Explanation of (and take me under your protection among those you protect)

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The questioner : And take me under your protection among those you protect.

The Shaykh : "Take me under your protection among those you protect"—is this from *wilayah* (guardianship/authority), or from *wali* meaning one who takes charge of you? Or from both? From both. "Take me under your protection among those you protect" means make me close to you, as it is said, "So-and-so is the *wali* of so-and-so." And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

let those of your who are sedate and prudent be near me

ليلني منكم أولو الأحلام والنهى

Sunan Abi Dawud 674Sahih (Al-Albani)

This is from *wilayah*, which is closeness. Or "Take me under your protection among those you protect" means look after me, be my *wali*, my supporter, my helper in my affairs. Which is it? We say it includes both, although what comes to mind is *muwala* (allyship), which is support. Now, we ask: does "make me your *wali*" mean a *wali* by general *wilayah* or specific *wilayah*?
By specific *wilayah*, because general *wilayah* encompasses everyone, believer and disbeliever, righteous and wicked, everyone. Allah the Exalted is the *Mawla* (Protector) of all of them.
Allah the Exalted said:

until, when death comes to one of you, Our messengers take him, and they do not fail [in their duties]. ⁽⁶²⁾ Then they His servants are returned to Allah, their true Lord. Unquestionably, His is the judgement, and He is the swiftest of accountants.

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ ثُمَّ رُدُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلَا لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ

[Al-An'am 6:61-62]

So "returned to Allah" includes everyone who dies, whether believer or disbeliever, righteous or wicked. These are the general *wilayah*s, because Allah takes charge of the affairs of all creation. As for the specific *wilayah*s, they are mentioned in His saying, "Allah is the *Wali* of those who believe," and in His saying:

⁽⁶²⁾ Unquestionably, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve ⁽⁶³⁾ Those who believed and were fearing Allah

أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ

[Yunus 10:62-63]

The questioner who said, "Take me under your protection among those you protect," intends the specific *wilayah*.

Source قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 2358شرح (وتولني فيمن توليت)📔 الشرح الممتع على زاد المستقنع - ابن عثيمين — youtube.com

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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