Islamic Concept of a Waliy/Awliya
All praise is due to Allah and May His Peace and Blessings be upon the Last Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and all those who follow the path of righteousness until the Last Day.
Introduction:
The concept of Waliy/Awliya in Islam is that where Wali is a friend of Allah. Al-Wali has different translations; the ‘ally’, ‘protector’, ‘guardian’ or ‘patron’. In Islam this term is talking about somebody who has deep relation with Allah. But about this point some groups of people distorted the concept and deviated from Ahle Sunnah wal Jamah.
Concept of Ahle Sunnah wal Jamah:
In Quran Allah uses the term awliya for various groups of people. Allah calls Himself wali of the believers.
And Allah is the ally of the believers. (Ale Imran: 68)
Again he defined Satan as wali of the misguided people.
Indeed, they had taken the devils as allies instead of Allah while they thought that they were guided. (Al Araf: 30)
It also refers to closeness of humans,
O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. (Al Maaida: 51)
But in contemporary uses Awliya Allah means the person is close to Allah. Allah defines in Quran who are the awliya of Allah.
Its [true] awliya are the righteous (Al Anfal: 31)
Unquestionably, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. Those who believed and were fearing Allah. (Yunus: 62-63)
Only striving for taqwa gives the status of a Wali Insha’Allah.
Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said, "Allah said, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him." (Saheeh Bukhari)
In this hadith Allah mentions the status of the wali. This status is mentioned in the beginning by declaring war against whoever acts with enmity towards one of His closer servants and in the end by answering their du’a and will give them refuge. This shows the status of awliya’ in the sight of Allah. In the middle of the hadith, Allah tells us the qualities of His closer servants.
The hadith also tells us that Allah loves those who are the closer servants to Allah. This is a natural result of what they do. Allah tells us about their actions upon which they deserved to be loved by Allah. There are two levels of servants of Allah: The first level is those who fulfill the obligations and avoid the prohibitions. The second level is those who not only do this but also perform the preferable acts.
But it is not possible to be certain that a particular individual is one of the awliya’ of Allah, because achieving true faith and piety are matters of the heart that are hidden, and people cannot find out about them. Hence it is possible to think that someone is likely to be a wali, but it is impossible to be certain.
Concept Among the Sufi Sect:
But among the Sufi sects they have deviant idea about awliya. The Sufis claim that they take knowledge directly from Allah, without the mediation of the Prophet (pbuh). They are so close to Allah that they do not need to do obligatory acts prescribed by Shariah. They invented new ways that involve seeking his blessings and other kinds of blatant shirk which are unacceptable to the one on whom they are sending blessings. (Awliya)
Within the level of the Awliya, they have established a hierarchy, above which there is no hierarchy. They occupy the most sublime levels of proximity to Allah, enjoying what even some of the angels do not possess. They claimed that Allah granted them manifest gifts and abilities, which the common man would find difficult to understand. Allah has revealed to them the secrets of His Attributes, and the secrets of His Kingdoms, and placed in their hands the reigns of authority and control, so that they can dispense with the creation as true representatives (Khulafa) of their Master.
Starting from the top, the hierarchy is as follows: (Philips)
They claim that they can see Allah in this life. But Allah says in Quran it is impossible in this world (7:143). They also claim to have gnosis and knowledge of the unseen. Where unseen knowledge is only belongs to Allah (27:65).
When some of these Sufi sheikhs disappear suddenly from the sight of their followers, this is the result of their contact with the Satan, who may even carry them to a distant place and bring them back in the same day or night, to mislead their human followers.
They invented many rituals which are alien to the Sunnah of Prophet (pbuh). They argues that the awliya directly got this from Allah. But this is a serious claim. Allah says in Quran that He had fulfilled the religion.
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. (Al Maaida: 3)
If they still get further instruction, this means Prophet (pbuh) was failed to complete his mission and they are completing it. But Allah declares Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the seal of prophet hood. And after him nobody will get message from Allah. Those claims they got message they are liars without any doubt.
Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: All Muslims should measure the deeds of those who are claimed to be awliya’ by that which is in the Qur’an and Sunnah. If they are in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah, then we hope that he is one of the awliya’ or close friends of Allah, but if they go against the Qur’an and Sunnah, then he is not one of the awliya’ of Allah. (IslamQA)
Conclusion:
We should not judge people by the extraordinary features that they may do. We should judge them by how closely or otherwise they adhere to the Qur’an and Sunnah. The true friends of Allah (awliya) are not necessarily known for performing miraculous acts. On the contrary, they are the ones who worship Allah in the manner that He has prescribed and not by doing acts of bidaah.
Whoever is a believer and is pious is a close friend of Allah, and whoever is not like that is not a close friend of Allah. If one has some faith and piety, he will be a friend of Allah to some extent. Nevertheless we cannot be certain about a specific person, but we say in general that everyone who believes and is pious is a friend of Allah (wali).
Introduction:
The concept of Waliy/Awliya in Islam is that where Wali is a friend of Allah. Al-Wali has different translations; the ‘ally’, ‘protector’, ‘guardian’ or ‘patron’. In Islam this term is talking about somebody who has deep relation with Allah. But about this point some groups of people distorted the concept and deviated from Ahle Sunnah wal Jamah.
Concept of Ahle Sunnah wal Jamah:
In Quran Allah uses the term awliya for various groups of people. Allah calls Himself wali of the believers.
And Allah is the ally of the believers. (Ale Imran: 68)
Again he defined Satan as wali of the misguided people.
Indeed, they had taken the devils as allies instead of Allah while they thought that they were guided. (Al Araf: 30)
It also refers to closeness of humans,
O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. (Al Maaida: 51)
But in contemporary uses Awliya Allah means the person is close to Allah. Allah defines in Quran who are the awliya of Allah.
Its [true] awliya are the righteous (Al Anfal: 31)
Unquestionably, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. Those who believed and were fearing Allah. (Yunus: 62-63)
Only striving for taqwa gives the status of a Wali Insha’Allah.
Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said, "Allah said, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him." (Saheeh Bukhari)
In this hadith Allah mentions the status of the wali. This status is mentioned in the beginning by declaring war against whoever acts with enmity towards one of His closer servants and in the end by answering their du’a and will give them refuge. This shows the status of awliya’ in the sight of Allah. In the middle of the hadith, Allah tells us the qualities of His closer servants.
The hadith also tells us that Allah loves those who are the closer servants to Allah. This is a natural result of what they do. Allah tells us about their actions upon which they deserved to be loved by Allah. There are two levels of servants of Allah: The first level is those who fulfill the obligations and avoid the prohibitions. The second level is those who not only do this but also perform the preferable acts.
But it is not possible to be certain that a particular individual is one of the awliya’ of Allah, because achieving true faith and piety are matters of the heart that are hidden, and people cannot find out about them. Hence it is possible to think that someone is likely to be a wali, but it is impossible to be certain.
Concept Among the Sufi Sect:
But among the Sufi sects they have deviant idea about awliya. The Sufis claim that they take knowledge directly from Allah, without the mediation of the Prophet (pbuh). They are so close to Allah that they do not need to do obligatory acts prescribed by Shariah. They invented new ways that involve seeking his blessings and other kinds of blatant shirk which are unacceptable to the one on whom they are sending blessings. (Awliya)
Within the level of the Awliya, they have established a hierarchy, above which there is no hierarchy. They occupy the most sublime levels of proximity to Allah, enjoying what even some of the angels do not possess. They claimed that Allah granted them manifest gifts and abilities, which the common man would find difficult to understand. Allah has revealed to them the secrets of His Attributes, and the secrets of His Kingdoms, and placed in their hands the reigns of authority and control, so that they can dispense with the creation as true representatives (Khulafa) of their Master.
Starting from the top, the hierarchy is as follows: (Philips)
- Ghawth (Helper)
- Qutub (Pole)
- Nuqaba (Chiefs)
- Awtaad (Pegs)/Aqtab (Poles)
- Abraar (Pious)
- Abdal (Substitutes)
- Akhyaar (Chosen)
They claim that they can see Allah in this life. But Allah says in Quran it is impossible in this world (7:143). They also claim to have gnosis and knowledge of the unseen. Where unseen knowledge is only belongs to Allah (27:65).
When some of these Sufi sheikhs disappear suddenly from the sight of their followers, this is the result of their contact with the Satan, who may even carry them to a distant place and bring them back in the same day or night, to mislead their human followers.
They invented many rituals which are alien to the Sunnah of Prophet (pbuh). They argues that the awliya directly got this from Allah. But this is a serious claim. Allah says in Quran that He had fulfilled the religion.
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. (Al Maaida: 3)
If they still get further instruction, this means Prophet (pbuh) was failed to complete his mission and they are completing it. But Allah declares Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the seal of prophet hood. And after him nobody will get message from Allah. Those claims they got message they are liars without any doubt.
Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: All Muslims should measure the deeds of those who are claimed to be awliya’ by that which is in the Qur’an and Sunnah. If they are in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah, then we hope that he is one of the awliya’ or close friends of Allah, but if they go against the Qur’an and Sunnah, then he is not one of the awliya’ of Allah. (IslamQA)
Conclusion:
We should not judge people by the extraordinary features that they may do. We should judge them by how closely or otherwise they adhere to the Qur’an and Sunnah. The true friends of Allah (awliya) are not necessarily known for performing miraculous acts. On the contrary, they are the ones who worship Allah in the manner that He has prescribed and not by doing acts of bidaah.
Whoever is a believer and is pious is a close friend of Allah, and whoever is not like that is not a close friend of Allah. If one has some faith and piety, he will be a friend of Allah to some extent. Nevertheless we cannot be certain about a specific person, but we say in general that everyone who believes and is pious is a friend of Allah (wali).
Bibliography
n.d. IslamQA. http://islamqa.info/en/32470. 21 June 2015.
Saheeh Bukhari. n.d. 8:76:509.
"Awliya." n.d. SufiWiki. http://www.sufiwiki.com/Awliya. 21 June 2015.
Philips, Dr. Billal. The Fundamentals of Tawheed. n.d.
Saheeh Bukhari. n.d. 8:76:509.
"Awliya." n.d. SufiWiki. http://www.sufiwiki.com/Awliya. 21 June 2015.
Philips, Dr. Billal. The Fundamentals of Tawheed. n.d.
© 2015 by Tauhid Ahmed.