believers.

There are four further sections going with this part of 'walayah':

A) 'Walayah' with the Ibadhi Imams and religious leaders who propagated the true teachings of Islam, and refuted false teachings. 'Walayah' with them is obligatory for the people of their country, and all other Muslims who hear of them. They merit 'walayah' for being widely known for activity in propagating the true religion and defending it. This 'walayah' cannot be changed even if a large number of people spoke ill of them.50 According to those scholars who say that the Imams of the 'manifest stage' must not remain unknown to the believers, 'walayah', must be directed to them as well.51 Ibadhi sources give the following list of the Imams of the 'manifest stage' (مسك الظهور . 52.:

i) Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafah al-Taimi, the first Caliph.

ii) Umar b. al-Khattab of B. Adiy, the second Caliph.

iii) Abdullah b. Yahya al-Kindi, the founder of the first Ibadhi state in South Arabia, i.e. Yemen and Hadramawt.

iv) Abu al-Khattab Abd al-A'la b. al-Samh al-Maafiri, the first Imam of the Ibadhi state in North Africa, (Libya and Tunisia).

v) Abd al-Rahman b. Rustam al-Farisi, the founder of the Ibadhi state in Tahert, and his successors:

vi) His son, Abd al-Wahhab;

vii) Aflah b. Abd al-Wahhab;

viii) Muhammad b. Aflah;

ix) Yusuf b. Muhammad.

Some scholars add al-Julanda b. Masud, the Imam of the Ibadhi state of Uman.53

II) 'Walayah with the just ruler,' walayat al-imam al-adil or al-sultan al-adil:

This 'walayah' is to be directed to the rulers, the officers who help them to rule the country, and all Muslims under their rule. This is known in Ibadhi writings technically as 'walayat al-baidah', (baidah meaning the capital).54 So, in any country which is governed by those who act according to the teachings of the Quran, follow the law of the Prophet, commend the practice of the Sunnah, refute heresy, and who are neither biased towards their kinsmen, nor fanatical against foreigners, must be taken as awliya", and their country must be called, 'land of justice and good action', dar al-adl was al-ihsan. Every individual from that country merits 'walayah'.55