loss—slavery, poverty, and the deaths of loved ones—and refused to frame her suffering as punishment or ask God to spare her. Instead, she integrated pain as a teacher and a bridge to all beings. This reframing is crucial for understanding favoritism's cost: it often rests on a false belief that some people deserve ease while others deserve struggle. Favoritism allocates comfort and opportunity unequally, reinforcing the myth that some are more worthy. When we recognize that all humans experience vulnerability, loss, and the need for compassion, the rationale for favoritism collapses. Rabia's legacy invites us to ask: whom do we protect from hardship, and whom do we leave exposed? By acknowledging our shared mortality and common struggles, we cultivate what Rabia embodied—a humility and kinship that makes favoritism feel obscene. Communities that face difficulty together often develop stronger bonds than those stratified by privilege. Her wisdom suggests that the cost of favoritism includes a dangerous isolation from the redemptive power of shared human experience.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.