Al-Wakīl - The Ultimate Trustee

Al-Wakīl is the one to whom something has been entrusted. But one who has received such a trust may be either one to whom only some matters have been entrusted – that one is deficient; or one to whom all matters have been entrusted – and that pertains only to God Most High. Again, those who are so entrusted are classified (first of all) as the one who is worthy not by virtue of himself but by virtue of his appointment as an agent and his delegation (to that post), and such a one is deficient in view of the fact that he needs the appointment and the delegation; and, (secondly), as the one who by virtue of his essence is worthy of having (all) matters entrusted to him and having (all) hearts place reliance upon him, not by virtue of an appointment and a delegation coming from one other than he. That one is the absolute Wakīl. Al-Wakīl may be either the one who carries out perfectly and without any shortcomings that which is entrusted to him or the one who does not carry out everything perfectly. The absolute Al-Wakīl is the one to whom the matters are entrusted, the one who is conscientious in dealing with them and the one who is faithful in carrying them out. That one is God Most High alone.