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Wali





RELIGION

In the Spiritual Tradition Of Islam , a Wali, or '''Waliullah'''/'''WaliAllah''' is a friend of God .

Usually these people are members of Sufi (mystic) communities who are considered to have a special relationship with Allah.
Famous Walis include Ali , son-in-law of Muhammed ; Fatima , daughter of the prophet.

About Wali (i.e. Wilayat ), the Qur'an has said:
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ Qur'an 5:55

''Only Allah is your Wali and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow.'' ( Shakir )

It is a well known '' Hadith '' among Muslims that Ali (Muhammed's cousin and son-in-law) paid the poor rate while bowing (in prayers) by offering his ring to the beggar and only then were these verses revealed unto Muhammed.


ADMINISTRATION & LAW

"Wali" was also the title in Ottoman Empire of the most common type of Turkish Governor , in charge of a common type of province called '' Vilayet '' after him, often a military officer such as a Pasha ; see Subdivisions Of The Ottoman Empire .

It has been adopted in various oriental Muslim countries.

Thus the Omani sultanate, or after the split Zanzibar sultanate, appointed a Wali in the East African coastal entity Mombasa (now in Kenya; at other times Portuguese or British colony or native sultanate), but there the title was transformed in Kiswahili to Liwali.

Wali also means a ''juridical guardian''.

In the Islamic law of marriage, the ''wali'' is a woman's closest adult male relative, who has authority and responsibility with respect to her marrying; in this context, ''wali'' can be translated "marriage guardian".


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