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Some 127 meanings of the word mawla have been given in the lexicons, notably master, lord, or one who deserves superior authority, guardian or patron. The Koran says, "God is Guardian (mawla), and He gives life to the dead" (42:9) and "He is your Master (mawla); how excellent the Master (mawla) and how excellent the Helper!" (22:70). The word mawla occurs in different forms in the Koran, such as mawali (4:33. 19:5), mawalikum (33:5), al-mawla (22:13, 44:41), mawlakum (3:150, 8:40, 22:78, 57:15, 66:2), mawlana (2:286, 9:51), mawlahu (16:76, 66:4) and mawlahum (10:30).

During the event of Ghadir al-Khum, the Prophet asked the people, who has the greatest right upon you? (man awla bikum). The people replied that God and His Prophet knew better. The Prophet then said, Have I not right on the believers more than their own selves (alastu awla bi-mu'minin min anfuihim), according to what God, the Exalted has commanded in the Koran (33:6) that, "The Prophet has a greater right on the believers than they have on themselves" (awla bial-mu'minin min anfusihim). The people replied, "Yes, O Prophet of God." After repeating it three times, the Prophet took the hand of Ali bin Abu Talib and said, "Whose Master (mawla) I am, this Ali is his Master (mawla)." Thus, the word mawla refers to one who deserves superior authority. As the words ana awla (I am superior) indicate that mawla means awla (superior). What the Prophet meant by this sentence was, God is superior in right and might to him and he is superior in right and might to the faithful and Ali is superior in right and might to all those to whom the Prophet is superior.