The ruling on what is attributed to Rabi'ah: “I worship Allah out of love, not for Paradise”

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Question:
Is it true that Rabi'ah al-'Adawiyyah said: “I worship Allah out of love for His own sake, not hoping for His Paradise and not fearing His Fire”?

Answer:
This is reported about her, and if it is true that she said it, it is a sign of her ignorance. This is ignorance. The messengers worshipped Allah, feared His punishment, and hoped for His mercy, and they are the messengers (peace and blessings be upon them). But if this is true about her, it indicates her ignorance and that she is a worshipper who is ignorant; because Allah says regarding the messengers, the prophets, and the righteous:

Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا

[Al-Anbiya: 90], and He the Exalted says:

But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens -

وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ

[Al-Rahman: 46], and He says:

So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone."

فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا

[Al-Kahf: 110], and He the Exalted said:

Those whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment

أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ

[Al-Isra: 57]. Thus, the awliya (close friends of Allah) among the messengers and the righteous worship Him with sincerity to Him, and with love, hope, and fear all together. The one who does not fear Allah has no good in him; he has no religion.

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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