“I am going to light fire in Paradise…”

“I am going to light fire in Paradise and to pour water on to Hell so that both veils may completely disappear from the pilgrims and their purpose may be sure, and the servants of God may see Him, without any object of hope or motive of fear. What if the hope of Paradise and the fear of Hell did not exist? Not one would worship his Lord or obey Him.”

Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyya

(quoted in Margaret Smith, Muslim Women Mystics: The Life and Work of Rabi’a and Other Women Mystics in Islam, Oxford, Oneworld, 2001)