Letter Exchange 10: Ali-yun Wali Allah

The following Queries were mailed to us by a fellow visitor, student and seeker of truth. Below is an article-version of the email exchange.
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1. Shias use Quran 5:55 in order to prove the Wilayat of Ali (AS). Can you please shed some light on the interpretation of this verse?
2. 5:55 makes three entities indeed a Wali; Allah, Rasool (SAW) and a certain group of believers. Why do the shias limit the plurality of the believers to one man only, namely Ali (AS).
3. Answering-Ansar have given a nice point about 5:55, and i was almost convinced, until i read the Verse 2:43. Does not 2:43 negate the whole concept of Walayat, which the Shias proudly narrate with the help of 5:55?

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• Shias use Quran 5:55 in order to prove the Wilayat of Ali (AS). Can you please shed some light on the interpretation of this verse?

The Walayat of Ali (AS) is not only declared by 5:55, but openly declared by Rasool (SAW) at every step of his mission, the final and most notable, at the event of Gadeer.

Sunni scholars, Sunni Quran interpreters do not argue if 5:55 was for Ali (AS).

"Only Allah is your Wali, and His messenger and those among believers who keep alive prayers and pay Zakat while they are in the state of bowing".
Quran [5:55]

It is narrated by Ammar Yasir (RA) that a beggar came to Ali and stood besides him. Ali was kneeling in prayers. Ali put out his ring and gave it to the beggar. Then Ali (AS) called on the Prophet (SAW) and gave him the news. At this occasion, this verse (5:55) was revealed.

Click below for scanned page:
The Ghadir Declaration, by Dr Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri, pages 48-49

Hazrat Ali was the only one at the time of Prophet who paid Zakat while he was in the state of bowing (ruku').
Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v5, p38
Tafsir al-Kashshaf, by Al-Zamakhshari, v1, p505, 649
Tafsir al-Khazin, v2, p68.
Tafsir al-Bayan, by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, v6, p186, 288-289.

However, there are some wahabis, who have a natural dislike for Ali (AS). And there are some differences in the translations which will be dealt with later on.

(Verily, your Protector is Allah, His Messenger, and the believers...) means, the Jews are not your friends. Rather, your allegiance is to Allah, His Messenger and the faithful believers.

.....(and they bow down,) some people thought that they give the Zakah while bowing down. If this were the case, then paying the Zakah while bowing would be the best form of giving Zakah. No scholar from whom religious rulings are taken says this, as much as we know.
Tafsir Ibne Kathir, Tafsir of Surah 5, verse 55

Note how Ibne Kathir acknowledges the other side of the translation/interpretation, which says that Wali are they only who pay zakat while they bow down (which is contrary to some other translations of the verse). As Ibne Kathir cannot digest this translation and the related event, he chooses to discard it.

Quran says that our Wali are three only:

1. Allah himself
2. Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
3. and Believers, who give Zakat while they are in a condition of Ruku, or those who give Zakat as well as bow down.

Either way, the third entity is Mawla Ali (AS). How and why, and what significance it will have, is discussed in the later questions.

• 5:55 makes three entities indeed a Wali; Allah, Rasool (SAW) and a certain group of believers. Why do the shias limit the plurality of the believers to one man only, namely Ali (AS).

The wisdom behind Quran is known to Allah only. You and I can only interpret that wisdom, according to our limited thought process.

Allah has chosen some people. However, he and his Prophet (SAW) have given an opportunity to everyone to prove themselves. Once they failed, the chosen ones did the job thus proving that the chosen ones are special, not only because Allah favored them without any reason, but also, because their level of faith, actions, trust in Allah, piety etc is extra-ordinarily more and incomparable to everyone else. This way, the rest of the people will not get an opportunity to complaint, that they could have done also, what the chosen ones did.

For example;

Narrated Sahl: On the day (of the battle) of Khaibar the Prophet said, "Tomorrow I will give the flag to somebody who will be given victory (by Allah) and who loves Allah and His Apostle and is loved by Allah and His Apostle." So, the people wondered all that night as to who would receive the flag and in the morning everyone hoped that he would be that person. Allah's Apostle asked, "Where is 'Ali?" ……
Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 253

Every companion was given a chance to lead the Muslims to victory, but they could not. Rasool (SAW) was present there and if he prayed for victory on anyone's hand, Allah would surely have given victory to that person. Why did not the prophet pray for anyone? Infact, when everyone else failed, Prophet (SAW) decided that the flag will be given to he who loves Allah and his Rasool (SAW), and who is loved by Allah and his Rasool (SAW). There were atleast fourteen hundred Companions with Prophet (SAW) at that time. Did not a single one of them love Allah or Rasool (SAW), or was in turn loved by Allah or his Rasool (SAW)?

Sunnis claim all Sahabas loved Islam and were a thousand percent dedicated to Islam. If this was the case, why did the need to give the flag to a "special one" arise? If anyone else shared the devotion to and passion for Rasool (SAW) and Islam as much as Ali (AS) did, that someone would have gained the flag maybe.

Coming back to our topic of attributing a plurality to a single entity. Let us go back to Mubahila.

But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars.
Quran [3:61]

The event is discussed in detail in the article related to Mubahila. There is also a letter related to it. So i will not discuss it in detail.

Sons, Women and near people. Who did the prophet bring? Two infants, hardly 4 years old, Imam Hassan and Hussain, at an age where u can hardly understand Islam, a girl, Janab e Zahra (AS), 18 years of age, and Ali (AS). Why did not the prophet take a lot of people with them? Why not any of his wives, any of his old friends, companions?

Allah allowed Rasool (SAW) only to bring people which Quran ordered, near people, sons and women! The plurality gives it the essence that the choice is not limited to 4 or 5 people only, but everyone who matches the criteria. The decision to take singular personalities, one Fatima (AS) for women, one Ali (AS) for near people, when the order gave a touch of plurality, proves that no one besides these people fulfilled the criteria required.

What is an ummat?

Ummah (Arabic: أمة‎) is an Arabic word meaning Community or Nation. It is commonly used to mean either the collective nation of states, or (in the context of pan-Arabism) the whole Arab world. In the context of Islam, the word ummah is used to mean the diaspora or "Community of the Believers" (ummat al-mu'minin), and thus the whole Muslim world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ummah

Ummah or Ummat is a nation, or a group of believers. Have a look at what Quran has to say about Ibrahim (AS).

إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِلّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

Translation Pikthal: Lo! Abraham was a nation (Ummat) obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the idolaters;

Translation Abul Ala Maududi: The fact is that Abraham was a community (Ummat) in himself:  he was obedient to Allah and had turned to Him exclusively. He was never a mushrik
Quran [16:120]

How can Ibrahim (AS), a single man, be an Ummat, or a community of the believers? An ummat is a plurality, attributed to a singular entity, Ibrahim (AS).

Abraham was a community in himself" for at that time he was the only Muslim in the whole world who was upholding the banner of Islam, while the rest of the world was upholding the banner of unbelief. As that servant of Allah performed the Mission which is ordinarily carried out by a whole community, he was not one person but an institution in himself.
Tafheem ul Quran, by Abul Aala Maududi, Tafsir of Surah 16, Verse 120

I hope this clarifies the confusion.

• Answering-Ansar have given a nice point about 5:55, and i was almost convinced, until i read the Verse 2:43. Does not 2:43 negate the whole concept of Walayat, which the Shias proudly narrate with the help of 5:55?

The piece of text which you are talking about from AA is;

[Shakir 5:55] Only Allah is your Vali and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow.
[Yusufali 5:55] Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,- those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship).
[Pickthal 5:55] Your guardian can be only Allah; and His messenger and those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poordue, and bow down (in prayer).

It is also as a starting point important that we look at the traditional Sunni transliterations of this verse that is itself offered up by Ansar.Org themselves. The role of the believer is split in three parts:

a. establish prayer
b. give charity,
c. they bow down

Our assertions is that the giving of charity is linked to the bowing down, but since it is the objective of Ansar.Org to hide the merits of Maula Ali [as] they have knowingly misinterpreted the verse. The duty to pray is set out in portion of the verse that stipulates and the believers who establish prayer. The act of bowing down is a part of the prayer, so what would be the necessary behind Allah (swt) then mentioning 'and they bow down'. Allah (swt) does not site unnecessary things, the reality is the giving of charity is linked to the act of bowing down and hence our assertion that the verse is like this, and it is this verse that descended to confirm the Wilayat of Maula Ali [as] to the believers.
http://answering-ansar.org/answers/verse_of_wilayah/en/index.php

5:55 according to numerous sunni and shia translators is related to the event when Mawla Ali (AS) gave his ring  as charity, to a beggar who approached him, when the Imam was in a state of prostration. Thus shakir translates and Ibne Kathir acknowledges, that the Wali is he who establishes worship, and gives zakat while he bows down.

The Sunnis misinterpret and mistranslate by saying that the wali is he who establishes worship, gives zakat and he bows down also. As bowing down is a part of establishing worship, it is a mere repetition and it sounds like, who eat burgers, drink water, and who chew burgers. Chewing is a part of eating and a repetition doesn't look wise. This is the basic fault with the mistranslated verse of 5:55.

However, you have personally pointed out at verse 2:43 of the Quran, and your concerns are totally valid and sincere.

Establish worship, pay the poor-due, and bow your heads with those who bow (in worship).
Quran [2:43]

According to you, 2:43 gives sense to the mistranslations of 5:55.

Neglecting the traditions from the Ahlulbayt and negating the sunni historians who propagate the event of the ring, which Mawla Ali (AS) gave in ruku, let us talk on logic then, as you say.

Establish worship, pay the poor-due, and bow your heads with those who bow (in worship).
Quran [2:43]

First thing, 2:43 is talking to Bani Israel.

O Children of Israel! Remember My favour wherewith I favoured you, and fulfil your (part of the) covenant, I shall fulfil My (part of the) covenant, and fear Me. And believe in that which I reveal, confirming that which ye possess already (of the Scripture), and be not first to disbelieve therein, and part not with My revelations for a trifling price, and keep your duty unto Me. And Confound not truth with falsehood, nor knowingly conceal the truth. and Establish worship, pay the poor-due, and bow your heads with those who bow (in worship). Enjoin ye righteousness upon mankind while ye yourselves forget (to practise it)? And ye are readers of the Scripture! Have ye then no sense? Seek help in patience and prayer; and truly it is hard save for the humble-minded, Who know that they will have to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are returning. O Children of Israel! Remember My favour wherewith I favoured you and how I preferred you to (all) creatures.
Quran [2:40-47]

Prayer and Purifying Alms (Zakah) have always been among the most important pillars of the Islamic faith. Like other Prophets, the Prophets of Israel laid great stress upon them. The Jews had, however, become very negligent about these duties. Congregational Prayer had all but ceased among them; in fact, a great majority of the Jews did not perform Prayers even individually. They had also not only ceased to pay Purifying Alms, but some had even gone so far as to make their living out of interest.
Tafheem ul Quran, by Abul Aala Maududi, Tafsir of Surah 2, Verse 43

So the link between 2:43 and 5:55 is not plausible. 2:43 is a reminder to the jews, the Bani Israel, while 5:55 is a reminder to the muslims.

Even ignoring the above; 

Translated by Pickthal: Your guardian can be only Allah; and His messenger and those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poordue, and bow down (in prayer).
Quran [5:55]

You will then have to agree that Allah tells us, that those believers who accomplish 2:43, are your Walis. Allah is our wali, Rasool (SAW) is our Wali, and everyone else is our Wali, who can accomplish 2:43.

Establish salaat, paying the poor due, and bowing down in prayers, are, and should be 3 different things, because repetitions does not make sense. What is the difference between establishing Salat and bowing down in prayers then?

Worship is doing everything which Allah tells you to do. To make it short, Allah told you to follow him, his Rasool (SAW), do good and stop evil. This is to establish salaat. He who could do it the way its supposed to be done, will be your Wali. It will imply that Ali (AS) was Ali not only because Allah made him that way. Ali was Ali, aslo because Ali chose that to be that way. I mean to say, that if it is Allah who gives walayat, and he gives it to lets say you, then I can complaint that I was better than you. Allah thus did not give walayat to anyone specifically, he gave a condition, who ever fullfils that condition will be our Wali. Besides Ali (AS), no one could fulfill that condition. It is an open challenge.

We all give charity today, we all bow down our heads, God knows with what sort of intentions. We pray Salat and get lots of thoughts in our minds. Someone prays for showoff, someone prays because it is a habit, someone prays because his parents force him, some one prays because he wants paradise. Salat is prayed because Allah deserves it. We give zakat. Mostly, the money which we earn, on which Zakat is deducted, is earned by haram means, which might also involve interest or riba etc. Zakat of such money is meaningless on its own. Then we give Zakat to the wrong people, who may not have a right to it. We may also give Zakat for showoff etc. Thus keeping ground realities infront of us, today, i believe, there is no one alive, who establishes Salat, gives zakat, and bows down.

Let us say someone prays Salaat with it's true Haqq, no thoughts, no distractions, true intentions, and he gives zakat the proper way with proper intentions with proper money. That will mean maybe, one out of 1 million. How many establish worship? Which is to do everything which Allah and Rasool (SAW) tells you to? Every one is a liar at some point in life. Everyone sins in some way or the other. Wilayat will be given to him, who fullfills the three commands, with their rights.

And once you read Religious literature, you will find none other than Ali (AS) deserving to be the Wali. You must however notice that This whole theory was based on your assumptions, which have negated logic and Quranic literature. The point was only to say that you cannot take Mawla Ali (AS) out of the picture, no matter how hard you try to misinterpret religion.

So 5:55 has said that your Wali is Allah, Muhammad (SAW) and certain believers. If Allah has told us to accept a "certain group of believers" as our Walis, then it is the duty of Allah to show us these "believers" also, for we might mistake some one else for these believers, as we can only see the appearances of a person, and not his intentions, actions and piety.

Did Allah show us who these believers are? If he did not, then Allah did not do justice with us. Because we are incapable of seeing. We might mistake some hypocrite as our Wali, if he pretends to establish worship, give zakat and bow down.

Because Allah is Just, he has shown us who this "group of believer" is or are!

As the Prophet pulled up his reins, the whole entourage came to a halt. Those who had gone ahead were summoned back. The pebbles and thorns were brushed aside and a makeshift pulpit of saddles was set up. People clustered round, the Prophet bent down and lifted Ali in his hands, and showing him to the crowds on all sides of the pulpit and proclaimed,  "Allah is my Mawla, Of whomsoever I am the Mawla, This Ali is his Mawla. Whoever obeys 'Ali, obeys me, whoever obeys me, obeys Allah, whoever disobeys 'Ali disobeys me, whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah"
Kanz ul Ummal, hadith numbers 32973-32976
Mustadrak al Hakim Volume 3 page 123
Riyadh ul Nadira Volume 3 page 110

Click below for scanned page:
The Ghadir Declaration, by Dr Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri, page 49

If we still fail to see who is he, then it is our fault. If Allah did not show him to us in the first place, then we were not at fault. Walayat of Ali (AS) is crystal clear.

You may choose not to look at it, but you will have no excuse on the day of judgement, because Allah has shown you his wali, your Mawla, through Muhammad (SAW).

Follow Up on Letter 10: Ali-yun Wali Allah

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1. You said only one person fulfilled 2:43 and thus is the only one deserving to be the Wali, namely Ali (AS). The Prophet (SAW) was present at that time, so only one person obeying him at that time doesn't make sense to me. Whoever fulfilled 2:43 will be a wali according to 5:55. I believe Ali (AS) is the Wali. But i do not believe he was the only Wali. All those who pray and give zakat are Walis, and Ali (AS) is one of them.
2. The word Wali means a protector or a friend. Quran tells us not to make the kaafirs our friends, in many verses. As Muslims perform Namaz and give zakat, 5:55 tells us that our friends will be these people, and not the kaafirs. Thus we cannot take shelter from anyone else except the Muslims. What do you think?

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• You said only one person fulfilled 2:43 and thus is the only one deserving to be the Wali, namely Ali (AS). The Prophet (SAW) was present at that time, so only one person obeying him at that time doesn't make sense to me. Whoever fulfilled 2:43 will be a wali according to 5:55. I believe Ali (AS) is the Wali. But i do not believe he was the only Wali. All those who pray and give zakat are Walis, and Ali (AS) is one of them.

I told you and i will repeat, comparing the blessed people, the chosen ones, the Ahlulbayt, with normal people, like you and me, will not help in understanding Islam.

The Prophet (SAW) was no doubt present. Can you tell me why Surah Jummah was revealed?

O you who believe! when the call is made for prayer on Friday, then hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trading; that is better for you, if you know. But when the prayer is ended, then disperse abroad in the land and seek of Allah's grace, and remember Allah much, that you may be successful. And when they see merchandise or sport they break up for It, and leave you (Muhammad) standing. Say: What is with Allah is better than sport and (better) than merchandise, and Allah is the best of Sustainers.
Quran [62:9-11]

(And when they see some merchandise or some amusement, they disperse headlong to it, and leave you standing.) meaning, on the Minbar, delivering the Khutbah. Several of the Tabi`in said this, such as Abu Al-`Aliyah, Al-Hasan, Zayd bin Aslam and Qatadah. Muqatil bin Hayyan said that the caravan belonged to Dihyah bin Khalifah before he became a Muslim, and there were drums accompanying it.So they rushed to the caravan and left Allah's Messenger standing on the Minbar. Only a few remained, according to the authentic Hadith that Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir said, "Once, a caravan arrived at Al-Madinah while Allah's Messenger was giving a Khutbah. So, the people left, and only twelve men remained ﴿with the Messenger.
Tafsir Ibne Kathir, Tafseer of Surah 9, Verse 11

I need not say anything more.

Narrated Sahl: On the day (of the battle) of Khaibar the Prophet said, "Tomorrow I will give the flag to somebody who will be given victory (by Allah) and who loves Allah and His Apostle and is loved by Allah and His Apostle." So, the people wondered all that night as to who would receive the flag and in the morning everyone hoped that he would be that person. Allah's Apostle asked, "Where is 'Ali?" ……
Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 253

1. Why did the Flag go to one man?
2. Why Ali (AS)?
3. Why couldn’t the prophet pray for victory and Khyber would be conquered by anyone because of the prayers of Rasool (SAW). Why was Ali necessary?
4. Was Ali the “ONLY ONE” who loved Allah and his Rasool and who was loved by Allah and his Rasool?

You said a true Muslim will definitely fulfill 2:43. He may, but it will not make him a Wali because 5:55 is not related to 2:43 as said earlier, I am just answering your queries based on your theories and assumptions. If i assume that a true Muslim will fulfill 2:43 and thus become a Wali, then again Ali (AS) will be the only one. How you may ask?

In strict Islamic terms, Islam wants us humans to be sinless. Allah doesn't want us to sin. Quran tells us to be Good All the time, in every way, and stop evil all the time, in every way. Islam tells us to stay away from the Satan all the time and do not sin, which means Islam wants us to be masoom and sinless. Above all, Islam sets for us, an example of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), who was masoom and sinless. Islam wants us to be like our role model, a role model who was masoom and did not sin. In accordance with this definition, no one is "true" besides Rasool (SAW) and the “chosen people”.

In history, amongst the Sahabas, and today, each and everyone of us does something in our life which is not worship, which is against Islam, which is disobedience to the orders of Allah and his messenger, be it saying a lie, or be it fighting, or be it disrespecting our parents, or be it earning haram money. If some one Establishes Worship, he will become Sinless and Masoom Automatically.

As Allah knows that no one can become a Masoom, except the chosen people who he has given ismah, he has opened the doors for repentance/tawba, and he has given the people the opportunity to save themselves from greater sins, while Allah will do away with the smaller sins of the people.

Thus, he who establishes Salaat, gives Zakat and bows down, will have the same title, which Muhammad (SAW) has, and which Allah himself has, that of a Wali. A sinner, or someone who can sin, or commit a sin, and thus follow the Satan at some point of his life, cannot share the title which is so great, that only Allah, and his Rasool (SAW) have it, other than the believer himself.

Allah orders people to be sinless and masoom. Those who can accomplish this, will be sharing Walayat with Allah, his Rasool (SAW). Thus to me, Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) was the only person who established Salat, just Like he was the Only person worthy of the flag at Khyber.

Not to ignore the fact that 5:55 was specifically revealed at the incident when Ali (AS) gave charity to a beggar while he was in ruku, thus many translators have translated this verse differently also.

It is narrated by Ammar Yasir (RA) that a beggar came to Ali and stood besides him. Ali was kneeling in prayers. Ali put out his ring and gave it to the beggar. Then Ali (AS) called on the Prophet (SAW) and gave him the news. At this occasion, this verse (5:55) was revealed.

Click below for scanned page:
The Ghadir Declaration, by Dr Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri, pages 48-49

And if you insist that Ali (AS) is not the only person who fulfilled 5:55, or 2:43 (which is for Bani Israel), then show to me who else satisfied 5:55.

You show me the man who you think deserves to be a Wali. You show me the man who fulfills the conditions Allah has already set, as you are aware of the intentions of the person as well as his past and future actions and piety.

As i am not, i cannot tell you who deserves to be a Wali or who is a Wali. Today, I still couldn't have showed you who the Wali was, if it was not for Muhammad (SAW), who pointed towards Ali (AS) at Gadeer.

Today, you can see people who pray 5 times a day, keep fasts, do tasbeeh all day, give a lot of charity, and after that, they do fraud in their businesses, they lie. You and I can only see their actions, so to you, there maybe a billion Walis in this world today. To Allah, who sees, who knows, and who has the authority to give authority, he has chosen someone. And if we start to make our own chosen ones in his competition, then we should be ashamed to call ourselves Muslims. So you are free to make any one a Wali, who you believe fulfils 5:55. To me, Ali (AS) is the Wali of Allah, and his inclusion in the Ahlulbayt, verse of purity, Mubahila, flag of khayber, marriage to Fatima (AS), godly heroics in khandaq, patience, exaltness in character, eloquence, immense knowledge, knowledge to such an extent that the Rasool (SAW) called him the gate of knowledge, these are just a small and basic proofs of his walayat.

Who ever you choose a wali, make sure he has an atoms worth of Ali (AS) in him. The army of Yazeed who fought imam Hussain (AS) in Kerbala were full of hajis, namazis, people who gave sadaqa and zakat, keep fasts and used to do wudu. Will you consider them your Walis?

And if there is someone besides Ali (AS) who did fulfill 5:55, then it will only be the Ahlulbayt, men like Hassan (AS) and Hussain (AS) who are the princes of the youth of paradise.

• The word Wali means a protector or a friend. Quran tells us not to make the kaafirs our friends, in many verses. As Muslims perform Namaz and give zakat, 5:55 tells us that our friends will be these people, and not the kaafirs. Thus we cannot take shelter from anyone else except the Muslims. What do you think?

You are right. Quran tells us not to befriend the mushriks.

O you who believe! do not take the unbelievers for friends (wali) rather than the believers; do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves
Quran [4:144]

However, you must first know what Wali means in different contexts.

Dictionaries give a minimum of 20 meanings for the Arabic word WALI, depending on context, most have to do with the position of leadership and guardianship. Only in one instance it could mean a friend.
Elias' Modern Dictionary, by Elias A. Elias, Arabic-English, p815-816, Lebanon.
al-Munjid fi al-Lughah, v1.
http://www.al-islam.org/ENCYCLOPEDIA/chapter3/3.html

Sheikh professor palazzi, from Italy states:

Awliya' and wali have many different meanings depending on the context in which they are used. "Tutors" and "protectors" are among the most common meanings for these terms.

In ordinary daily Arabic wali is the term used when referring to "tutor" and "protector". In Arabic, the tutor of an orphan is the orphan's wali. The representative of a prospective wife in marriage contract negotiations is the prospective wife's wali.

The Arabic-English Dictionary of the University of Damascus lists among the various meaning for wali: "Legal guardian. A friend or protector. Someone who is supposed to look out for your interest. Guardian, curator, custodian, keeper, caretaker, patron, sponsor, supporter, protector, defender, friend, associate, companion, saint, holy man, lord, chief, master, owner, proprietor, holder, possessor". As may be seen from these examples, the most frequently giving meanings for wali involve custody, protection, patronage, and tutorship; not "loyalist".
http://amislam.com/pundit13.htm

If the word Wali, is a friend, then 5:55 states:

Your friend can be only Allah; and His messenger and those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poordue, and bow down (in prayer).
Quran [5:55]

Why are not all Muslims our friends? Why are only those Muslims who pray namaz and give zakat (according to you) our friends, and not the rest of the Muslims, who do not have the opportunity to pay zakat because they are on the recieving end, or those who could not pray Namaz due to any scenario, lets say, menses in Muslim women.

Thus the issue of friendship is not plausible at all.  Do you see Allah as your friend or master? Do you see Muhammad (SAW) as your friend or as someone who has more right over you than you yourself? If the word wali is a friend, then we all are friends with Allah. What is so special about Ibrahim (AS) who is said to be the Khalil Allah? You are also a Khalil Allah because you give zakat and pray salat.

No one is the friend of Allah or Muhammad (SAW). Both of them are our protectors and guides. Obedience to both is a must. Can you see Allah as your friend or your master? Will you talk to Rasool (SAW) as u talk to your friends or as you master?

I for one, see Allah and his Rasool (SAW) as my master. Ibrahim (AS) was khalil Allah. If Allah is your wali or friend, then the whole of the ummat is khalil allah! Does this make sense? Thus the word Wali, with reference to Allah is a master, or someone who has more authority over us.

Having established this, let us come to the second point, as to who is our master. A muslim's master  is Allah, his Rasool (SAW), and the Believer! If all Muslims are believers (the one which 5:55 talks about), then almost every Muslim is also a Wali!! If everyone is a Wali, then whose Wali will they be? If everyone is a master, who will be the follower? This is a proof in itself that 5:55 is about one man rather than the whole of the Ummat.

Only Allah is your Vali and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow.
Quran [5:55]

I ask you. Who is the “your” in the above verse? Who is this ayah addressing? To the Muslims? If it is being addressed to the Muslims, then it proves that the Muslims are not the wali. Because the person which is pointed by the "your" and the person referred by "those" are two different entities.

In fact, every WALI is a friend, but the reverse is not always true. This is why the Arabs use "Wali al-Amr" for the rulers, meaning the master of the affairs. Thus, logically speaking, the word MAWLA can not be interpreted as friend, and we should rather use its other more-frequently- used meanings which are Leader and Guardian.

Perhaps one would ask why Prophet didn't use other words to further explain his intention. In fact, people asked him the same question, and the following Sunni documentations are the answers of the Prophet (PBUH&HF): When the Messenger of Allah (s) was asked about the meaning of "whomever I am his MAWLA then Ali is his MAWLA". He said: "Allah is my MAWLA more deserving of me (my obedience) than myself, I do not dispute him. I am the MAWLA of the believers, more deserving in them than themselves, they do not dispute me. Therefore, whomever I was his MAWLA, more deserving in him than himself (and) does not dispute me, then Ali is MAWLA, more deserving in him than himself, he does not dispute him."
Salwat al-'Arifin, by al-Muwaffaq billah, al-Husain Ibn Isma'il al Jurjani.
http://www.al-islam.org/ENCYCLOPEDIA/chapter3/3.html

I hope all confusions are clear now.

Either way, our friends, or protectors, or masters, or Wali (whatever your heart wants it to mean), are Allah, Muhammad (SAW) and Ali (AS), even today. Why do wahabis see Ya Ali madad as shirk, when we are only asking for help from a wali? Obviously Ya Ali Madad is tawassul and is not asking help from a ghair Allah.

Hardcore sunni Maududi translates 5:55 as;

Only Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe and who establish Prayer, pay Zakah, and bow (before Allah) are your allies. All those who take Allah and His Messenger and those who believe as their allies, should remember that the party of Allah will be triumphant.
Quran [5:55-56]

According to Maududi, Quran tells us that only one party is the party of Allah, the party which shows it's alliance to Allah, Muhammad (SAW) and the believer.

Abdullah ibn Ayyash ibn Abi Rabiah said: Ali had whatever you will of a cutting tooth in knowledge, he had excellence by reason of his family relations, priority in accepting Islam, his acquaintanceship with Rasool (SA), discernment in the Sunnah, courage in war and liberality with property.

Jabir Ibn Abdullaah said; The Prophet (SAW) said, "people are from all sorts of different stocks and I an Ali are from one stock."

Ibn Abbas said: Allah did not reveal an ayah beginning "O you who believe..." but that Ali is its amir and its eminence. Allah reproached the companions of Muhammad in more than one place but he never mentioned Ali but with approval.

Ibn Abbas said: There as has not been revealed about anyone in the book of Allah what has been revealed about Ali.

Ibn Masud (RA) related that the prophet (SAW) said "looking at Ali is an act of worship. It has also been narrated in the hadith of Imran ibn Husayn, Abu Bakr and Uthman ibn Affar, Anas, Muadh ibn Jabal and Jabid ibn Abdullah as well as Aisha.

Ibn Abbas said: Ali had eighteen excellences which no one else of this ummat had.

Click below for scanned page:
The History of the Khalifas who took the Right way, By Jalal ad-din as-Suyuti, Page 179

If Ali (AS) is not included in these believers, then who deserves to be? Quran tells us the the party of Allah will succeed, the only party which sees Allah, Rasool (SAW) and Ali (AS) as their walis.

Jamal saw Aisha fight a battle against Mawla Ali (AS). Siffin saw Mawiya fight against Mawla Ali (AS). Whose side will you pick, inorder to be included in the party of Allah? Should our alliance with Ali (AS), make us dissociate ourselves from his enemies and from those who hated him, who fought him?

To repeat, 5:55 has said that your Wali is Allah, Muhammad (SAW) and certain believers. If Allah has told us to accept a "certain group of believers" as our Walis, then it is the duty of Allah to show us these "believers" also, for we might mistake some one else for these believers, as we can only see the appearances of a person, and not his intentions, actions and piety.

Did Allah show us who these believers are? If he did not, then Allah did not do justice with us. Because we are incapable of seeing. We might mistake some hypocrite as our Wali, if he pretends to establish worship, give zakat and bow down.

Because Allah is Just, he has shown us who this "group of believer" is or are, at the event of Gadeer.

Just for those who do not think with Aql, who have biases and grudges, and for whom only sunni and wahabi references are sufficient to convince;

Here are just some of the Sunni references which mentioned the revelation of 5:55 in the honor of Imam Ali;
Tafsir al-Kabir, by Ahmad Ibn Muhammad al-Tha'labi, under Verse 5:55
Tafsir al-Kabir, by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, v6, pp 186,288-289
Tafsir Jamiul Hukam al-Quran, by Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Qurtubi, v6, p219
Tafsir al-Khazin, v2, p68
Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthur, by al-Suyuti, v2, pp 293-294
Tafsir al-Kashshaf, by al-Zamakhshari, Egypt 1373, v1, pp 505,649
Asbab al-Nuzool, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, Egypt 1382, v1, p73 on the
authority of Ibn Abbas
Asbab al-Nuzool, by al-Wahidi
Sharh al-Tjrid, by Allama Qushji
Ahkam al-Quran, al-Jassas, v2, pp 542-543
Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v5, p38
Kanzul Ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, v6, p391
al-Awsat, by Tabarani, narrated from Ammar Yasir
Ibn Mardawayh, on the authority of Ibn Abbas

Why Ali is the question, i suppose!

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