A Probe into Wilayah and its Social Dimensions

A Probe into Wilayah and its Social Dimensions

The concept of wilayah has a great and very special status in the Holy Qur’an and Islamic hadiths. Many studies have been conducted, extended discussions have been held by commentators, theologians, and mystics and many works have been written about this issue. However, it seems that it is necessary to do much more, both from the theoretical and the practical aspects. In this article, we seek help from Allah swt in attempting to profoundly study the meaning and nature of wilayah from the theoretical point of view, and to illustrate that wilayah, by its very nature, is a matter which relates to the community and not just to individuals. Limiting wilayah to a relationship between individuals and the Infallibles is not only incorrect according to Islamic principles, but also prevents fulfillment of some of the main functions of wilayah in a religious society.