Surah 10. Yunus, Ayah 62

The verb waliya (from which the noun wali, pl. awliya', is derived) signifies, primarily, the nearness or closeness of one thing to another: thus, God is spoken of in the Qur'an (e.g., in 2:257 and 3:68 ) as being "near unto (wali) those who believe". Although the term wali, when applied to God, as well as to the relationship between one created being and another, is often used in the Qur'an in the sense of "helper", "friend", "protector", "guardian", etc., none of these secondary meanings can properly - i.e., without offending against the reverence due to God - describe man's attitude to, or relationship with, Him. Consequently, the above reference to the believers as awliya' of God is best rendered as "they who are close to God" in the sense of their being always conscious of Him. This rendering has the support of almost all the classical commentators.

Allah's all-embracing knowledge and constant watchful care over all His creatures, may be a source of fear to sinners, but there is no fear for those whom He honours with His love and friendship,-neither in this world nor in the world to come.