The Awliya' (Beloved) of Allah

The Muslim believes that Allah the Almighty has chosen some of His servants to be His devotees, making them act in obedience, and honoring them with His Love, and giving them of from His grace. He is their Supporter Who loves them and draws them nearer to Him. They are His devotees who love and revere Him. They do whatever He commands them and recommend others to do the same. They refrain from whatever He forbids and advise others to refrain from it. They love what He loves and hate what He hates. If they ask Him, He gives them. If they seek His aid, He aids them. If they seek refuge in Him, He grants them asylum. They are the men of piety and belief, dignity and good news in both this life and in the Hereafter. Each pious believer is one of the Awliya' of Allah. They differ in only grades proportional to their belief and piety. The more one's share of piety and belief, the higher his rank and dignity before Allah. Those with the most grace are the Prophets and the Messengers of Allah, then, the believers. The Muslim believes in all of the phenomenon and miracles that Allah causes to occur by their hands. Events such as the increase of otherwise little amounts of food, curing the diseased and the ill, crossing oceans (without navigational means), and fire that causes no harm etc. It is important to differentiate between Al-Karamah -the phenomenon (which is given to the devotee) and Al-Mu'jizah - the miracle (which is given to the Messenger). The miracle is accompanied by a challenge while the phenomenon is not. Among the greatest phenomenon is abiding in obedience by doing what is commanded in the Shari'ah and staying away from what is prohibited.
Textual Proofs
1. The statements of Allah the Almighty such as:
"No doubt! Verily, the Awliya' of Allah, no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. Those who believed, and used to fear Allah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and sins and by doing righteous deeds). For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present world, and in the Hereafter. No change can there be in the Words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme success." (10:62-64)

And:

"Every time Zakariyya entered Al-Mihrab (a place to pray) to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: '0 Maryam! From where have you gotten this?' She said, 'This is from Allah.'" (3:37)

And:

"Allah is the Wall (Protector) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light." (2:257)

And:

"And they are not its (Al-Masjid Al-Haram's) guardians? None can be its guardians except the pious." (8:34)

And:

"Verily, Yunus was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship. Then he (agreed to) cast lots, and he was among the losers. Then a (big) fish swallowed him as he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) until the Day of Resurrection ." (37:139-144)

And:

"Verily, my Wali (Protector) is Allah Who has revealed the Book (the Qur'an), and He protects the righteous." (7:196)

And:

"Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and immorality. Surely, he was one of Our chosen (guided) servants." (12:24)

And:

"Certainly, you shall have no authority over My servants." (15:42)

And:

"Every time Zakariyya entered Al-Mihrab (a place to pray) to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: '0 Maryam! From where have you gotten this?' She said, "This is from Allah."(3:37)

And:

"Verily, Yunus was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship. Then he (agreed to) cast lots, and he was among the losers. Then a (big) fish swallowed him as he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) until the Day of Resurrection ." (37:139-144)

And:

"Then cried unto her from below her, saying: 'Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you. And shake the trunk of date palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad."(19:24-26)

And:

"We (Allah) said: 'O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibrahim!' And they wanted to harm him, but We made them the worst losers." (21:69-70)

And:

"Do you think that people of the Cave and the Inscription (the news or the names of the people of the Cave) were a wonder among Our Signs? (Remember) when the young men fled for refuge (from their disbelieving folk) to the Cave. They said: 'Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!' Therefore, We covered up their (sense of) hearing (causing them to go in deep sleep) in the Cave for a number of years. Then We raised them up (from their sleep) ." (18:9-12)

2. Allah's Messenger (SAW) informed about the Awliya' of Allah and their grace, according to what he narrated from Allah:

"Whoever shows hostility to My Wali, I proclaim war against him. My servant does not draw near to Me by anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me by the voluntary deeds, until I love Him. When I love him, I will be his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his feet with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him. And if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely give him refuge." (Agreed upon)

And: "Indeed I rage for My Awliya' as the lion rages in war.) Arid the Prophet (SAW) said:

(Indeed Allah has men, such that if one of them swears that a thing will be done, it will be done." (Agreed upon with the wording "servants" instead of "men.")

And:

"Among the nations before you there were Muhaddathun (people who were inspired, though they were not Prophets). And if there is any such a person among my followers, it would be 'Umar" (Agreed upon)

In his (SAW) saying:

"A woman was nursing her infant when she saw a man mounting a high horse, she said: 'O Allah! Make my infant like that man.' The infant looked at the man and said: 'O Allah! Do not make me the like of him.'" (Agreed upon)

The statement of the infant was a miracle dignifying the infant and his parent. In his saying regarding Juraij the worshipper and his mother who said: "O Allah! Do not take away his soul unless and until he sees the prostitutes' faces."

Her prayer being against her son was miracle dignifying her. When Juraij was accused of being the father of the prostitute's son, he said to the baby: "Who is your father?" The baby answered: "The shepherd." (Al-Bukhari)

The statement of the baby was a miracle dignifying Juraij the worshipper.

He mentioned the three people that were trapped in the cave, petitioning Allah by their good deeds, so Allah opened the way for them and they escaped safely after petitioning Him by their good deeds. (Agreed upon)

In the Hadith about monk and the boy, the boy threw a stone killing the beast that was preventing the people from passing. Thus the people were able to pass. This also was a miracle showing the dignity of the boy. When the king tried to kill the boy, he could not. He threw him from the top of a high mountain, he did not die. Then he threw him in the sea but he emerged walking out of it. This also was a miracle dignifying the righteous boy. (Al-Bukhari)

3. Thousands of scholars and witnesses narrate the phenomenons of countless number of individuals.[1] Like the report that says that the angels used to shake hands with 'Imran bin Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him. That Salman Al-Farisi and Abu Ad-Darda' were eating in a bowl. They hear the bowl or the food glorifying Allah. While Khubayb was a captive of the pagans in Makkah, he was seen eating grapes, while there were no grapes in Makkah.

Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, may Allah be pleased with him, is one of those who if he swore (by Allah) that anything would be done, it was done. When it was the day of Qadisiyyah, he petitioned Allah that the Muslims overpower the polytheists and that he be the first martyr of the battle. It was thus.

'Umar bin Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, was delivering the Friday sermon on the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) in Al-Madinah, and behold! He was heard saying: "O Sariyah! The mountain!" He repeated it twice directing the leader of the army to a better position.

Sariyah, who was far from Al-Madinah heard the call and retreated to the mountain. The army was victorious. When Sariyah returned to Al-Madinah, he told 'Umar and the Companions what he heard.

Al-'Ala' Al-Hadrami, may Allah be pleased with him, used to pray: "O All-Knower, All-Wise, the Most High, the Most Great!"His supplications were responded to. Once he crossed the sea with a troop yet the saddles of their horses did not get wet.

Al-Hassan Al-Basri prayed to Allah against a man who used to hurt him; instantly, the man died.

The donkey of a man from Nakh'a died while he was traveling. The man performed Wudu' (ablution), prayed two Rak'ahs and called upon Allah. And behold! Allah resurrected his donkey for him and the man carried his luggage on it. There are countless cases of phenomenons witnessed by thousands, even millions of people.

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1 Most of these miracles are confirmed in the Two Sahihs, the authentic Sunan or the authentic reports .

Extracted from “Minhaj al Muslim” published by Dar as Salam