Walayat and its social dimension (1)

By: Muhammad ‘Ali Shomali

For instance, in the verse: “Verily, your wali is God and His Apostle and those who believe, those who establish prayer and pay the poor-rate, while they be bowing down in prayer.” [Quran, 5:55] The meaning of wali cannot be only a friend, rather it means a guardian and someone who must be obeyed. The term mawla in the verses, “And if they turn back then know that God is your Lord, the Most Excellent Mawla and the Most Excellent Helper,” [Quran, 8:40] and “So establish prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast by God; He is your Mawla – how excellent the mawla and how excellent the helper,” [Quran, 22:78] is also used to mean guardian. In these two verses the guardianship of Allah has been emphasized and the help of Allah. If mawla meant helper then the term ‘how excellent the helper’ would be repetition and apparently baseless.

Another interesting point about walayat and its derivatives is what has been used as instances of it. For instance, take the verse: “Whoever takes God, His Apostle, and those who believe as their guardians, verily he has (joined) God’s battalion; They are those that will be triumphant.” [Quran, 5:56] The term tawali has been used to mean accepting the walayat of Allah, the prophet, and his successors. Tawali has been used as the grace of Allah in the righteous accepting guardianship in the verse: “Verily, my wali is Allah, who sent down the book and He guards the righteous.” [Quran, 7:196]. Allah is mentioned as the wali of the believers in: “God is the wali of those who believe.” [Quran, 2:257]. The true believes have been mentioned as the awliya’ of Allah in: “Be it known, verily the awliya’ of Allah shall not have any fear nor shall they grieve.” [Quran, 10:62] The following has been mentioned in Tafsir-i Namuneh as an explanation of this verse:

“The term awliya’ is the plural of wali which stems from the root w-l-y or y-l-y. The root means nonexistence of something between two things and the closeness between the two. Therefore, anything that is close to something else in place, time, relations, or station is called a wali. The usage of this word as a guardian or friend is because of just this.

“Therefore, the awliya’ of Allah are people who are close to Allah without having anything in between them. The curtains of their hearts have been lifted. They see Allah with their hearts through the light of their understanding, faith, and pure actions in such a way that doubt does not enter their existences.” [Tafsir-i Namuneh, v.8, p.333]

In regards to believers, Allah is their mawla and they are Allah’s mawla. Allah is their wali and they are Allah’s wali. There is a two-sided relationship between them and Allah’s proofs (hujat). They are also the walis of the believers, according to the verse: “Verily, your wali is God and His Apostle and those who believe, those who establish prayer and pay the poor-rate, while they be bowing down in prayer.” This does not mean that both sides are equal. Definitely, the walayat of Allah in regards to the believers is different than the walayat of the believes in regards to Allah. The walayat of the proofs of Allah in regards to the believers is different than the walayat of the believers in regards to the proofs of Allah. One side is obeyed and the other obeys; one side guides and the other is guided.