Question:

Does the guardian (wali) abide in a cave or among the creatures?

Response:

The Imams (a.) reported that Prophet Muhammad (s.) said: “God concealed three in three things. He hid His satisfaction in obedience to Him, He hid His anger in disobedience to Him and He hid the guardian (Wali) He appointed among His creatures. Therefore, none of you should take anything of obedience lightly, for he does not know wherein lies the satisfaction of God and none of you should minimize anything of disobedience, for he does not know wherein lies the anger of God and none of you should humiliate anyone of the creatures of God, for he does not know which of them is the guardian (Wali) appointed by God.” [Mustadrak-ul-Wasa’il of An-Nuri, Volume 9 page 103 Hadith 2]

أبو الفتح الكراجكي في كنز الفوائد قال روي عن أحد من الأئمة أنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: إن الله عز وجل كتم ثلاثة في ثلاثة كتم رضاه في طاعته، وكتم سخطه في معصيته وكتم وليه في خلقه، فلا يستخفن أحدكم شيئا من الطاعات فإنه لا يدري في أيها رضاء الله تعالى ولا يستقلن أحدكم شيئا من المعاصي فإنه لا يدري في أيها سخط الله ولا يزرين أحدكم بأحد من خلق الله، فإنه لا يدري أيهم ولي الله