Rabiʿa al-ʿAdawiyya, an ascetic of Basra in the second century of the Hijra (died around 180/796), remains famous for her devotion, her long night vigils of prayer and her sayings on the sincere love of Allah; al-Dhahabi devotes an entry to her in Siyar aʿlam al-nubalaʾ. Over the centuries her life has been embellished with many legends.
Meaning of the name Rabia
Rabiʿa is the feminine of rabiʿ, “fourth”, from the root r-b-ʿ of the number four (arbaʿa). The Quran uses rabiʿ to say that Allah is present at every secret conversation: “there is no private talk among three but He is the fourth of them” (58:7). The name should not be confused with Rabiʿa (with a long i), a man’s name, nor with rabiya, “hill”. It is widely given in Turkey and the Maghreb, in memory of Rabiʿa al-ʿAdawiyya.
Have you not considered that Allāh knows what is in the heavens and what is on the earth? There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them, nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them - and no less than that and no more except that He is with them [in knowledge] wherever they are. Then He will inform them of what they did on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allāh is, of all things, Knowing.
They [i.e., people] will say there were three, the fourth of them being their dog; and they will say there were five, the sixth of them being their dog - guessing at the unseen; and they will say there were seven, and the eighth of them was their dog. Say, [O Muḥammad], "My Lord is most knowing of their number. None knows them except a few. So do not argue about them except with an obvious argument and do not inquire about them among [the speculators] from anyone."
And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses for forty nights. Then you took [for worship] the calf after him [i.e., his departure], while you were wrongdoers.
