A2noun
وَلِيٌّ
waliyy
protector / guardian / ally / saint
Example
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
Allāhu waliyyu alladhīna āmanū
Allah is the Protector of those who have believed (2:257)
Grammar
Adjective/noun (faʿīl pattern). Plural: أَوْلِيَاءُ (awliyāʾ). Means friend, protector, or saint. God is the ultimate Walī.
Culture
In Sufism, walī refers to a 'friend of God' — a saintly person. The concept of God as Walī provides comfort and protection for believers.