Aligning with Acts of Obedience

Al-walāyah (alliance with God) stands opposite to enmity. At its core lie love and closeness, whereas the essence of enmity is hatred and distance.

Some have suggested that the term walī (ally of God) is derived from his continual alignment with acts of obedience—that is, his persistent following of them—but the first explanation is sounder.

A walī is, by definition, someone who is near. One says, “This thing yalī (is adjacent to) that thing,” meaning it lies close to it. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Allocate the prescribed shares to those entitled to them; whatever remains thereafter belongs to the nearest male relative.”

That is, the man most closely related to the deceased. He emphasized the word “male” to clarify that this ruling pertains exclusively to men and is not shared by both men and women—just as he said regarding zakāh:

“…so a two-year-old male camel.”