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.”
Related Posts
Acting in the Theater of the Absurd
So, there’s a Danish cartoon controversy. This is stupidity (the cartoons). The violent reactions are idiocy. Ahmadinejad’s call for Holocaust denial cartoons moves the issue into the realm of the absurd. How do you deal with the absurd? Get a part and act along. via Progressive Islam, I see there is now an Israeli Anti-Semetic Cartoon Contest. Technorati Tags: Ahmadinejad, cartoons, Judaism
Change the Story
See it yourself. Part of the US Muslim Engagement Project.
Action Call: Ask Pres. Obama to keep his promise on Islamic Charities
From Muslim Advocates: One year after President Obama pledged in Cairo, Egypt, to ease hurdles to charitable giving, American Muslims are asking President Obama to keep his promise and help them fulfill their religious obligation, while building bridges to Muslim nations for a more secure future. … On Friday, June 4th, Muslim Advocates is urging Muslims across the country to call the White House (202.456.1111) and tell President Obama to keep his promise and reform the many federal laws complicating our ability to give zakat freely. Download a PDF of the Action Alert!
3 thoughts on “A story”
Comments are closed.
Check out Kohlberg’s “Stages of Moral Development.” It speaks to that story, which is wonderful.
So tell me, is there a Rabiya shrine in Basra or anything?
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.