Wilaya: Difference between revisions

{{shi'a-vertical}}

{{Shi'a Beliefs-Vertical}}

Sometimes wilaya is legislative (tashri'i) and conventional, that is, making the laws of the created world. This type of wilaya is also exclusive to God.

Wilaya is sometimes a human action, in which case it is a [[legislative wilaya]]. This type of wilaya is discussed in [[jurisprudence]], including wilaya (guardianship) over [[mahjur]] people (or wards) and wilaya on elites or [[wilaya al-faqih]] (guardianship of the jurist).

Although in [[mysticism]], wilaya counts as an internal aspect of the religion and a hidden treasure, some people maintain that any wayfarer of the mystical path can reach the position of wilaya after traveling the stages of the spiritual journey. Wilaya is the position of proximity to God that, according to some other people, is exclusive to the [[Prophet (s)]] and [[Infallible Imams (a)]].

==Wilaya as Guardianship==

===The Qur'an's Approach to "Wilaya"===

The term, "wilaya" and its paronyms are said to be among the most widely used words in the Qur'an.<ref>''Imāmat Pazhūhī'', p. 49.</ref> 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),<ref>''Imāmat Pazhūhī'', p. 193.</ref> the word "wilaya" has occurred only two times in the Qur'an;<ref>''Imāmat Pazhūhī'', p. 195.</ref> once in [[Qur'an 8]]:72 and once again in [[Qur'an 18]]:44, in both of which it is written as "walaya".<ref>''Imāmat Pazhūhī'', p. 196-198.</ref> 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.<ref>''Imāmat Pazhūhī'', p. 195.</ref>

==Wilaya as a Social, Political, and Spiritual Principle==

==Imamate: Specific Wilaya==

{{Main|Imamate}}

Some Shiite scholars do not distinguish wilaya from imamate. For example, in his book, ''Ayat-i wilayat dar Qur'an'' (Verses of wilaya in the Qur'an), [[Makarim Shirazi]] uses the words, "wilaya" and "imamate" interchangeably. Also, in his ''[[Payam-i Qur'an]]'' (the message of the Qur'an), he introduces general and specific wilaya as imamate and leadership. In his book, ''Wilayat-i faqih'', [[Jawadi Amuli]] also uses the terms, "imamate" and "wilaya," interchangeably.<ref>Jawādī Āmulī, ''Wilayat-i Faqīh'', p. 144, 145, 152-153, 160-161 etc. </ref> Moreover, in his ''Imamat wa rahbari'' (imamate and leadership), [[Morteza Motahhari]] takes imamate to mean wilaya.<ref>Motahhari, ''Imāmat wa rahbarī'', p. 55-57.</ref> However, some contemporary scholars hold that it is a degradation of the position of imamate to reduce it to wilaya or administration of mundane affairs, since imamate is primarily concerned with religious, rather than mundane, affairs, just like [[prophethood]].<ref>''Imāmat Pazhūhī'', p. 49.</ref>

===An Infallible's Wilaya as Identical with God's Wilaya===

==Infallibility as a Necessary Condition for Wilaya==

Generative Wilaya (wilaya takwini) is that wilaya which allows the wali or guardian to administer and plan the affairs of all things in any way that he pleases. It also means to possess the power and ability to affect ontological affairs and to have the ability to administer the natural order of the World and to disrupt its usual system.<ref>Jawādī Āmulī, ''Wilayat-i Faqīh'', p. 132. </ref>

===Legislative Wilaya===

In its specific meaning, legislative wilaya means to establish and set the legislations and rules of religion. This form of wilaya has many different forms, of which some are specific to the [[Prophet (s)]], whilst others are specific to religious leaders. According to narrations, this right has also been entrusted to the [[Imams (a)]].

In some narrations it states that the Prophet (s) on a few occasions, himself, established the religious ruling. For example, the third and fourth units of a four unit prayer where made compulsory by the Prophet (s). However, this form of legislative wilaya at times encompasses the setting of a ruling as a primary ruling and at other times is it a specific governmental instance or an external referent or the collaboration of an external referent with a ruling that needs to be established. An example of this was during a specific era during the [[Caliphate]] of [[Imam Ali (a)]] who, because of the requirements of the government at that time, levied [[zakat]] on horses, that who according to the primary ruling should not have paid zakat on them. This action of Imam Ali (a) was in the form of a governmental ruling and not primary ruling.

===Wilaya Ijtima'i ===

===Wilaya Tafsiri===

==Awliya (Guardians)==

# '''[[The Infallible Imams (a)]]:''' Their wilaya is an extension of the Prophet's (s) wilaya and they have the authority to implement it. Their wilaya includes Generative Wilaya, Wilaya Tafsiri, Wilaya Siyasi and the leadership of the Ummah.

In jurisprudential sources, a limit type of wilaya has been ordained for a special group of people, for example the wilaya that a father or paternal grandfather have over their child or grandchild or the wilaya of a believer over a mentally challenged or foolish person. The difference between this wilaya and the previous ones is in its confinement to specific instances.

Wilaya is believed by many Sufis to be the internal aspect of the religion and the reality of servanthood for God. On the one hand, it implies the servants' proximity to, and friendship with, God,<ref>Nasafī, ''Kashf al-ḥaqāʾiq'', p. 79.</ref> and on the other hand, God's proximity to His servants and all entities in the world.<ref>Manṣūrī Lārījānī, ''ʿAqīq-i wilāyat'', p. 37.</ref> The interior of wilaya is said by mystics to be a hidden treasure (kanz khafi) with different degrees and an unknown nature, because it is incomprehensible and indefinable.<ref>Manṣūrī Lārījānī, ''ʿAqīq-i wilāyat'', p. 37.</ref> The highest degree of wilaya is the position of proximity to, or "sustaining togetherness" (al-ma'iyya al-qayyumiyya) with, God. The position is obtained when a person overcomes his or her self in order to meet God, annihilating his or her self on the path of God.<ref>Jurjānī, ''Taʿrīfāt'', p. 329.</ref> The position is believed by some people to be exclusive to the Prophet (s) and [[Infallible Imams (a)]], but it was denied by those who consider it to be achievable by every traveler of the spiritual path.<ref>ʿAbd Allāhī & Nājī, "Nigarishī taḥlīlī bar mafhūm-i wilāyat", p. 76.</ref>

==Wilaya as a Religious and Mundane Position according to Sunnis==