Vali (position)

Vali - a position in the administration of Islamic countries, corresponding to the position of governor of the province or other administrative unit into which the country is divided.

The position has been known since the 7th century , from the very beginning of the formation of the Islamic state apparatus. The Vali were the governors of the caliphs in the newly conquered lands and were directly appointed by them. Subsequently, as the central authority weakened, the Vali gained significant autonomy and some of them became the founders of independent Muslim dynasties .

In the Late Middle Ages and New Time , the governors of the Ottoman provinces were called vali, and the provinces themselves were called vilayets . In Egypt, Muhammad Ali and his heirs, before accepting the title of Khedive , used the title wali in 1805 - 1866 .

Currently, the term wali as the name of the post of governor of the province is used in several Islamic countries, including Afghanistan , Algeria , Morocco , Oman , Tunisia , Turkey and Turkmenistan .