ولى

Root entry · 18 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns concepts of closeness, proximity, and succession. It extends to meanings of taking charge, turning away, and being next in line, both literally and figuratively. It also encompasses notions of guardianship, patronage, and alliance.

Derived headwords

وَلِيَverb

1.
he turned away quickly, meaning hastily and eagerly.both
he turned away quickly, meaning hastily and eagerly.
2.
the governor governed the countryboth
the governor governed the country
3.
the man took charge of the sale in both of themboth
the man took charge of the sale in both of them
4.
the prince took charge of such and such a workboth
the prince took charge of such and such a work
5.
he put him in charge of selling the thingboth
he put him in charge of selling the thing
6.
he turned away fleeing: he retreatedboth
he turned away fleeing: he retreated

وليه يليه بالكسر فيهما — it is close to it, it follows it (with kasra in both)

ولى هاربا — he turned away fleeing

هو موليها — he is facing it

أَوْلَىverb

1.
more worthy of itboth
more worthy of it
2.
more fittingboth
more fitting
3.
a plural with no singular from its own rootboth
a plural with no singular from its own root
4.
its singular is 'dhā' for masculineboth
its singular is 'dhā' for masculine
5.
and 'dhihi' for feminineboth
and 'dhihi' for feminine

أوليته الشئ فوليه — I gave him the thing, and he took it

ما أولاه للمعروف — how deserving he is of kindness!

هو اولى بكذا — he is more deserving of it

تَوَلَّىverb

1.
he took charge of the work: he ledboth
he took charge of the work: he led
2.
he turned away from him: he avertedboth
he turned away from him: he averted

تولى العمل — he took on the task

تولى عنه — he turned away from him

تولاه — he became his patron

اسْتَوْلَىverb

1.
he seized it by forceboth
he seized it by force
2.
he took possession of the limit: meaning, he reached the endboth
he took possession of the limit: meaning, he reached the end

استولى على الأمد — he reached the limit

الْوَلِيّnoun

1.
the opposite of an enemyboth
the opposite of an enemy

كل مما يليك — eat what is near you

الولي: ضد العدو — the wali: the opposite of the enemy

الْوَلِيّnoun

1.
the opposite of an enemyboth
the opposite of an enemy

سمي وليا لأنه يلي الوسمي — it is called wali because it follows al-wasmi

الْوَلَىnoun

1.
the opposite of an enemyboth
the opposite of an enemy

وليْت الارض وليا — the land received rain after the first rain

الْمَوْلَىnoun

1.
the emancipator, the emancipated, the cousin, the helper, the neighbor, and the allyboth
the emancipator, the emancipated, the cousin, the helper, the neighbor, and the ally

المولى: المعتق، والمعتق، وابن العم، والناصر، والجار — The mawla: the freedman, the master, the cousin, the helper, the neighbor

موالى حلف لا موالى قرابة — allies by pact, not relatives by kinship

وَلَاءnoun

1.
successionboth
The act or state of following in order.
2.
patronageboth
The relationship between a freedman and his former master, or the rights associated with it.
3.
kinshipboth
A bond of relationship, especially by marriage or alliance.

بينهما ولاء بالفتح — there is kinship between them (with fath)

نهى عن بيع الولاء وعن هبته — he forbade the sale and gift of patronage

مُوَالَاةnoun

1.
followingboth
The act of following or succeeding one another.
2.
allianceboth
The state of being allied or in agreement.

الموالاة: ضد المعاداة — mutual support: the opposite of enmity

افعل هذه الأشياء على الولاء — do these things in succession

وِلَايَةnoun

1.
authorityboth
Power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.
2.
governorshipboth
An administrative region or the office of a governor.
3.
supportboth
The act of aiding or assisting.

الولاية بالكسر: السلطان — wilayah (with kasra): authority

الولاية والولاية: النصرة — wilayah and wilayah: support

وَلِيَّةnoun

1.
what destroys him: meaning, it befell himboth
what destroys him: meaning, it befell him
2.
of one matter, he is its guardianboth
of one matter, he is its guardian

الولية: البرذعة — the waliyyah: the saddle pad

أَوْلَى لَكَphrase

1.
a threat and a warningboth
a threat and a warning

أولى لك! — Woe to you!

الْأَوْلَىadjective

1.
with a sukoon on the lam: proximity and nearnessboth
with a sukoon on the lam: proximity and nearness
2.
the first, the foremost (masculine)both
the first, the foremost (masculine)

هو الاولى — he is the most deserving

الْوَلْيَاadjective

1.
the first, the foremost (feminine)both
the first, the foremost (feminine)

هي الوليا — she is the most deserving

مُوَالِيnoun

1.
alliesboth
People who are allied or in partnership.

مولى مواليا — an ally (in accusative for poetic necessity)

مَوْلَوِيّadjective

1.
related to a mawlaclassical
Pertaining to a freedman or patron.

وَلَوِيّadjective

1.
related to rainclassical
Pertaining to the rain that follows the first rain.

Parallel reading

القرب والدنو.

Closeness and proximity.

تباعد بعد ولي.

He moved away after being close.

كل مما يليك.

Eat what is near you.

وعدت عواد دون وليك تشعب

Promises of visits came before your close ones spread out

أوليته الشئ فوليه.

I gave him the thing, and he took it.

ولي الوالي البلد، وولي الرجل البيع، ولاية فيهما.

The governor administered the city, and the man conducted the sale, authority in both.

ما أولاه للمعروف، وهو شاذ.

How deserving he is of kindness! (This is irregular).

فلان ولي وولي عليه، كما يقال: ساس وسيس عليه.

So-and-so is in charge and is managed, just as it is said: he ruled and was ruled.

ولاه الأمير عمل كذا، وولاه بيع الشئ.

The prince appointed him to such-and-such a task, and appointed him to sell the thing.

تولى العمل، أي تقلد.

He took on the task, meaning he assumed it.

تولى عنه، أي أعرض.

He turned away from him, meaning he ignored him.

وولى هاربا، أي أدبر.

And he turned away fleeing, meaning he retreated.

ولكل وجهة هو موليها، أي مستقبلها بوجهه.

And for every [people] is a direction to which they turn, meaning facing it with their faces.

الولي: المطر بعد الوسمي، سمي وليا لأنه يلي الوسمي.

Al-wali: the rain after al-wasmi, it is called wali because it follows al-wasmi.

الولي: ضد العدو.

Al-wali: the opposite of the enemy.

المولى: المعتق، والمعتق، وابن العم، والناصر، والجار.

Al-mawla: the freedman, the master, the cousin, the helper, the neighbor.

هم المولى وإن جنفوا علينا

They are the patrons even if they wronged us

فلا كان عبد الله مولى هجوته * ولكن عبد الله مولى مواليا

If only Abdullah were a patron to be insulted * But Abdullah is a patron of allies

والنسبة إلى المولى: مولوي

And the nisbah to al-mawla is: mawlawi

والولاء: ولاء المعتق.

And al-wala': the patronage of the freedman.

نهى عن بيع الولاء وعن هبته.

He forbade the sale and gift of patronage.

الموالاة: ضد المعاداة.

Al-muwalat: the opposite of enmity.

افعل هذه الأشياء على الولاء، أي متتابعة.

Do these things in succession, meaning consecutively.

توالى عليه شهران، أي تتابع.

Two months passed consecutively for him, meaning they followed one another.

استولى على الأمد، أي بلغ الغاية.

He reached the limit, meaning he attained the goal.

الولاية بالكسر: السلطان.

Al-wilayah (with kasra): authority.

الولاية والولاية: النصرة.

Al-wilayah and al-wilayah: support.

الولية: البرذعة، ويقال: هي التي تكون تحت البرذعة.

Al-waliyyah: the saddle pad, and it is said: it is what is under the saddle pad.

كالبلايا رؤوسها في الولايا

Like calamities, their heads are in the saddle pads

أولى لك! تهدد ووعيد.

Woe to you! (Threat and warning).

قاربه ما يهلكه، أي نزل به.

What destroys him approached him, meaning it befell him.

وأولى أن يزيد على الثلاث

And he was close to exceeding three

فلان أولى بكذا، أي أحرى به وأجدر.

So-and-so is more deserving of such-and-such, meaning more fitting and appropriate.

هو الاولى وهم الاوالى والاولون

He is the most deserving, and they are the most deserving (pl.)

هي الوليا، وهما الولييان، وهن الولى

She is the most deserving (fem.), and they (dual fem.) are the most deserving, and they (fem. pl.) are the most deserving