Disinterested love, unmotivated by reward or fear, is the highest devotion

Evidence

‘O God, if I worship Thee in fear of Hell, burn me in Hell.If I worship Thee in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise.But if I worship Thee for Thine own sake, withhold not Thy everlasting beauty.’ … She was seen one day carrying a flaming torch in one hand and a bucket of water in the other.She was asked: ‘Where are you going?‘She said: ‘I am going to set fire to Paradise with this torchand to put out the flames of Hell with this water,so that people will love God for the sake of God,not from greed for reward or fear of punishment.’ — , A Year of World Stories, 2607

Categorization

• XREF: Echoes the chapter’s ongoing theme of love for its own sake, also found in Rumi’s ‘love of leaving’ and the Sufi concern with attachments rather than rewards.