Awliya
Wilayah is not a title; it is a secret. And those who carry it walk the earth unknown, veiled even from their own selves.
Yet the scholars of Tasawwuf have spoken of maqamat-ranks among the Awliya..not to make the unseen visible, but to help the seekers understand the majesty of Divine selection. These ranks are not climbed. They are gifted. And every rank is guarded by sirr..a hiddenspiritual contract between the wali and his Rabb.
1.Al-Akhyaar (The Chosen Ones)
These are the righteous who are hidden among the people. Their number is said to be 300. They do not perform miracles, nor are they known. But when their hearts tremble, the sky answers. Their prayers hold communities together.
2.Al-Abdaal (The Substitutes)
They are 40 in number, stationed across the earth. When one of them dies, another takes his place. They are called Abdaal because Allah replaces one with another seamlessly. Shaykh al-Akbar Ibn Arabi and others mention that through them, lands
are nourished and calamities lifted.
3.An-Nujaba (The Nobles)
Numbering 70, these saints are marked by their samt (dignified silence), humility, and radiant character. They walk through creation as veiled light..dignified, upright, merciful. 4.An-Nuqaba (The Chiefs)
They are 12 or sometimes said to be 7, depending on the narration. They carry the knowledge of the secrets of hearts. They are given insight into the niyyah (intentions) of people. Imam Qushayri mentioned that they are like spiritual commanders..hearts turn to them for stability.
5.Al-Awtad (The Pillars)
Usually 4. Each one is stationed in one of the four cardinal directions of the earth. Through their spiritual presence, the earth is kept stable. One is in the East, one in the West, one in the North, and one in the South.
6.Al-Qutb (The Pole)
The spiritual axis of the age. Always one. He is hidden and rarely known...even by other Awliya. Some refer to him as Ghawth al-A'zam when he is given the added role of spiritual rescue (istighatha). The Qutb is the wali around whom the entire hierarchy revolves. He is the heart of the age.
Imam al-Qushayri said:
"The Awliya are the candles of the earth. When one is extinguished, Allah lights another, but the Qutb remains until his time ends, and the heavens tremble at his departure."
And Imam al-Ghazali, though he veiled his words, hinted at the presence of such souls in Ihya, calling them "those whom Allah veiled with His jealousy, for had they been known, the world would worship them."
Please Note: These ranks are mentioned symbolically. Their numbers may differ across texts, but the purpose is not to count..the purpose is to realize that Allah has hidden His friends among us. Not all Awliya fall into these known categories. There are those even highersuch as al-Aqtaab al-Arba'a (the Four Qutbs), or al-Imam or the Hidden Wali, who is known only to Allah.
[Allahu Wa Rasulu'luhu A'alam ]