protector / guardian / ally / saint
Adjective/noun (faʿīl pattern). Plural: أَوْلِيَاءُ (awliyāʾ). Means friend, protector, or saint. God is the ultimate Walī.
In Sufism, walī refers to a 'friend of God' - a saintly person. The concept of God as Walī provides comfort and protection for believers.