Rabi’a

Her life entering mine

 I first read Daniel Ladinsky’s Love Poems From God when I received the book for my 50 th birthday. I read the first poet in his collection – Rabi’a – and immediately, connected to the poignancy of her life. I fell in love with her poems. Robert began to use Rabi’a in his teaching.

I read more about her. Friends helped me find books and research. I began to sculpt a piece that could be performed. Rabi’a – the single voice of a lady Sufi. I performed the play in February and August 2006 in the Festival Hall.

Rabi’a was born in the desert outside Basra in approximately 717AD. There was no writer near this time to give us Rabi’a’s biography. We can find material only in Memoir of the Saints of Attar, who lived more than one hundred years after Rabi’a. Much of what Attar says of her must be regarded as purely legendary. Other facts surrounding Rabi’a’s name do not correspond with Attar’s accounts, but in Attar, we are given some idea of Rabi’a’s faith and the outline of her life.

I tried to piece my research together, and in some cases, I simply made a choice of which path to follow in my retelling of Rabi’a’s life. The Truth of all lies in her poetry.

It is believed Rabi’a greatly influenced Rumi.

Rabi’a wrote nothing. Her female attendants wrote the poems as Rabi’a spoke them. Her life ended at 84 years of age.

It is my hope that men and women will see Rabi’a and find nourishment in her strength of spirit. My life changed after I met her.

Mari Reeves