A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, or particular branches of Islam, is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family or person. Catholics believe that patron saints, having already transcended to the metaphysical, are able to intercede effectively for the needs of their special charges. 

Historically, a similar practice has also occurred in many Islamic lands. Although Islam has no codified doctrine of patronage on the part of saints, it has nevertheless been an important part of both Sunni and Shia Islamic tradition that particularly important classical saints have served as the heavenly advocates for specific Muslim empires, nations, cities, towns, and villages. With regard to the sheer omnipresence of this belief, the late Martin Lings wrote: "There is scarcely a region in the empire of Islam which has not a Sufi for its Patron Saint." As the veneration accorded saints often develops purely organically in Islamic climates, in a manner different to Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, "patron saints" are often recognized through popular acclaim rather than through official declaration. Traditionally, it has been understood that the patron saint of a particular place prays for that place's wellbeing and for the health and happiness of all who live therein. The veneration of patron saints has lessened since the eighteenth-century in certain parts of the Islamic world, due to the growing influence in those of areas of latter-day "reformation" movements like Salafism and Wahhabism, which shun the veneration of saints in general. QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. How can Salafism be categorized?
2. What category does Salafism fall under?
3. What's one way of thinking about Salafism?
Q2:
1. What, besides Salafism, is a latter-day "reformation" movement?
2. What is one other latter-day "reformation" movement, in addition to Salafism?
3. Not counting Salafism, what other latter-day "reformation" movement is there in Islam?
Q3:
1. How do Salafism and Wahhabism view the veneration of saints?
2. What is the opinion of Salafism and Wahhabism regarding the veneration of saints?
3. How is the veneration of saints viewed in Salafism and Wahhabism?
Q4:
1. What is the definition of a patron saint?
2. How can a patron saint be defined?
3. What is meant by the term patron saint?
Q5:
1. What is a patron saint a heavenly advocate for?
2. For what do patron saints serve as heavenly advocates?
3. What does a patron saint advocate to the heavens on behalf of?
Q6:
1. Do all religions have patron saints?
2. Do patron saints exist within all religious traditions?
3. Are patron saints omnipresent in all religious traditions?
Q7:
1. How many religious traditions to patron saints appear in?
2. What is the number of religions that use patron saints?
3. How many religious traditions believe in the power of patron saints?
Q8:
1. Which religious traditions believe in patron saints?
2. Within which religious traditions do patron saints appear?
3. What are the religions that use patron saints?
Q9:
1. Do all branches of Islam believe in patron saints?
2. Do patron saints appear in all branches of Islam?
3. Are patron saints universally present within Islam?
Q10:
1. According to Catholics, where have patron saints transcended to?
2. To what place have saints ascended, in the Catholic tradition?
3. According to Catholic belief, what is the place to which saints have transcended?
Q11:
1. Which branches of Islam believe in patron saints?
2. In what Islamic traditions do patron saints appear?
3. What are the branches of Islam that believe in patron saints?
Q12:
1. What is the role of some saints in Islam?
2. What do some of Islam's saints do?
3. What purpose do patron saints sometimes serve in Islam?
Q13:
1. Who do patron saints advocate for in Islam?
2. In some Islamic traditions, who are patron saints the advocates for?
3. What is it the job of patron saints to advocate for, according to some Islamic traditions?
