“Know that all unbelievers are under the protection of the believers,
and all believers are under the protection of the saints; all the
saints are under the protection of the prophets, and all wrongdoers
are under the protection of the righteous. Were it not for for the
righteous and their blessings, Allah would have destroyed all
wrongdoers in a day; and were it not for kings men would devour one
another. Were there no Ulama all men would be like beasts, knowing
neither halal nor haram; and were there no wind, the world would all
rot in a day.”

[Source: via Yeni Osmanli, Sea of Precious Virtues, Bahr al-Favaid]

More on this text here.