Is it permissible for a person to say, "So-and-so is my benefactor (wali ni'mati)"?

The fundamental principle is that the Giver of blessings (wali al-ni'mah) is Allah the Almighty alone. However, this does not preclude some of Allah's servants from being givers of blessings to others. It is important to distinguish between Allah's true bestowal of blessings and the bestowal of blessings by a creature, which is merely a channel for Allah's blessings. The terms "wali al-ni'mah" or "mawla al-ni'mah" for the giver of a blessing are well-known in language and Islamic law, and their most common usage refers to a master who frees a slave. Therefore, there is no objection to applying this description to some created beings, as long as it does not lead to exaggeration concerning a creature.