الْوَلِيُّ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Wali
The Protecting Friend
Al-Wali is the Protecting Friend and the Supporter, and the Name is mentioned 15 times in the Quran. Allah is the Guardian of the believers, 2:257 says: He brings them out of darkness and into light. And Yusuf, at the height of his power, called Him his Guardian in this world and the Hereafter (12:101).
Key verse
﴿أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۖ فَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْوَلِىُّ وَهُوَ يُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾How can they take protectors besides Him? Allah alone is the Protector. He ˹alone˺ gives life to the dead. And He ˹alone˺ is Most Capable of everything.
The scholar's text
The Protecting Friend, The Supporter.
The one planner of everything is Al-Waali (Wali), the only one. He is very supportive.
It is mentioned 15 times in the Holy Quran
الولي الحامي، النصير.
المدبر لكل شيء هو الوالي (الولي) وحده. وهو كثير النصرة.
ورد في القرآن الكريم 15 مرة.
Allah Alone Is the Protector
42:9 asks how people can take protectors besides Him, then answers: Allah alone is the Protector. Al-Sa'di explains the Name from both ends. His servant takes Him as Protector by worship, by obedience, by every way of drawing near. And He takes charge of all His servants, by managing them and carrying out His decree in them, and of the believers in a special way: He brings them out of darkness into light, raises them with His kindness and helps them in all their affairs. Ibn Abbas, in al-Baghawi's report, heard the verse as said to the Prophet ﷺ: your Protector, Muhammad, and the Protector of whoever follows you.
Arabic: فالله هو الولي
قال تعالى: ﴿أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۖ فَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْوَلِىُّ﴾، قال السعدي: «فالله هو الولي الذي يتولاه عبده بعبادته وطاعته، والتقرب إليه بما أمكن من أنواع التقربات، ويتولى عباده عموما بتدبيره، ونفوذ القدر فيهم، ويتولى عباده المؤمنين خصوصا، بإخراجهم من الظلمات إلى النور، وتربيتهم بلطفه، وإعانتهم في جميع أمورهم». وقال ابن عباس فيما نقله البغوي: «وليك يا محمد وولي من اتبعك».
Out of Darkness Into Light
﴿ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ﴾Allah is the Guardian of the believers: He brings them out of darkness and into light. As for the disbelievers, their guardians are false gods who lead them out of light and into darkness. It is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever.
2:257 sets two guardians side by side: Allah, who brings the believers out of darkness into light, and the false gods, who lead the disbelievers the other way. The guardianship runs both ways, al-Sa'di says. The believers took Him as their Protector, wanted no substitute, set no partner beside Him, befriended His friends and opposed His enemies. Their reward is safety from the darkness of the grave, the gathering and the Day of Resurrection, then lasting bliss, rest, room and joy. Ibn Kathir notes that the Arabic has light as one and darkness as many, because the truth is one and disbelief comes in many kinds, all of them false.
Arabic: يخرجهم من الظلمات إلى النور
قال تعالى: ﴿ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ﴾، قال السعدي: «وهذا يشمل ولايتهم لربهم، بأن تولوه فلا يبغون عنه بدلا ولا يشركون به أحدا، قد اتخذوه حبيبا ووليا، ووالوا أولياءه وعادوا أعداءه»، «وكان جزاؤهم على هذا أن سلمهم من ظلمات القبر والحشر والقيامة إلى النعيم المقيم والراحة والفسحة والسرور». وقال ابن كثير: «ولهذا وحد تعالى لفظ النور وجمع الظلمات؛ لأن الحق واحد والكفر أجناس كثيرة وكلها باطلة».
Rain After Despair
﴿وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا۟ وَيَنشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُۥ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْوَلِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ﴾He is the One Who sends down rain after people have given up hope, spreading out His mercy. He is the Guardian, the Praiseworthy.
42:28 brings the Name with rain. He sends it down after people have given up hope and spreads His mercy, and He is the Guardian, the Praiseworthy. Qatada reports, in Ibn Kathir, that a man told Umar ibn al-Khattab the rain had stopped and people had lost hope. Umar answered: you have been given rain, and recited this verse. Here the Name, for Ibn Kathir, is the One who deals with His creation in what benefits them in this world and the next, praised for the outcome of all He decrees and does. Al-Sa'di adds the care of their religion and their worldly affairs, and calls Him praised in that care.
Arabic: وهو الولي الحميد
قال تعالى: ﴿وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا۟ وَيَنشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُۥ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْوَلِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ﴾. وروى ابن كثير: «قال قتادة: ذكر لنا أن رجلا قال لعمر بن الخطاب: يا أمير المؤمنين، قحط المطر وقنط الناس؟ فقال عمر، رضي الله عنه: مطرتم»، ثم قرأ الآية. وقال: «هو المتصرف لخلقه بما ينفعهم في دنياهم وأخراهم، وهو المحمود العاقبة في جميع ما يقدره ويفعله». وقال السعدي: «الذي يتولى عباده بأنواع التدبير، ويتولى القيام بمصالح دينهم ودنياهم. الْحَمِيدُ في ولايته وتدبيره، الحميد على ما له من الكمال، وما أوصله إلى خلقه من أنواع الإفضال».
No Fear, No Grief
﴿أَلَآ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾There will certainly be no fear for the close servants of Allah, nor will they grieve.
10:62 turns to the people of Allah: there will be no fear for His close servants, nor will they grieve. No fear, al-Sa'di explains, of the terrors still ahead of them, and no grief over what they left behind, since they sent ahead only good deeds; with both gone, safety, happiness and much good are theirs. 10:63 says who they are: “˹They are˺ those who are faithful and are mindful ˹of Him˺.” In a hadith qudsi Allah stands up for them: “I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6502).
Arabic: ألا إن أولياء الله
قال تعالى: ﴿أَلَآ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾ ﴿ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ يَتَّقُونَ﴾، قال السعدي: «فيما يستقبلونه مما أمامهم من المخاوف والأهوال. وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ على ما أسلفوا، لأنهم لم يسلفوا إلا صالح الأعمال، وإذا كانوا لا خوف عليهم ولا هم يحزنون، ثبت لهم الأمن والسعادة، والخير الكثير الذي لا يعلمه إلا الله تعالى». وقال الله تعالى في الحديث القدسي: «مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ» (صحيح البخاري 6502).
My Guardian in This World and the Hereafter
Allah had established Yusuf in the land and given him back his parents and brothers when he turned to Allah, acknowledging the favour, al-Sa'di says, thanking Him and asking to stay firm in Islam: You are my Guardian in this world and the Hereafter; allow me to die as one who submits (12:101). Keep me in Islam until You take me, al-Sa'di reads it; this was not a prayer to hasten death. In 7:196 the Prophet ﷺ is told to say: my Protector is Allah, who has revealed this Book. He takes care of me, al-Sa'di explains, bringing what benefits me and turning away what harms me.
Arabic: أنت وليي في الدنيا والآخرة
قال السعدي في دعاء يوسف عليه السلام: «لما أتم الله ليوسف ما أتم من التمكين في الأرض والملك، وأقر عينه بأبويه وإخوته، وبعد العلم العظيم الذي أعطاه الله إياه، قال مقرا بنعمة الله شاكرا لها داعيا بالثبات على الإسلام»: ﴿فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّۦ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ﴾، ثم قال: «أدم عليّ الإسلام وثبتني عليه حتى توفاني عليه، ولم يكن هذا دعاء باستعجال الموت». وفي الأعراف يؤمر النبي ﷺ أن يقول: ﴿إِنَّ وَلِـِّۧىَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى نَزَّلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ﴾، قال السعدي: «الذي يتولاني فيجلب لي المنافع ويدفع عني المضار».
From the Sunnah
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me some words to say in witr in Qunut: Allahumma ihdini fiman hadayta wa 'afini fiman afayta wa tawallani fiman tawallayta wa barik li fima a'tayta, wa qini sharra ma qadayta, fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda 'alayk, wa innahu la yadhilluman walayta, tabarakta Rabbana wa at'alayt (O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided, pardon me among those You have pardoned, turn to me in friendship among those on whom You have turned in friendship, and bless me in what You have bestowed, and save me from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can influence You; and he is not humiliated whom You have befriended. Blessed are You, O Lord, and Exalted)
عَلَّمَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَلِمَاتٍ أَقُولُهُنَّ فِي الْوَتْرِ فِي الْقُنُوتِ اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
A du'a with this Name
رَبِّ قَدْ ءَاتَيْتَنِى مِنَ ٱلْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّۦ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
“My Lord! You have surely granted me authority and taught me the interpretation of dreams. ˹O˺ Originator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Guardian in this world and the Hereafter. Allow me to die as one who submits and join me with the righteous.”
The Quran, Yusuf 12:101: Yusuf's prayer once Allah had given him authority and brought his family back to him
Related Names
Questions about Al-Wali
What does Al-Wali mean?
Al-Wali is the Protecting Friend and the Supporter. And 42:9 says it outright: Allah alone is the Protector.
How many times is Al-Wali in the Quran?
Al-Wali is mentioned 15 times in the Quran.
Is Al-Wali the same page as Al-Waali?
No. Al-Wali, the Protecting Friend and the Supporter, and Al-Waali, the Holder of Supreme Authority, have separate pages, though both pages share one line: the one planner of everything is Al-Waali (Wali).
Which du'a asks Allah to be one's Protector?
Yusuf's prayer, 12:101, the du'a on this page. The witr du'a the Prophet ﷺ gave his grandson al-Hasan asks it too: “turn to me in friendship among those on whom You have turned in friendship” (Sunan an-Nasa'i 1745, sahih in al-Albani's grading).