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Wali (Arabic ولي, plural Awliya' أولياء), is an Arabic word, meaning trusted one, generally denoting "friend of God".[1] It should not be confused with the word Wāli (Arabic: والي) which is an administrative title that was used in the Muslim Empire and still used nowadays in some Muslim countries.

Sunni Islam

It is short for Waliullah or friend of God.

Shi'a term

It is short for Waliullah as well. Again it means friend. However the word Waliullah refers to Ali, son-in-law of Muhammad; Fatima, daughter of the Prophet.

Wali

Islamic Dictionary:
wali

"Friend," "client," "kinsman," "patron;" in English wali most often means a Muslim saint or holy person.

al-Ma'idah (The Table, The Table Spread) 5:51

‏5:51 ياايها الذين امنوا لاتتخذوا اليهود والنصارى اولياء بعضهم اولياء بعض ومن يتولهم منكم فانه منهم ان الله لايهدي القوم الظالمين

Transliteration Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tattakhithoo alyahooda waalnnasara awliyaa baAAduhum awliyao baAAdin waman yatawallahum minkum fa-innahu minhum inna Allaha la yahdee alqawma alththalimeena
Literal You, you those who believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians (as) guardians/patrons , some of them (are) guardians/patrons (of) some, and who follows them from you, so that he truly is from them, that God does not guide the nation, the unjust/oppressive.

Yusuf Ali O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.
Pickthal O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.
Arberry O believers, take not Jews and Christians as friends; they are friends of each other. Whoso of you makes them his friends is one of them. God guides not the people of the evildoers.
Shakir O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.
Sarwar Believers, do not consider the Jews and Christians as your intimate friends for they are only friends with each other. Whoever does so will be considered as one of them. God does not guide the unjust people.
Khalifa O you who believe, do not take certain Jews and Christians as allies; these are allies of one another. Those among you who ally themselves with these belong with them. GOD does not guide the transgressors.
Hilali/Khan O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but Auliya to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya, then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust).
H/K/Saheeh O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.
Malik O believers! Take neither Jews nor Christians as your protecting friends: they are only protecting friends of one another. Whoever of you disobeys this commandment will be counted as one of them. Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoers.[51]
QXP O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! (Since they deny the Final Revelation that is the Constitution of your state). Do not take the Jews and Christians as your allies. They are allies one to another. He among you who takes them for allies is one of them. Allah does not guide those who displace Command with desire.
Maulana Ali O you who believe, take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends of each other. And whoever amongst you takes them for friends he is indeed one of them. Surely Allah guides not the unjust people.
Free Minds O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Nazarenes as allies, for they are allies to one another; and whoever takes them as such from amongst you is one of them. God does not guide the wicked people.
Qaribullah Believers, take neither Jews nor Nazarenes for your guides. They are guides of one another. Whosoever of you takes them for a guide shall become one of their number. Allah does not guide the wrongdoers.

George Sale O true believers, take not the Jews, or Christians for your friends; they are friends the one to the other; but whoso among you taketh them for his friends, he is surely one of them: Verily God directeth not unjust people.
JM Rodwell O Believers! take not the Jews or Christians as friends. They are but one another's friends. If any one of you taketh them for his friends, he surely is one of them! God will not guide the evil doers.

Asad O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for your allies: they are but allies of one another'Z-and whoever of you allies stressed in the Qur'an (e.g., in the first sentence of 2:148, in 21:92-93, or in 23:52 ff.). Because of the universal applicability and textual incorruptibility of its teachings-as well as of the fact that the Prophet Muhammad is "the seal of all prophets", i.e., the last of them (see 33:40) -the Qur'an represents the culminating point of all revelation and offers the final, perfect way to spiritual fulfilment. This uniqueness of the Qur'anic message does not, however, preclude all adherents of earlier faiths from attaining to God's grace: for-as the Qur'an so often points out-those among them who believe uncompromisingly in the One God and the Day of Judgment (i.e., in individual moral responsibility) and live righteously "need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve". himself with them becomes, verily, one of them; behold, God does not guide such evildoers."