Did Righteous Saints (Awliya) Exist Before Islam Too?

Question

Before Islam, in other religions, did noble awliya (saints) or spiritual guides appear in a similar way as well? If not, then how was access to God attained?

Answer

They appeared before as well. [ar]كَمُلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيرٌ أَيْ كَثِيرُونَ مِنْ أَفْرَادِ هَذَا الْجِنْسِ حَتَّى صَارُوا رُسُلًا وَأَنْبِيَاءَ وَخُلَفَاءَ وَعُلَمَاءَ وَأَوْلِيَاءَ[/ar] “Many men reached perfection” — that is, many individuals of this kind, to the point that they became messengers, prophets, caliphs, scholars, and saints (Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, vol. 5, p.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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