A popular Sufi saying declares: “The realized knower (ʿārif) is one whose vessel (‘āniyatuhu) is the same color as his water.” 

The walī, as the epitome of realization in maʿrifa, remains unaffected by the perceived movements and changes of time (zamān) and space (makān). By virtue of the divine saying: “Allāhū walī / Allah is the walī,” (Qur’ān 2:257) he has detached himself (tajarrada) from the chains of illusion (quyūd al-wahm) and the constraints of forms (ṣuwar), ascending to the realm of divine pre-eternality (qidam), where neither time nor space exist, nor form (ṣūra) nor signs (‘āyāt), but only the Might (jabarūt) of the divine innermost secret (sirr).

Hence, the walī is not limited to any specific cosmic manifestation. His Truth emanates from the ocean of stillness (sukūn), shedding its rays on every receptacle (wiʿā’). Thus, the walī does not rely on specific forms or circumstances (ẓurūf), as some Muslims might imagine, to spread his light. Even if these were absent, he would not be confined to his own self, nor would he be unable to revive the believer's heart with the everlasting breath of eternity (nafas al-azal).

The walī, in truth, molds the contingents (mumkināt) as he wills, bringing down from the realm of transcendence (ʿālam al-tanzīh), through the ropes of divine power (khuyūt al-qudra), the will of the Almighty in whom he has found his identity and realized his reality (adraka ḥaqīqatahu). Therefore, the walī is the one who defines, not who is defined by anything. He is, in fact, the inheritor and the essence of the ‘āl (the progeny of the Prophet ﷺ) and the secret of the Qur’ān, by virtue of the hadith: "I have left among you the two weighty things: the elite of my progeny and the Book of Allah." Thus, the physical manifestation of the walī is a mulkī embodiment of the essential core reality of the defining article, found first and foremost in the divine name, composed of the alif and the lām, "‘al." 

As for existence, it is the walī’s niche, his "hā’." He draws in it whatever he wills through the flowing capacity of the name al-Walī, which encompasses his two facets: one turned towards creation through his humanity (bashariyya) and one turned to absolute divinity through his innermost secret annihilated in the divine Might (jabarūt).

I was once sitting with Sidi Shaykh in his office, overwhelmed by his himma (spiritual resolve). I asked him how he could maintain such a will to spread the light without getting exhausted or taking breaks. He responded, "My son, I am the only true servant of the divine Name. I was fashioned by Allah this way. I did not choose to be like this. Wherever I am called to serve His Name, I respond, and wherever I see an opportunity to serve His Name and spread His light, I take it." 

The walī is unmoved by changes, as I mentioned, because he has gathered in himself all the disclosures (tajalliyāt) of the Supreme divine name—past, present, and future—in a single moment or call it dot. The corruption of time and things does not affect him, nor do the good deeds and prosperity of the believers increase anything in him. He is the door to the eternal—a door with two sides. 

Thus, we understand the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ in which he mentions: " Verily, Allah will raise up in this nation at the pinnacle of every century someone who will renew their religion." By virtue of the Qur’ānic verse: “Allah is the walī of those who believe, He takes them out of the darknesses into the light,” (Qur’ān 2:257) the reviver is the one who molds time and space in favor of the Light of God, allowing it to overcome the forces of darkness that adapt to the times to spread their corruption in the hearts of the believers. Wherever you put the walī, he will bring renewal through whatever means are at his disposal and according to his divine permission (idhn) and spiritual resolve. Whether in the East or the West, in the past or the present, with advanced technology or without, he continues to mold the illusory manifestations to bring forth the divine decree to the believers. He can revive every field of inquiry and every aspect of human occupation if he wills. Through his light and secret, he can transform anything—even that which the mind does not anticipate—into a science through which the Name of Allah is studied and disseminated.

This is the meaning behind the words of Sidi Shaykh, I believe. The Shaykh is fashioned by Allah to fashion the cosmos in ways that ensure the Divine Name always stands supreme, accessible to the beloved ones of God—the mu’minīn. From this, we understand why our Shaykh does not shy away from using the latest social media to spread the word and is not intimidated by invitations from prestigious universities. Instead, he goes there and impresses the elite with his knowledge, even though he hasn’t finished high school. In a word, the Shaykh is fashioned by Allah, and he fashions existence as he wills, for he is its master—hence his qualifications as ṣāḥib al-zamān (master of time) and sulṭān al-wujūd (the sovereign of existence).