In the introduction to Rabia al-Adawiyya's entry in 'Memorial of the Saints' (Tazkirat al-Awliya), Farid ud-Din Attar justifies the inclusion of a woman in a compendium dedicated to the 'men' (rijal) of God. He argues that spiritual rank is determined by inner intention rather than outward form, citing the prophetic tradition that 'God does not look at your forms.' By asserting that 'when a woman is a man on the path of God, she cannot be called a woman,' Attar establishes the foundational Sufi concept that ultimate spiritual authority and sainthood (wilayah) transcend physical gender.