Arabic · noun · Spirit & the Divine

Wilayat

विलायत
said wi-LAA-yat
also written: Vilayat, wilayat, vilayat, sainthood
Meaning

Sainthood, the state of being a friend of God and the spiritual authority it confers.

Literally: sainthood; nearness/guardianship under God

Usage & notes

Sainthood — the station of the wali, a God-given nearness and spiritual authority (guardianship) bestowed on the friends of God, distinct from prophethood. Iqbal accepts the reality of such nearness while keeping it firmly subordinate to the finality of prophethood and the demands of active faith, wary of any inflation of saintly authority that displaces the believer's own responsibility before God.