AL-WALIYY-The Protecting Associate

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The Protecting Friend, Patron, and Supporter.
Allah, Exalted be He, says, “He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.” (Surat Ash-Shooraa, 42:28). He also says, “Then know that Allah is your Protector-an excellent Protector and an excellent Helper!” (Surat Al-Anfaal, 8:40)
This name means the helper and supporter whose help and support is close to the believers.

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It also means the guardian who manages everything and disposes of all affairs. In this sense, Allah is the Master of all creation; that is, He is their creator, sustainer, ruler and True God who alone deserves to be worshipped.

Benefits of belief in these names include the following:

Loving Allah and worshipping none but Him.
Being assured of Allah’s help and support. A believer totally relies on Allah, assured that falsehood will soon vanish.
Striving hard to win Allah’s support and protection which come as a result of worshipping Allah alone and fearing none but Him.
Loving Allah’s God-fearing, staunch servants and allying oneself with them, and dissociating oneself from Allah’s enemies from among the disbelievers, those who commit shirk (associating partners with Allah) and the hypocrites.

The One who is lover, protector and lord. The One who is lovingly supportive.

The One who is the protecting friend. The One who guards and rules all of creation.

The One who lovingly guides mankind to turn toward the path of righteousness.

From the root w-l-y which has the following classical Arabic connotations:

to be near, close, nearby
to be a friend, helper, supporter
to defend, guard (lit. friendly dealing)
to be in charge, to turn one toward something
to be the master, owner, lord

This name is used in the Qur’ān. For example, see 42:28

According to Rāghib, the root w-l-y indicates one thing taking place by the side of another in such a way that there is no distance between them, both physical and figurative.

Wālī emphasizes the aspects of lordship, ownership and mastery of the One who is also friend and helper.

Walī emphasizes the nearness and loving, protective, guarding and helping aspects of the One who is also the lord and master.