Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Shaikh,
I have been hearing from here and there that the number of the prophets that sent by Allah are 124.000, so is the number of the Wali`s. Is there any proof from the Quraan or Sunnah supporting this fact?
Ja zakum Allahu khairan
Answer:
Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Rahim
Allahumma Salli `ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa `ala Ahlihi wa Sahbihi Ajma`in
As-Salamu Alaikum,
Imam Suyuti in his al-Hawi stated that al-Hakim reported that Abu Dharr asked the Prophet (s) how many Prophets and Messengers there were and the response was respectfully, 124,000 and 313 (another narration say 315).
As far as the number of Walis as the same number of the Prophets, this can be deduced from when the Prophet (saw) gave indications and made reference of what qualities certain Sahabah had in relation to former Prophets. Like Sayyidina `Umar (ra) to Musa (as) and another Sahabi to Dawud (as). The numbers of Sahabah were 124,000 during the Farewell Sermon.
Ibn `Arabi explained that every wali takes from a certain Prophet, except for the Qutb who takes directly from the Messenger (s) himself.
And Allah knows best.
Sallu `Alayhi
Ismaeel Dhul-Qarnayn
