can a waliy do anything he likes?

Among the conditions for a waliyy is that he should be protected [from sin] just like a Prophet is vouchsafed, innocent from sin. Any person on whom there is an objection by the Sharīáh is deluded. [He cannot be a waliy]

Abū Yazīd al-Bisţāmī went to see a person who was known as a waliyy; he reached the mosque [where the said person prayed], he sat outside waiting for him to come out. The person was coming out of the masjid and he was picking his nose; Abū Yazīd came back without even bothering to say salām, and when asked he said:

‘This person is not faithful to the etiquette taught by the sharīáh, how can he be trusted to [safeguard or deliver] the Secrets of the Truthful?’ [fa kayfa yakūnu amīnan álā asrāri’l ĥaqq?]

Risālah al-Qushayriyyah, pg.262; Section 36:Wilāyah

 

Abū Yazīd (Bāyazīd) al-Bisţāmi rađiyAllāhu ánhu says:

‘We went to meet a man, who had become famous as a Friend of Allāh (waliy); and this person was very famous for his piety and reclusion. We tarried for a while; he came out of his house and went to the Mosque and [on the way] he spat towards the Qiblah.

I came back and I did not even bother to salute him. I said to myself: ‘This is a person who is not faithful to common decency and etiquette [adab] taught by RasūlAllāh şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam, how can he be safe in what he claims?’

Risālah al-Qushayriyyah, pg.396.