Wilaya: Difference between revisions

"Wilāya" (Arabic:{{ia|الولاية}}) and its paronyms, literally meaning guardianship, are widely used in the holy [[Qur'an]] to mean administration and authority. Wilaya is sometimes an act by [[God]], which is the same as [[monotheism]] and counts as a Divine Attribute. Such a wilaya, which is known as [[creative wilaya]] consisting in a causal relationship between the creator and creatures, is exclusively attributed to God. Wilaya is essential to God. Thus, wilaya of some [[prophets]] and [[Infallible Imams]] is a manifestation of God's wilaya.

Shiite [[Theology of Imamiyya|theologians]] believe that not all prophets had wilaya. According to Qur'anic verses, only some prophets, such as [[the Prophet Muhammad (s)]] and [[Abraham (a)]], had the position of wilaya. They also appeal to the [[Principle of Grace]] (Qa'ida al-Lutf) to show that God merely should introduce the "wali" (the person who has wilaya). The Principle implies that the wali be [[infallible]] and be introduced by another infallible person, such as a prophet.

The majority of philologists take "wilaya" to mean guardianship or friendship. According to some people, contexts of some verses of the [[Qur'an]] give a reason to interpret "wilaya" as guardianship. Wilaya as guardianship and administration, which is significant in the Shiite thought, is of two kinds: Wilaya over objects, and wilaya over persons. An instance of the former is wilaya over the property or possessions of a deceased person, and instances of the latter include a wali's guardianship over all financial affairs of a child or a madman, or the wilaya of God and His messengers, such as some [[prophets]] and Infallible Imams (a) in mundane and afterlife affairs of believers.

The term, "wilaya" and its paronyms are said to be among the most widely used words in the Qur'an. Although its paronyms, such as "wali" and "mawla", have been used in various meanings in the Qur'an 233 times (110 times in verb forms and 123 in noun forms), the word "wilaya" has occurred only two times in the Qur'an; once in the verse 72 of the [[ًQur'an 8]] and once again in the verse 44 of the [[ًQur'an 18]], in both of which it is written as "walaya". Some people hold that there is no difference between "walaya" ({{ia|وَلایة}}) and "wilaya" ({{ia|وِلایة}}); both meaning closeness and guardianship. However, there are people who maintain that "walaya" means Lordship, love, victory, friendship, and connection, whereas "wilaya" means guardianship and rule. Moreover, "walaya" is said to be exclusive to God, while "wilaya" applies to creatures.

[['Allama Tabataba'i]] believes that "wilaya" in the Qur'an does not mean love; instead, it means administration and guardianship. One of the most important Quranic verses for the [[Shi'a]] is said to be the verse 55 of the [[Qur'an 5]], known as the [[Wilaya Verse]]. According to many Shiite scholars and some Sunni scholars, such as [[al-Zamakhshari]], [[al-Tabari]], al-Niyshaburi, and [[al-Fakhr al-Razi]], the verse was revealed about [[Imam 'Ali (a)]].

It is reported that there are many [[hadith]]s in which wilaya is considered to be one of the most fundamental and important tenets of the religion, because it is concerned with the administration and rule of religious affairs, whether they are internal or external, bodily or spiritual, worldly or otherworldly, material or nonmaterial, social or concerned with worship. All these issues are components of Islam over which [[the Prophet (s)]] had wilaya.