Rabia al-Adawiyya (aka Rabia al-Basri) was running through the streets of town, Basra, one day with a pail of water in one hand and a burning torch in the other. When asked what she was doing, she responded, "I want to put out the fires of Hell, and burn down the rewards of Paradise." She was then asked why, to which she responded, "They block the way to God. I do not want to worship from fear of punishment or for the promise of reward, but simply for the love of God."
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Check out Kohlberg's "Stages of Moral Development." It speaks to that story, which is wonderful.
Posted by: Demi | Jun 01, 2004 at 00:23
So tell me, is there a Rabiya shrine in Basra or anything?
Posted by: Leila | Jun 02, 2004 at 02:36
I've been asking around about a shrine, but no one seems to know about now. There was one at the turn of the century.
Posted by: islamoyankee | Jun 10, 2004 at 23:39