Aulia Allah are those blessed people who succeed in attaining a certain levels of spiritual elevations. Some of them are given responsibility to manage world affairs; it is just like recruiting/selecting civil officers to manage government’s affairs. Like civil officers function within the limits of laws/rules, ‘Aulia’ function within limits as contained in Quran and elaborated in sunnah. The basic qualification for a ‘wali’ is to be a ‘saleh’- a follower of Nabi (saw); the basic identity of a ‘wali’ is to be free from fear and grief.
Allah says:
“…..Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah. He causes to inherit it whom He wills of His servants…”(aaraf-128).
“And We have already written in the book [of Psalms] after the Reminder that the land is inherited by My pious servants /salehoon” (al-anbiyaa-105).
From these two verses, it is clear that ownership of earth belongs to Allah and He makes this earth inherited by His ‘saleh’/pious servants. In other words, this earth always has to be ruled by pious people. But it is our common experience that this earth is frequently ruled by people who are not pious. Actually apparent rulers of this earth may be or may not be pious people but real and hidden rulers of this earth are always pious/’saleh’ people. Aulia are such hidden rulers which manage this world’s affairs.
The minimum qualification for ‘Aulia’ is to be ‘saleh’/pious. Various virtues have been mentioned in Quran and sunnah; some virtues are apparent e.g. virtues pertaining to Aabid, Zahid, Aalim, Zakir, munfiq, muttaqi, khasheh; some virtues are hidden e.g. virtues pertaining to mumin, sabir, mutahhir, muhsin, mutawakkil. When a person has attained a certain degree of apparent and hidden virtues, he is graced with spiritual level of ‘saleheen’. Saleheen/pious are those people who do their deeds for Allah’s sake, following our Nabi (saw).
The basic identity of Aulia is to be free from fear and grief.
Allah says:
“Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor do they grieve” (yunus-62).
Some scholars interpret this verse as " Aulia Allah would have no fear and grief on Day of Judgement"; but there is nothing in this verse to confine these qualities of Aulia Allah to Day of Judgement. Nor does any Hadith confine such qualities of Aulia to Day of Judgement. This verse states about lack of fear and grief onto Aulia in this earthly life as well as in life after death . It is in this worldly life too that Aulia do not fall prey of fear and grief. It is not that fear or grief does not come to Aulia; fear or grief does come to Aulia (al-imran-176; al-tauba-40) but they pull themselves out of it and do not allow it to be dominating over them.
Other identities of 'Aulia Allah' are that "they are humble in their prayers; they desist from what is vain; they are observant of zakat; they guard their private parts; they faithfully observe their trusts and covenants; they carefully maintain their prayers- all such people are inheritors. They will inherit al-Firdaus also" (al-muminun-1-11). As stated above, these inheritors of earth are in fact rulers/ 'aulia' of this earth; aulia inherit not only this earth but also al-Firdaus.
Other identities of 'Aulia Allah' are that "they are humble in their prayers; they desist from what is vain; they are observant of zakat; they guard their private parts; they faithfully observe their trusts and covenants; they carefully maintain their prayers- all such people are inheritors. They will inherit al-Firdaus also" (al-muminun-1-11). As stated above, these inheritors of earth are in fact rulers/ 'aulia' of this earth; aulia inherit not only this earth but also al-Firdaus.
Subhanallah very nice article may allah bless you with abundant knowledge
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