There has been dispute between Shi’a and Sunni factions of islam regarding the meaning of “Mawla” in Hadith of Ghadeer e Khum.
* Shi’a claim that Mawla here means someone with authority over others like leader.
* Sunni on the other hand claim that Mawla here means a Friend.
Despite all these distortions yet you will find many Sunni scholars accepting what Shi'a believe. Here is what Salafi Shaykh Muhammad bin Saleh Uthaymeen has to say about the word “Mawla”. He was asked in his book like this.
Question : The Noble Shaykh was asked about a Man calling a King as ” Oh my Mawla ” ?
Shaykh replied : AlWilayah is divided in two parts.
First Division : Wilayah AlMutlaqa [Absolute Wilayah] and this is only for Allah swt like absolute sovereignty and Allah’s wilayah in general sense is universal to everyone. Allah most high says :
ثُمَّ رُدُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ ۚ أَلَا لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ
Then they are sent back to Allah. Their Mawla. The true one and now surely this is his Judgement and he is Swift in taking account [ AlAna’m : 62]
This made him Mawla of dishonourable people and this Wilayah is general. But in the sense of particular meaning then it is particular to Believers. Allah the most high says :
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَوْلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَأَنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ لَا مَوْلَىٰ لَهُمْ
That is because Allah is Mawla of People who believe and the Unbelievers have no Mawla for them [ Muhammad : 11]
This is a Specific Wilayah.
Second Division : Restricted or Limited Wilayah. This is used for other than Allah swt and for it there are several meanings like :
An Nasir – Helper, Al Mutwala lil Amūr – The one in charge of affairs, aSayed – Master.
(Pertaining to first meaning – An Nasir/Helper) Allah swt says :
…وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيل وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ
… and if you back up each other against him then his Mawla [Helper] is Allah and Gabriel and Pious among Believers. [ Tahrim : 4]
(Pertaning to second meaning Al Mutawali fil Amūr/The one in charge of affairs) Prophet (pbuh) said :
من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه
Whosoever I am his Mawla. Ali is his Mawla.
(Pertaining to third meaning As Sayed/Master) He (pbuh) said :
إنما الولاء لمن أعتق
The Wala is for manumitted (of the slave).
AlManaha e Alafziyah – Shaykh Muhammad Saleh Uthaymeen // Page 62 – 63 // Edn. Dar ibn Jawzi Cairo.
