MASTER AND MASTERSHIP pdf download

Master and Mastership by Murtaza Mutahheri

MASTER AND MASTERSHIP

The words, Wala, Walayat, Wilayat, Waly, Mawla, Awlaand the like have been derived from the same root, viz. Waly.

 The various forms of this root-word and its derivatives are the most oft-recurring words in the Holy Qur’an.

It is said that they have been used 124 times in the form of a noun and 112 times in the form of a verb.

The original meaning of this root-word as mentioned by Raghib in his lexicon “Mufradatul Qur’an” is one thing taking place by the side of another in such a way that there is no distance between them i.e. if two things are placed side by side in such a manner that there is no other thing between them the root-word ‘Waly’ is used.

 For example, if some persons are sitting side by side with one another and we wish to mention the manner and order in which they have taken their seats we say that Zayd is the head of the assembly and i.e. Amr is sitting by Zayd without there being any distance between them and similarly Bakr is sitting by Amr without there being any distance between them.

That is why this root-word is naturally used for nearness and proximity also, both physical and figurative.

And again for this very reason it has been used in the sense of friendship, love, patronage, guardianship, control etc., because all these conceptions involve some sort of contact and proximity.