1. General

Wilāyah has several connotative meanings.  All of these meanings flow in two main streams.  The first stream is "vow and love”, and the second one is “loyalty and following.”  However, they are truly related and unified in one main river because the true “vow and love” of the lover causes “loyalty” to the beloved one, as well as the urge to “follow” him.

The Arabic word Wilāyah contains many meanings such as fidelity, love, devotion, patronage, allegiance, guardianship, friendship, responsibility, promise, well-wishing, pledge, government, covenant, benevolence, affiance, management, agreement, support, leadership, authority, piety, sanctity, holiness, and so forth.  A Waliy is a person who is empowered with all these exquisite qualities, and is endowed with the Divine authority as a guardian (or governor) of a nation.  All of these meanings are related to the Divine word of “Allāh (j.j.)”.  By its lexical (rhetorical or oratorical) and semantic donation Wilāyah means supreme loyalty, allegiance, perfect love, and indefinite authority over everything, which requires to be followed. 

In the view of the unithetical [I] linguistics, the word Allāh (J.J.) resembles:   Eloah [II] , Elohim [III] , Alāhā [IV] , Al-Ilāh [V] , All-Hallow, Al-Yahweh (Jehovah), Alleluia [VI] , All-He, All-Hoo, All-ah (universal expression of calling out Allāh (J.J.)-given inner feelings), All-Holy, All-Heaven, All-Hell [VII] , All-Holder, All-Heir, All-Ahead, All-High, Al-Hayy, Aloha, All-Love All-Light, All-Life, All-Alive, or All-Law.

So, all things are initiated, controlled, owned, and kept alive by Him.  In the Glorious Qur ’ān we read (āyāt 255 & 257, sūrah al-Baqarah (2)):

اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلا نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأرْضِ … اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ …

Allāh (J.J.)!  There is no god save Him (Hoo), the Ever Alive, to Whom all depend.  Slumber does not overtake Him, nor does sleep.  To Him belongs whatever is in the Heavens and on the earth…..  Allāh (J.J.) is the Protecting Friend (Waliy) of those who believe.  He leads them from darkness to Light…..

Allāh (J.J.) has granted this Supreme loyalty (Wilāyah) to His prophet Muḥammad (ph&hp), and his progeny.  The Noble Qur ’ān refers to ’imām ʿAli (a.s.)when he gave his ring to a poor person while he was bowing down in his prayer.  Please refer to the following verse, āyah 55, sūrah al-Mā ’idah (5):

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ (٥٥) .

Verily, your Waliy (Guardian) is Allāh (J.J.) and His messenger, and those who believe; those who pay alms while they are bowing down (as a part of the regular daily prayer) [VIII] .

This very Wilāyah was designated by the holy prophet to the other 11 ’imāms after ’imām ʿAlī (a.s.).  When Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh ’An ṣārī [IX] asked the holy prophet (ph&hp) about ’Ulil-’Amr in the following āyah from the Glorious Qur ’ān, the prophet (ph&hp) explained to him that ’Ulil-’Amr are the 11 ’imāms after ’imām ʿAlī (a.s.)(āyah 59, sūrah an-Nisā ’ (4)):

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الأمْرِ مِنْكُمْ … (٥٩)

O’ you who believe!  Obey Allāh (J.J.) , and obey the Messenger, and the “’Ulil-’Amr”[the Guardians who have received Divine Authorities[X]] among you.

In this web site, we have tried to project the Message of Wilāyah by collecting and classifying their maxim words of wisdom from numerous authentic sources.  Then to translate them in three live languages in order to reflect the Noble Message of the Holy Qur ’ān from the tongue of Ahl al-Bayt [XI] .  The purified Ahl al-Bayt are the speaking Qur ’ān , who have reflected and echoed the silent Qur ’ān .

In āyāt 77-79 of sūrah al-Wāqīah (56) the Glorious Qur ’ān says:

إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ (٧٧)فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ (٧٨)لا يَمَسُّهُ إِلا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ (٧٩)

Verily, that is the honourable Qur ’ān , (taken) from the Preserved Tablet, that no one should touch it but the pure ones [XII] .

And the only purified persons are the ’Iṭrah [XIII] of the Holy prophet ( ’Ahl al-Bayt ) by the declaration of the Glorious Qur ’ān (āyah 33, Sūrah al-Aḥzāb (33)):

… إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا (٣٣)

…Verily, Allāh (J.J.)’s Will is to remove away impurity from you, the people of the Messenger’s Household (Ahl al-Bayt), and to purify all of you, perfect purification.

2. Food for thought!

The following 8 points regarding the Wilāyah are interesting to ponder upon:

1. All the14 infallibles from 11 generations said the same thing and acted the same manner!  Has history ever recorded such dynasty?  Everyone else in this world may change his belief several times during his lifetime, or may change his opinion several times within a short period.  How can the tradition of 14 ordinary persons be the same over the length of some 300 years, and, more importantly, hold true forever?  These ’Āwliyā’ [XIV] of Allāh (the Wilāyah) are, definitely, not ordinary persons!

2. They were all connected to the Unique Enlightening Source.

3. All ’imāms are martyrs for the same cause!  Even the 12^th ’imām is expected to be gifted with martyrdom.

4. Not a single one of them ruled for selfish desires, land, wealth, usury, greed, colonisation, despotism, and tyranny during 11 generations!  They were all sacrificed for the cause of Allāh (J.J.).

5. The above traits point to miraculous nature of the wilāyah.

6.      The entire wilāyah would have been cut off by ’imām ʿAlī (a.s.)if the blessed being of ḤaḍratFaṭimah Zahrā did not exist.  This is why she is referred to as the Kawthar [XV] in the Glorious Qur ’ān [XVI] .  What a great and graceful endowment to the lady of all ladies, the wife of ʿAlī (a.s.), the waliy (a.s.), the begetter of 11 generations of Divine nobility and honour, in the era and the environment that girl babies were buried alive as useless birth!  This is another Sign from Allāh (J.J.) for those who contemplate. 

7. Briefly, the Wilāyah is related to Allāh (J.J.) , and is reflected on all the creatures via the ’Āwliyā’ (some messengers and all infallible ’imāms ) in order to lead all people thoroughly, and truly towards Allāh (J.J.).  Hence the Waliy should be -and is- ahead of all others in every aspect of loyalty, knowledge, love, authority, courage, justice, honour, virtue, morality, beauty, speech, intellect, awareness, temperance, goodness, government, and so forth, by the will of Allāh (J.J.), to be able to lead all sorts of people towards the heavenly Fountain of Wilāyah (Allāh (J.J.) Himself).  This is with reference to Āyah 55, Sūrah al-Mā ’idah (5):

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ (٥٥)

Verily, your Waliy (Guardian) is Allāh (J.J.) and His messenger, and those who believe; those who pay alms while they are bowing down (as a part of the regular daily prayer) [XVII] .

In short, Wilāyah is the intercession vehicle [XVIII] to Allāh (J.J.).  We, the ordinary people, cannot tolerate approaching the Magnanimity and Grandeur of Allāh (J.J.), in the same way that we cannot tolerate getting close to the intense light and heat of the sun.

They have all sacrificed themselves in the way of Allāh (J.J.).  Vanity [XIX] for the cause of Allāh (J.J.) is the prelude for eternal being [XX] .  Thus they are alive forever, even though their body is no longer with us.

8. Islām as a monotheistic way of life teaches that:

A) All messengers of Allāh (J.J.) have said the same thing.  They have said “we are sent by Allāh (J.J.)to invite you towards monotheism, piety, and obedience”. 

B) Their specific missions might have been different from time to time, according to circumstances.  Some were commissioned to bring divine law, and were law giver.  Others were commissioned for more spiritual revelation and walking along the path of truth, showing to people the law, ethics, virtues, and morality, in practice.

C) They confirmed the previous divine messengers, and gave glad tidings, introducing the next one.  Consider the following verse as an example (Āyah 6 from sūrah aṣ-Ṣaff (61)):

وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ (٦)

(O, Messenger!  Remind them) When ’Isā , Son of Maryam said: O, progeny of ’ Isrā ’ il [XXI] , I am indeed the Messenger of Allāh (J.J.) sent to you, confirming the Tawrāh, which came before me; and bearing the glad tidings of a Messenger who will come after me whose name shall be A ḥ mad .  But when he came with Evident Signs, they said this is clear sorcery!

D) They were armed with Wilāyah to some degrees.  But their prime assignment was Nubuwwah [XXII] and/or Risālah [XXIII] .  Bellow, you will realise how Allāh (J.J.)perfects His divine dīn when He selects Ḥ a ḍ rat ʿAlī (the first manifestation of perfect wilāyah) to be the successor of Prophet Muḥammad ’s wilāyah as a trustee, and ’imām .

E) There is only One divine dīn, moving along the line of its perfection with time, as the intellectual ability of the humankind has been gradually gifted with higher ability.

3. Summary of the event of

Ghadīr-i Khum

With this background, let us review world’s most important event, which happened some 3 months before the holy prophet departed to the eternal world: 

On Thursday 18^thDhil-Ḥijjah returning from his last pilgrimage (the farewell pilgrimage) the Voice from Heavens cried (Āyah 67 from sūrah al-Mā ’idah (5)):

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ (٦٧)

O, Messenger!  Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord [XXIV] .  And if you do it not, then you have not fulfilled His commission (your assignment).  And Allāh (j.j.) shall protect you from the people.  Surely, Allāh (j.j.)will not guide the disbelievers [XXV] .

The prophet stopped at once, and ordered all people to come around.  After making all possible preparations, he delivered a long sermon, by Divine Command, called declaration of Ghadir at a place called Ghadir-i Khum.

During this sermon, the holy prophet delivered what has been revealed to him.  He announced the statement of al-Thaqalayn, and introduced Ḥ a ḍ rat ʿAlī (a.s.) as the leader ( ’imām ) and Waliy of the Muslims.  This significant event, is well narrated by both the Shī ʿiy and the Sunni narrators and commentators.  Please pay particular attention that without the transfer of the Wilāyah to Ḥ a ḍ rat ʿAli (a.s.), the holy prophet’s Risālah (the Divine Mission) would not have been fulfilled.

The Messenger of Allāh (J.J.) declared the following passage known as the statement of al-Thaqalayn:

“It seems the time has approached the point in which I shall be called away (by Allāh (J.J.)), and I shall rejoin the call.  I am leaving among you two precious things.  And if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me.  They are: the Book of Allāh (J.J.), and (the tradition of) my Household, my Ahl al-Bayt.  The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool of al-Kawthar (حوض الکوثر)[XXVI].”

At this time, once again the heavenly voice proclaimed (āyah 3 from sūrah al-Mā ’idah (5) ):

… الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإسْلامَ دِينًا ... (٣)

"…This day, I have perfected your dīn for you, completed My Favour[XXVII] upon you, and I am pleased with you to embrace Islām as the way of life( dīn) …"

This event, being towards the end of the Prophet’s life, has special significance.  It clarifies that the divine dīn of Allāh (J.J.) was still imperfect until ’imām ʿAlī (a.s.) was appointed as the Waliy of the Muslims.  And that this delegation was by the Command of Allāh (J.J.).  And that if ʿAlī (a.s.), was not introduced by ḤaḍratMuḥammad (ph&hp)  as the Waliy, the Prophet’s mission, thus the mission of all previous messengers, were not fulfilled.

More information regarding the Ghadir Khum can be found in another section called “The Historical event of Ghadir” in this web site.

4. The essence of Wilāyah

This is the meaning of Wilāyah.  The perfection state of the dīn of Allāh (J.J.), the Creator and the Lord of all Worlds.  In effect, it is clear that Allāh (J.J.)’s recommended way of life (dīn) for the entire humankind goes through Nubuwwah, Risālah, ’Imāmah, and finally reaches the perfected stage, i.e. the Wilāyah.  We can either benefit from the perfected way of life, prescribed by our Lord, including His perfected Favour and Blessing, or stay unaware, cover the Truth, and walk by it naively.  Most certainly, there will be a day when we shall be asked about the Favour and Blessing Allāh (J.J.) has bestowed upon us[XXVIII], specifically, the Wilāyah, His greatest physical and spiritual blessed Favour.

In āyah 23 of the 42^ndsūrah (Ash-Shūrā), our Creator instructs His Last Prophet:

… قُلْ لا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى … (٢٣)

  “… Say I do not demand of you any reward except for the love of my near kin [the Ahl al-Bayt,][XXIX]…”

Then, in āyah 47 of the 34^thsūrah (Sabā), He commands the Holy Prophet:

قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ (٤٧)

  “Say: No reward do I ask of you: it is (all) for your own benefits.  My reward is from Allāh (J.J.) alone and He is witness over everything”.

And finally, in āyah 57 of the 25^thsūrah (al-Furqān), He (J.J.) enjoins Rasūlul-lāh:

قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِلا مَنْ شَاءَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ سَبِيلا (٥٧)

  “Say I do not seek any reward from you over it, except that the willing person takes the Straight Path toward his Lord”.

Therefore, Allāh (J.J.)regards the love and loyalty of people towards the Wilāyah as the reward for the exhausting toils of the great mission given to His Last Prophet.  He also considers that the love and loyalty towards the Wilāyah as a great benefit upon the lovers themselves.  He finally clarifies that this love and loyalty towards the Wilāyah leads to the Straight Path towards Him, the Lord of all worlds.  Therefore, Allāh (J.J.)clarifies for us that the Gracious Wilāyah is the gateway towards Him and His Garden of Paradise.  The true love occurs when we actually obey them at all times, in order to accomplish our loyalty.

It is interesting to note that Allāh (J.J.)considers Shahīds (martyrs in the way of Allāh (J.J.)) as alive, and not dead.  In āyah 169 of sūrahĀl-i ’Īmrān (3) we read:

وَلا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ (١٦٩)

  “Do not consider those who are slain in the Way of Allāh (J.J.) as dead.  Nay! They are alive and receive their sustenance in the Presence of their Lord”

All the 14 infallibles are shahīds (slain in the way of Allāh (J.J.) ) and are, therefore, alive.  In fact they are visible by those who reach very high stations of self purification.

The essence of Wilāyah is the living energy granted by Allāh (J.J.) to some of His messengers, prophets, ’imāms and prominent guardians ( ’Āwliyā’ ).  Itis some sort of hidden eternal energy, light, knowledge, and love.  It is divine spiritual power and does not die away, even if the body of a given waliy (guardian) has expired.  The Waliys ( ’Āwliyā’ ,or Wilāyah) are charged with exquisite divine qualities and authorities.  They take the responsibility of our guidance, and protection.  They also lead us towards closeness to Allāh (J.J.), with the powers of Wilāyah, and intercession, bestowed upon them. 

We, the ordinary people, can never tolerate the Magnanimity and Grandeur of the aspects of Allāh (J.J.).  Therefore, Wilāyah is here to help.  Symbolically, Wilāyah reflects various powers and attributes of Allāh (J.J.) [XXX] to us, similar to the moon that reflects the unbearably intense light of the sun.

In order to benefit from this great source of living divine energy, light and guidance, we need to know them as close as possible.  We will certainly fall in love and loyalty once we get to know them very well.  And that is enough!  They take care of their lovers themselves.

Wilāyah , as the perfection stage of the dīn, is marked with Ḥaḍrat ʿAlī (a.s.)’s designation as the first ’Imām(Leader), Waṣiy(Trustee), andWaliy (Guardian) by the command of Allāh (J.J.), through the holy Prophet.  This is why prophet Muḥammad (ph&hp) is referred to as “seal of the prophets”.  It was through him that Nubuwwah (prophecy) ended, and Wilāyah began in its perfected emergence, as briefly mentioned above:

… الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإسْلامَ دِينًا ... (٣)

"…This day, I have perfected your dīn for you, completed My Favour[XXXI] upon you, and I am pleased with you to embrace Islām as the way of life(dīn) …"

At the end, let us see what the wilāyah says about itself (only a few examples):

’Imām ar-Riḍā (a.s.) says: May Allāh (J.J.) shower mercy upon an obedient who has revived our cause!  The ’imām was asked: how could he revive your cause?  He replied:  to know our knowledge, then to present it to other people.  This is because, if people know our exquisite words, then they would follow us [XXXII] .

  ’Imām Ḥ usayn (a.s.) says: Verily, the love of us, Ahl al-Bayt, sheds (the burden of) sins off an individual, as a strong wind sheds the leaves off the tree [XXXIII] .

’Imām Bāqir (a.s.) says: A believer can escalate to highest degree of belief with prudent study of our narration [XXXIV] .