Undifferentiated Love as Practice

Rabia al-Adawiyya taught that true devotion requires loving God without expectation of reward or fear of punishment—a radical equality of heart. Applied to favoritism, this concept asks: can we extend that same undifferentiated attention to every person in our sphere, not reserving warmth for those who benefit us most? Favoritism emerges when we unconsciously rank people's worth by utility, appearance, or familiarity. Rabia's practice invites us to examine which relationships receive our best selves and which receive our neglect. By recognizing that preferential treatment costs community cohesion and personal integrity, we can practice intentional presence with those we might otherwise overlook. This doesn't mean identical treatment, but rather examining whether our choices reflect genuine need or habitual bias.