Definition of "wali"

For much of the last century, the mountainous region of Swat was ruled as a princely kingdom where a benign autocrat, the wali, bestowed schools for girls, health care for everyone and the chance to get a degree abroad for the talented.

2007 November 2, Jane Perlez, “Militants Draw New Front Line Inside Pakistan”, in New York Times‎

You see the shrine was founded in memory of a great Wali, seer, holy man – but apparently a Mohammedan.

1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 130