﷽| What Does the Guardianship (Wilayah) of Imam al-Mahdi Mean?! Wilayah means joining their party and committing oneself to their leadership. Whoever claims today that they are under the Wilayah of Imam of time (Mahdi aj) must be fully aware of what they are saying. This statement means that one has a responsibility and commitment to this hidden leader. And what does this hidden leader want? "And the believing men and the believing women have wilaya upon another." The Wilayah of one Muslim over another, and the Wilayah between the Ummah and the Imam, are of the same nature. In fact, they are inseparable. The relationship between the Ummah and the Imam is so intertwined and closely connected that separation between them is meaningless. The Imam is bound to the Ummah, and the Ummah is bound to the Imam. The Imam is linked to the Ummah in all aspects of life, just as the Ummah is linked to the Imam. Any harm inflicted upon the Imam causes the entire Ummah to feel pain. Likewise, when a cry of distress rises from a helpless member of the Ummah in a desolate place, the first ear to hear it is that of the Imam. This is the essence of Wilayah between the Ummah and the Imam. Within the internal sphere, among all people—young and old, men and women, weak and strong—there exists a complete and profound solidarity. This is Wilayah; this is Tawalla. Tawalla manifests both in the heart—through love, affection, and pure, sincere friendship—and in action—through unwavering support for one another, even to the point of self-sacrifice. Its highest expression is Īthār (selflessness): "And they give preference over themselves, even if they are in need." This means prioritizing a brother’s need over one’s own—whether it is self-sacrifice for the leader and Imam or for a fellow believing Muslim brother or sister. The very essence of this solidarity dictates that if I, as a Muslim, am wholly devoted to you, my fellow Muslim, then there remains no place within me for attachment to non-Muslims. 📚 Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini Beheshti, Wilayah, Rahbari, and Ruhania, pp. 43-44 / Beheshti's Organizational Structure, p. 343. @beheshtium_ir