ModernEgypt, Muhammad Ali by Auguste Couder, BAP 17996

''Wāli'', ''Wā'lī'' or ''vali'' (from ar, والي ''Wālī'') is an administrative title that was used in the

Muslim World The terms Muslim world and Islamic world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is practiced. I ...

(including the

Caliphate A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...

and

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

) to designate governors of

administrative division Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

s. It is still in use in some countries influenced by Arab or Muslim culture. The division that a ''Wāli'' governs is called ''

Wilayah A wilayah ( ar, وَلاية, wālāya or ''wilāya'', plural ; Urdu and fa, ولایت, ''velâyat''; tr, vilayet) is an administrative division, usually translated as "state", "province" or occasionally as " governorate". The word comes f ...

'', or in the case of

Ottoman Turkey The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

, "''Vilayet''". The title currently also refers to the ceremonial head of the Bangsamoro, a Muslim-majority autonomous region of the Philippines.

Algerian term

In Algeria, a ''wāli'' is the "governor" and administrative head of each of the provinces of Algeria, 58 provinces of the country, and is chosen by the president of Algeria, president.

Iranian term

In Iran the term is known as Vāli and refers to the governor-general or local lord of an important province. During the Safavid reign 1501-1722 the former rulers of the then subordinated provinces of the Georgian Kartli and Kakheti kingdom, the Kurdish emirate of Ardalan, the chiefs of Lorestān Province and of Khuzestan Province in western Iran were regarded as hereditary governor-generals titled ''Vāli'' equal to the Beylerbeylik (Safavid Persia). These "lords of the marches" should protect Iran's western borders against foreign powers. During the Qajar rule 1785-1925 the kingdom of Georgia was lost to Russia and the hereditary lords were replaced by officials of the central power. Mainly these officials came from the group of imperial princes and royal notables and were made Vāli of important provinces. For example, the crown prince bore traditionally the title of Vāli of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan (Iran).

Ottoman Empire term

''"Vali"'' (translated as "gouverneur-général" in French,
info page on book
at Martin Luther University) // CITED: p. 41-43 (PDF p. 43-45/338). (''genikos dioikētēs''), νομάρχης (''nomarchēs'', which may mean "nomarch" or "prefect of department") or also "valē", βαλή
info page on book
at Martin Luther University) // CITED: p. 45 (PDF p. 47). * lad, governador de provinsiya , group=note such as in the :wikisource:fr:Constitution ottomane, Ottoman constitution) was the title in the Ottoman Empire of the most common type of Ottoman governor, in charge of a ''vilayet'' (in Ottoman Turkish language, Ottoman Turkish), often a military officer such as a pasha; see Subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire.

Omani Sultanate term

The Sultanate of Oman, when it ruled Mombasa, Kenya, appointed a ''wali'' for the city known locally as ''LiWali''. The term is still used today to denote settlements of Oman, such as the ''Wilayat Madha,'' a settlement which intersects the road between Al Madam, Madam in Emirate of Sharjah, Sharjah and Hatta, United Arab Emirates, Hatta in Emirate of Dubai, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Many Rulers of the Trucial States (also called Trucial Oman in the past) appointed ''walis'' to look after towns on their behalf, including employing slaves for that purpose.

Moroccan term

Since 1997 regionalisation reform, a ''Wāli'' is the governor of one of the twelve regions of Morocco.

Pakistani term

In Pakistan, the Wali of Swat, rulers of the former princely state of Swat (princely state), Swat were given the title of ''Wali''.

Philippine term

In the Philippines, the term ''Wa'lī'' is the name for the titular head of Bangsamoro, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, an autonomous region in the large southern island of Mindanao. The ''Wa'lī'' have ceremonial functions and powers such as moral guardianship of the territory and convocation and dissolution of its Bangsamoro Parliament, parliament.

Tunisian term

In Tunisia, a ''wāli'' is the "governor" and administrative head of each of the provinces of Tunisia, 24 provinces of the country, and is chosen by the president of Tunisia, president.

Turkish term

In Turkey a Vali is a provincial governor of one of the 81 Provinces of Turkey, Turkish provinces. He is nominated by the interior minister and appointed by the president. A Vali supervises the functioning of the state functions such as security and maintenance and oversees also the elected provincial and municipal councils. During the OHAL State of emergency from 1987 to 2002, there existed a so called Super Vali who oversaw the Valis of up to 13 provinces in southeast Anatolia.

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wali Arabic words and phrases Gubernatorial titles Civil servants from the Ottoman Empire Egyptian royal titles Ottoman titles Titles in Afghanistan Titles in Bangladesh Titles in Pakistan Titles in Algeria Titles in Iran Turkish titles Titles in Bosnia and Herzegovina during Ottoman period