AWLIYÂ – أولياء

 

Literally and Etymologically: The plural of walî (وَلِي ). It derives from the root w-l-y ( ي  ل و ), which literally signifies proximity, nearness, being intensely close (both physically and figuratively), or being bound by close protective bonds.

As an Islamic Term: Exalted and exceptional ‘abds of Allah who have attained His specific nearness, special favour and love. They are the sâlih mu’mins who have purified their hearts through unwavering ‘ibâdah, profound taqwâ, absolute obedience and disciplined riyâzah. Rather than seeking to gratify the detrimental desires of their nafs, their entire existence is annihilated in seeking the pleasure and ultimate approval of Allah.

The Degrees of Walâyah: As it is elucidated within the Risale-i Nur, especially 5th Letter and the 9th Section of the 29th Letter (Telvihat-ı Tis'a), walâyah manifests in three degrees:

1. Walâyah al-Sughrâ (The Lesser Walâyah): The well-known, common walâyah that journeys and ascents through the ma’nawî stations of the tarîqah and the Sufi path. It relies heavily on kashf and shuhûd, and it is within this degree that karâmât are most frequently manifested among the awliyâ. While its journeyers' kashf and shuhûd are sometimes temporarily obscured by ma’nawî intoxication (istighraq, sakr and jazb), they preserve their degree as long as they maintain absolute reverence and acceptance for the truths of the Sharî‘ah, without harboring any denial, derision, or disdain toward its decrees.

2. Walâyah al-Wustâ (The Middle Walâyah): The intermediary path of walâyah where the awliyâ advance on the ma’nawî ascent and journey of their rûh, striving to eliminate the waswasa of the nafs by disciplined riyâzah.

3. Walâyah al-Kubrâ (The Greatest Walâyah): The supreme, direct path of the Sahâbah and the great muhaqqiqîn. It is a major highway that directly opens up a window to the haqiqah from everything, extracting the water of ma‘rifat like the staff of Mûsâ without being dependent on the lengthy paths of the tarîqah. It is the direct inheritance of the nubuwwah and yields the purity of true tawhîd. It is the sublime degree of those who actively work to disseminate and protect Islam, the Sunnah and the Sharî‘ah, embodying the very mission of the Prophet (asm). Within this supreme degree, the manifestation of karâmât is exceptionally rare or absent, as its greatest and most ultimate karâmât is absolute istiqâmah upon the Sunnah.

• While the word ‘awliyâ’ is frequently translated into Western languages as "the saints," the term awliyâ in Islamic theology is entirely free from the institutional, ecclesiastic or canonised concepts of sainthood found in Christian history. It rests strictly upon tawhîd, hidâyah, ma’nawî excellenceand the haqiqah of ma‘rifat, acting as mirrors to the manifestation of the name Al-Walî.

Excerpts from the Risale-i Nur Collection that elucidate the subject:

Islam says: لاَ خَالِقَ اِلاَّ هُوَ 1. Furthermore, it does not accept causes and intermediaries as the true source of an effect. It looks to intermediaries through the perspective of ma’nâ al-harfî. The belief of tawhîd and the duty of submission (taslîm) and tafvîdh2 demand this. Due to being corrupted, present-day Christianity considers causes and intermediaries as the true source of an effect and looks to them through the perspective of ma’nâ al-ismî. The belief of waladiyyah3 and clericalism demand this, and drives Christianity to this path. They look to their saints through the perspective of ma’nâ al-ismî, viewing them as a source of faydh and a self-contained mine of nûr — according to one view, like the light of a lamp that is transformed from the sunlight. Whereas, we look to the awliyâ through the perspective of ma’nâ al-harfî, that is, as a place of manifestation like a mirror that spreads the sun’s light. {The Naqshbandis' method  of râbita is based on this mystery.}

It is because of this mystery that with us, the ma’nawî journey and ascent of the rûh begins from humility, passes through self-annihilation and reaches the degree of annihilation in Allah (fanâ fillâh), and then begins to journey and ascend through infinite degrees. The ana and the nafs al-ammarah, along with their arrogance and pride, are extinguished. However, not in true Christianity, but in a Christian whose belief has been shaken by philosophy and the corruption of Christianity, the ana strengthens with all its equipment. Thus, if a prominent person of high rank and station with a powerful ana is a Christian, he finds the ground to become uncompromisingly devout, but if he is a Muslim, he becomes indifferent to his religion.

Damascus Sermon (137-138)

 

Yes, look to the ma’nawî collective personality of that absolute proof: The face of the earth is a masjid, Makkah a mihrab4 and Madinah a minbar5. Our Prophet ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm, who is the evident proof, is the Imam to all the people of îmân, the preacher to all mankind, the leader of all the prophets, the sayyid of all the awliyâ and the chief leader of the circle of the dhikr formed from all the prophets and awliyâ. He is such a luminous tree, whose living roots are all the prophets and whose fresh fruits are all the awliyâ, that all the prophets — relying on their miracles — and all the awliyâ — relying on their karâmât — confirm and sign each of his (asm) claims.

For, he says and claims

لاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ اللّٰهُ

All those on the left and the right — that is to say, those luminous dhâkirs lined up in the past and the future — by repeating the same word through consensus (ijmâ’), in a ma’nawî manner, declare

صدقتَ و بالحق نطقت6

The Nineteenth Word-1st Droplet