Verse of Wilayah
The Āyat al-Wilāyah (, Verse of Wilayah or Leadership) is the 55th verse of Quran chapter 5 ("al-ma'idah"). Shi'ite scholars accept that the verse alludes to the giving of "Zakat" (alms) to the poor by ʿAli while he was in "rukuʿ" (bowing) during "Salat" (Prayer), but only the Shia see it as bestowing the succession of Muhammad upon him. Hadith. The "Treasure of the Doers of Good Deeds" records the hadith handed down from Ibn Abbas: Ali gave someone his ring in alms while he was in the state of "rukūʿ" in prayer. The Prophet (S ) asked the beggar, "Who gave you this ring?" He replied, "That man during "rukūʿ"." Then Allah sent down the verse, "Your "Waliyy" is only Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe, those who establish "ṣalāt" and pay "zakāt" while they are bowing in "rukūʿ"." On that was written, "Glory be to He who honored me by making me His slave." After that it was engraved on his ring that all power and authority belongs to Allah. Many Shi'ite scholars narrates that the ring which Ali gave to that beggar was the ring of Sulayman. Most Muslim commentators accept that this  event led to the revelation of the verse of Wilayah from the archangel Gabriel. In Shia accounts, the revelation was preceded by a repetition of the Hadith of Position, with Muhammad comparing his relationship with Ali to that between Musa and Harun. Abu Dhar al-Ghifari, one of the earliest converts to Islam, was said to have related the following hadith to Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tha'labi, the Sunni author of the "Tafsir al-Thalabi": One day, I was praying with the Prophet in the mosque when a beggar walked in. No one responded to his pleas. The beggar raised  his hands towards the heavens and said, "Allah! Be a witness that I came to the Prophet's Mosque and no one gave me anything." The 4th caliph Ali (ra) was bowing during his prayer at that time. He pointed his little finger, on which was a ring, towards the beggar who came forward and took away the ring. The incident occurred in the Prophet's presence, and he raised his face towards heaven and prayed:"O Lord! my brother Musa had begged of Thee to open his breast and to make his work easy for him, to loosen the knot  of his tongue so that people might understand him, and to appoint from among his relations his brother, as his "wali", and to strengthen his back with Harun and to make Harun his partner in his work. O Allah! Thou said to Musa, 'We will strengthen thy arm with thy brother. No one will now have access to either of you!' O Allah! I am Muhammad and Thou hast given me distinction. Open my breast for me, make my work easy for me, and from my family appoint my brother Ali as my "wali". Strengthen my back with him." In  one Shia authority, the revelation of this verse was followed by the Hadith of the Pond of Khumm, whereby Muhammad stated that "For whomever I am the "Mawlā" (synonymous with "wali"), Ali is his "Mawlā"." Interpretation. The core meaning of the word "Waliyy" () is "guardian", but it has the extended senses of helper, friend, assistant, confederate, son-in-law, leader, and master. In this passage, it has been understood in the sense of "helper" and "friend" but is usually taken as referencing mastery or leadership [translated as "wilayāh" ()]. The surrounding verses advised Muslims not to take Jews or Christians who  were fiercely opposed to Islam as their "walis", causing some to view it as discussing a social restriction on friendships: Nevertheless, the use of the word "wali" is seen in the light of the hadith concerning Ali in both Sunni and Shi'ite interpretations. The only (, "innamā") "awliyaʾ" permitted by the verse are God and Muhammad and those who believe (i.e. Muslims). The end of the verse is usually understood as restricting the believers who qualify as leaders: only Muslims who keep up their daily prayers and pay alms while bowing are permissible as "walis". More specifically, the Shia consider the  intent of the verse to be restricted to Ali and the Imams who followed him. The status and meaning of this event is a matter of discussion amongst scholars of Islam. Sunni and Shi'ite scholars agree that the verse was narrated in honour of Ali, but there are differing interpretations of "wilayah" and the Imamate. The Sunni scholars believe that the verse is about Ali but does not recognize him as an Imām ('Leader' in this context), while in the Shi'ite Muslim view, Ali had been chosen by God as successor of Muhammad. According to the Shia, imams are selected  by God, which is known through the declaration of Muhammad or a previous imam, while the Sunni believe that imams and caliphs come to power in numerous ways, whether through selection by the previous leader, a committee or through usurpation of the office.