Wali is the root
word for Wila, Walayah, Wilayah, and Mawla. The word Wali has been used in various forms in the Glorious Qur’an; 124 times as a noun and
112 times as a verb. Usually it means nearness, special or spiritual
affinity, intimacy, friendship, being in charge, being in control. In all these
cases, there exists a kind of personal contact. Its derivatives carry many
meanings; e.g. the word Mawla carries 27
meanings.
There are two kinds of “Wila”; positive and negative.
Negative Wila:
Friendship with non-Muslims falls into this category.
Positive Wila
with a general meaning: Allah
wants Muslims to be a strong society superior to others. Faith is the
foundation of friendship, love and fraternity wila of the believers. Surah al-Tawbah Ayah 71 which reads: “And
the believers, the men and the women, are friends (wali) one to the other; they
bid to good and forbid evil…”
Positive Wila
with a special meaning: It is the Wila of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). There is a
complete unanimity among the scholars of our Sunni brothers and the Shi'ahs that
the following Ayah 23 Surah al-Shura: “I
do not ask you for any reward for my preaching except the love of my near
relatives.” It is also present in the uncontested Tradition of Ghadeer,
when the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said:
“For whomsoever I am his Mawla, Ali is his Mawla”. Also in Surah al-Ma’idah Ayah 55 which says: “Only
Allah is your Wali and His Messenger, and those who believe, those who keep up
prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow.” The great Sunni scholars
az-Zamahshari and Fakher-uddin-Razi said: “This Ayah was revealed concerning
Ali (a.s.)”
Benefits of love
of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.): In the above
Ayah, Allah is directing to His Messenger to tell the Muslims to love the
Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is infallible and according to Ayah 3-4 of Surah al-Najm: “Wa Ma Yentiqa Anil Hawa In Howa Illah Wahian Yuha.”Meaning the
Messenger does not speak by his own like or dislike but only according to the revelation.
Hence the benefits of love for his Ahlul Bayt are for ourselves.
One of the four
schools of our brothers Sunni Muslims; Imam Shafi’I says: “If love of the Household of Muhammad is
heresy (Rafz), then Jinn and Men are witness that I am a heretic (Rafzi).
O’Household of the Prophet of Allah, love for you is an obligation from Allah
revealed in the Qur’an. It suffices as the best of honor bestowed on you that
his prayer is as nothing who does not include in it praises for you.”
Fakhruddin Razi quote
az-Zamahshari that the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s) said: “Whosoever died in the
love of the Household of Muhammad has died a Martyr; whosoever died in the love
of Muhammad has died in forgiveness, a believer and in perfection of his faith.”
(Tafsir al-Kabir of Razi, volume 27 page 166)
Wila – Imamate or
leadership: It is the position of authority in faith, that is a
position which others should follow, should take as an example for their
actions and behavior. Such position demands that the person should be Infallible. Surah al-Ahzab Ayah 21:
“Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah, an excellent example for him who
have hope in Allah and the Day of Judgment and who remembers Allah very often.”
Surah al-Imran Ayah 31: “(Muhammad), tell them, “If you love Allah, follow me.
Allah will love you and forgive your sins.” This Ayah is a clear proof of his
immunity from sins and errors. This position was given by the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.s) to his AhlulBayt after him, when he declared in the famous Tradition: “I leave among you two precious
things: The Book of Allah and my AhlulBayt. These two will not be separated
until they encounter me at the Pool of Kausar. Do not run ahead of them, for
you will be ruined; do not neglect them or you will be ruined. And do not seek
to instruct them, for they are wiser than you.
Wila-Political
Leadership: This position requires that the parson takes the reins of a
government, directs social affairs and destinations of the people and is the ruler
(Ulil Amr). The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was such a leader granted by the Omnipotent Allah according to the Ayah 59 of Surah al-Nisa: “Obey Allah and
obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.”, Ayah 55 of Surah al-Ma’idah:
“Only Allah, His Messenger, and the true believers who are steadfast in prayer
and pay alms, while they bow down during prayer, are your Guardians.”, and Ayah 6 of al-Ahzab : “The Prophet has more
authority over the believers than themselves.”
The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.) demonstrated his leadership
in action and speech supported by the Divine Commandment; Ayah 7 of Surah al-Hashr: “Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it,
and from whatever he forbids you, keep back.”
The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.) also held the Judicial Wila; in other words, his
judgment was binding in legal differences and internal disputes. The following
Ayah supports this Wila; Ayah 65 of
Surah al-Nisa: “I swear by your Lord that they will not be considered believers
until they let you judge their disputes, and then they will find nothing in
their souls to prevent them from accepting your judgment, thus submitting
themselves to the will of Allah.”
Spiritual Wila:
It is an extra-ordinary creative ability and mastery. It is the hidden
faculties in this creature and the amazing accomplishments he possesses. It is
the relationship of this creature to Allah. The purpose of spiritual Wila is
that man, as a result of travelling on the path of submission, achieves the
station of Divine Nearness, becomes the
leader of the caravan of spirituality, the commander of the hearts, the
testifier of actions and the Proof of the Age.
The earth is never void of a Wali or a Perfect Man (Insan-e-Kamil)
The Commander of
Faithful, the Conqueror of Khyber, the
Lion of Allah, the Nafs-e- Rasool (in Mubahelah), the Father of the Princes of
Paradise, the husband of the Lady of Paradise, the soul who was born in Allah’s
House (Ka’bah), the one who was martyred in the House of Allah (Masjid-e-Kufa),
the Mawla of Ghadeer-e-Khumm, Purified (Ayah of Purity), Ali ibn Abi Talib
(a.s.) is the one who justifies all the above situations.
Sources used:
The Glorious Qur’an
Wilayah Shaheed
Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari (r.a.)
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