Walåyah and Islamic ontology

Abstract

The present paper aims at clarifying the role of the concept “walåyah” in the philosophy of the unity of being in Islamic philosophy (waedat al-wujid). The concept “walåyah” is deeply built into the philosophic system of the Islamic theory of being, and moreover the dynamic aspect of this concept has always activated Islamic philosophy of existence and stimulated the thought of Islamic philosophers throughout history. The concept “walåyah” is a concept intrinsic to the philosophic tradition of Islam which is not found in other philosophic traditions. For this reason, philosophic inquiry into the concept “walåyah” will help us to have true insight into the essence of Islamic thought