Wali

Wali (Arabic ولي, DMG Wali ) means in Islam ally, friend of God, helper, protector, and Holy. The term has different shades of meaning. In the Quran, Verse Al- wala ' wa'l- bara ' (Sura 5.51 ) is wala ʾ Protectors / patron, guardian. Wali is someone that God is near and even God is near.

The term is not to be confused with the Wali ( والي ), the governor of a Wilaya or Vilayet (Turkish ). In the Ottoman Empire was the Wali (Turkish: Vali ) a ruler, governor of a vilayets. He had so in the Ottoman Empire to the rank of Pasha, which is equivalent to a general in the army.

Wali as God's friend

In the Sufi tradition, the term is often shortened Wali Wali Allah for the composition, the friend of God '. The Friend of God by sufischem understanding is a mediator and link to God. He stands in the shadow of the Prophet and can accomplish as a saint miracles ( Karamat ), if he does so in the wake of the Prophet. The function as a mediator and protector summarizes Abu l - ʿ Abbās Aḥmad ibn ʿ Ata ʾ († 921/22 or 923/24 ) for the believers restrictive together: " If you do not dare to hold you in God, then keep you on the coattails of his friends tight! "

Several verses of the Koran to prove the existence of the " Friends of God " ( ʾ Allāh Auliya ) as a separate class of people who stand above the other. Best known are the Suras 10:62 / 63, which stated: " The friends of Allah but need not to be afraid (because of the court), and they will ( after settlement on the last day ), do not be sad, ( they ) (their life ) who believed and practiced righteousness. " ( Paret )

According to widespread notion that God and friends together form a fixed system organized hierarchically ordered ranks. Within this hierarchy saints Khidr occupies a prominent position. In several Sufi texts he is referred to as the " head of the Friends of God " ( Naqib al - Awliya ʾ ).

Some Sufis like Ahmad at - Tidschānī took to his claim for themselves, " Seal of the friends of God " ( al - Awliya chatm ʾ ), as Muhammad was the "seal of the prophets " ( chātim to - nabīyīn ).

Importance in Shiite Islam

Based on the controversial Prophet Muhammad saying "Whose I am Wali, whose wali is after me Ali his " refer to Shiite Muslims Imam Ali ibn Abi also the Talib as the Wali of Allah. In this sense, but rather as a "holy " friend or confidant of God, and then add the phrase " wa Ali Wali Allah " to even the central creed of the shahada, which they so fundamentally hostile Sunni differs significantly from the.

The followers of the first Safavid turn supplemented instead " Ismail vali Allah".

Role as guardian Marriage

For a marriage under Islamic law ( except the Hanafi school of law ) of the woman is necessarily a Wali prescribed as marriage guardian. Usually, the father of Wali; This is not possible, another close relative of the father's family.

The only exception is in certain cases the remarriage of women who are divorced or widowed. The marriage contract is concluded between groom and Wali.

In the classical Islamic legal father and grandfather may paternal Wali mudschbir the woman even against their express wishes in marriage force with any Muslim.

The Wali is also mandated to negotiate the marriage contract, as the bride price and dowry.