The word "Wali" "Awliya" and "Mawla" are contextual, and in some places God is describing himself with this title and then contextualizes a unique relationship he has with his creation and humanity, that even Mohammad (s) doesn't have. Other times, the word is contextual as something shared with God and Mohammad (s) , and is a relationship they both have, with believers.
Let's look at Chapter 42.
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهُ حَفِيظٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِوَكِيلٍ {6}
This talking about a Wilayah that people give to others instead of God. So the context is going to be there is a unique relationship he has with his creatures while they give it to others.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِتُنْذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَتُنْذِرَ يَوْمَ الْجَمْعِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ فَرِيقٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِي السَّعِيرِ {7}
وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَٰكِنْ يُدْخِلُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ۚ وَالظَّالِمُونَ مَا لَهُمْ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ {8}
أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ ۖ فَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْوَلِيُّ وَهُوَ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ {9}
Those verses then link this Wilayah with the fact that God reveals a clear Arabic recitation and to warn them and warn humans in general.
Then it says that he will bring to his mercy who he wants and that the oppressors/unjust have no Wali or helper. The Wilayah is even more contextualized, in that, it refers to something that oppressors do not get from God.
Then it defines:
وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ {10}
This means referring all disputes back to God's judgment is a right God has and his Wilayah here is inclusive of that. So it has to do with guidance. So God is the Wali here, and it's going to further explain his Wilayah:
فَاطِرُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ أَزْوَاجًا ۖ يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ ۚ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ {11}
لَهُ مَقَالِيدُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ {12}
شَرَعَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ ۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۚ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ {13}
وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مُرِيبٍ {14}
ere it talks about God as the originator and says he sustains his creatures, then emphasizes he has explained the religion just like he explained in the past what he enjoined on past Prophets. And then emphasizes they didn't divide and separate from the truth of God's teachings except after there came to them knowledge out of rebellion to one another. This sectarian hate is what I'm alluding to.
فَلِذَٰلِكَ فَادْعُ ۖ وَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ ۖ وَقُلْ آمَنْتُ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ كِتَابٍ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ لِأَعْدِلَ بَيْنَكُمُ ۖ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ ۖ لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ ۖ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ ۖ اللَّهُ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ {15}
So then it goes on to emphasize that Mohammad is commanded to establish justice among us, that he is not trying to get Authority over us, for the sake of authority, but because God commanded him.
وَالَّذِينَ يُحَاجُّونَ فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ حُجَّتُهُمْ دَاحِضَةٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ
This suggests that God establishes proof and that rejecting Mohammad is in fact rejecting God's proof and really rejecting God's Wilayah as described so far.
اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ وَالْمِيزَانَ ۗ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ قَرِيبٌ {17}
يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُمَارُونَ فِي السَّاعَةِ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ بَعِيدٍ {18}
اللَّهُ لَطِيفٌ بِعِبَادِهِ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۖ وَهُوَ الْقَوِيُّ الْعَزِيزُ {19}
مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الْآخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِي حَرْثِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ نَصِيبٍ {20}
This reinforcing what has been said in the start of the chapter, to emphasize on his Wilayah. It has linked here though with day of judgment and God's wish to guide his creatures to paradise, then says:
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةُ الْفَصْلِ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ {
Do they have associates (the same word who's root is Shirk) that have explained to them from the religion what God has not permitted, and emphasizes they are due punishment for this and are unjust/oppressors due to it.
Here the Shirk to me is in the Wilayah described in the beginning and so it's not allowed to take others than God to explain the religion, and we have to refer disputes back to God's judgment as defined in the beginning.
تَرَى الظَّالِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا وَهُوَ وَاقِعٌ بِهِمْ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فِي رَوْضَاتِ الْجَنَّاتِ ۖ لَهُمْ مَا يَشَاءُونَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ {22}
Over here it emphasizes on the punishment of disbelievers and that believers who do good will have all they wish from their Lord.
Then it says:
ذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ اللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ۗ قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ ۗ وَمَنْ يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِيهَا حُسْنًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ
To understand this verse, you have to recall all the other reward verses and have to understand a linguistic style. It's not that God actually is asserting Mohammad seeks a reward, but is saying, "as for the reward (disbelievers accuse of)", it's really this and that.
Other Prophets and Mohammad as well, didn't seek wealth from people because they would've looked greedy, but yet just as we view fake Prophets to be power hungry and wanting fame, influence, power, followers, a legacy, etc... the reward is in context of what disbelievers see Prophets seeking for their efforts and for the message they are delivering.
25:57 for example says What is this reward you accuse me of seeking really to be but for who wants, to take a path to their Lord. And the Surah after emphasizes the reward the Prophets sought was regarding God because obeying them is obeying God as far as authority in the land goes.
Aside from the Prophets looking greedy for power and fame and influence and control in the eyes of disbelievers. They looked greedy regarding succession after them, as it would go to their kinsfolk or a blood line related to them.
For example, the offspring of Noah and Abraham.
Fatima being the trial here because lineage of Mohammad is linked back to him through Fatima, 42:23 in connection with 25:57 is saying, "that which you see me as seeking a reward is in fact just me asking you guys to recognize us Ahlulbayt for who we are and to appreciate God's favor whence we are those who it's regarding to (1:7)", then it emphasizes "whoever does a goodness we increase them their in it's beauty", the goodness alluded to here is the love of Mohammad and his family, the kinsfolk of guidance.
So this goes back to the division issue and rebellion to one another, it's emphasize, yes all I'm asking you is to love me and my family and whoever does this goodness will be increased therein. This means all that Mohammad (s) is seen rewarded by in terms of authority, leadership, influence, exalting, etc, also is applied to his family in 42:23. This goes back to the fact the line "and God distinguishes for himself who he wants and guides who turn to him" in the verse emphasizing not to divide and that God explained the same religion.
This goes back also that God got Mohammad to explain the religion and he didn't so on his own, and so it's true that the chosen family of Mohammad are to explain the religion, but it's not that Mohammad is favoring bloodline, it's that this is God's way of guiding humans as explained through out Quran. So recognizing them and loving them is in fact "only regarding the Lord of the worlds'.
"Say: What reward (you see me as seeking) I sought from you it is for yourselves, verily my reward (you accuse me of seeking) is regarding God..." (a verse in Suratal Sheba).
مْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا ۖ فَإِنْ يَشَإِ اللَّهُ يَخْتِمْ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ ۗ وَيَمْحُ اللَّهُ الْبَاطِلَ وَيُحِقُّ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ {24}
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ {25}
وَيَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۚ وَالْكَافِرُونَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ {26}
وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِنْ يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ {27
Here it goes back to linking it to his Wilayah. So although we are to love Ahlulbayt, we appreciate them more for the relationship that God establishes to himself through them. It's emphasizing it's not a fabrication and also that God accepts repentance of his servants is linked back his Wilayah. Allah (swt) will accept repentance on certain conditions.
And he responds to the believers and increases them, and this Wilayah is then emphasize to be unique with God and believers, while disbelievers they have a punishment.
And goes back to emphasize on Risq, because God is emphasizing his role As Rasiq with the issue of guidance and spiritual nourishment.
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا وَيَنْشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ ۚ وَهُوَ الْوَلِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ {28}
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِيهِمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ جَمْعِهِمْ إِذَا يَشَاءُ قَدِيرٌ {29}
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ {30}
وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ {3
And then he describes helping and descending help or rain to people who given up. And justifies the afflictions we humans face. And then emphasizes near the end his Wilayah as described so far, is only something we have God for, and no one else, can provide us this Wilayah. And nor a helper in this regard.
This means no one can help us with this Wilayah but God.
Let's look at Chapter 42.
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهُ حَفِيظٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِوَكِيلٍ {6}
This talking about a Wilayah that people give to others instead of God. So the context is going to be there is a unique relationship he has with his creatures while they give it to others.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِتُنْذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَتُنْذِرَ يَوْمَ الْجَمْعِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ فَرِيقٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِي السَّعِيرِ {7}
وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَٰكِنْ يُدْخِلُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ۚ وَالظَّالِمُونَ مَا لَهُمْ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ {8}
أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ ۖ فَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْوَلِيُّ وَهُوَ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ {9}
Those verses then link this Wilayah with the fact that God reveals a clear Arabic recitation and to warn them and warn humans in general.
Then it says that he will bring to his mercy who he wants and that the oppressors/unjust have no Wali or helper. The Wilayah is even more contextualized, in that, it refers to something that oppressors do not get from God.
Then it defines:
وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ {10}
This means referring all disputes back to God's judgment is a right God has and his Wilayah here is inclusive of that. So it has to do with guidance. So God is the Wali here, and it's going to further explain his Wilayah:
فَاطِرُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ أَزْوَاجًا ۖ يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ ۚ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ {11}
لَهُ مَقَالِيدُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ {12}
شَرَعَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ ۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۚ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ {13}
وَمَا تَفَرَّقُوا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مُرِيبٍ {14}
ere it talks about God as the originator and says he sustains his creatures, then emphasizes he has explained the religion just like he explained in the past what he enjoined on past Prophets. And then emphasizes they didn't divide and separate from the truth of God's teachings except after there came to them knowledge out of rebellion to one another. This sectarian hate is what I'm alluding to.
فَلِذَٰلِكَ فَادْعُ ۖ وَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ ۖ وَقُلْ آمَنْتُ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ كِتَابٍ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ لِأَعْدِلَ بَيْنَكُمُ ۖ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ ۖ لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ ۖ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ ۖ اللَّهُ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ {15}
So then it goes on to emphasize that Mohammad is commanded to establish justice among us, that he is not trying to get Authority over us, for the sake of authority, but because God commanded him.
وَالَّذِينَ يُحَاجُّونَ فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ حُجَّتُهُمْ دَاحِضَةٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ
This suggests that God establishes proof and that rejecting Mohammad is in fact rejecting God's proof and really rejecting God's Wilayah as described so far.
اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ وَالْمِيزَانَ ۗ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ قَرِيبٌ {17}
يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُمَارُونَ فِي السَّاعَةِ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ بَعِيدٍ {18}
اللَّهُ لَطِيفٌ بِعِبَادِهِ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۖ وَهُوَ الْقَوِيُّ الْعَزِيزُ {19}
مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الْآخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِي حَرْثِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ نَصِيبٍ {20}
This reinforcing what has been said in the start of the chapter, to emphasize on his Wilayah. It has linked here though with day of judgment and God's wish to guide his creatures to paradise, then says:
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةُ الْفَصْلِ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ {
Do they have associates (the same word who's root is Shirk) that have explained to them from the religion what God has not permitted, and emphasizes they are due punishment for this and are unjust/oppressors due to it.
Here the Shirk to me is in the Wilayah described in the beginning and so it's not allowed to take others than God to explain the religion, and we have to refer disputes back to God's judgment as defined in the beginning.
تَرَى الظَّالِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا وَهُوَ وَاقِعٌ بِهِمْ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فِي رَوْضَاتِ الْجَنَّاتِ ۖ لَهُمْ مَا يَشَاءُونَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ {22}
Over here it emphasizes on the punishment of disbelievers and that believers who do good will have all they wish from their Lord.
Then it says:
ذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ اللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ۗ قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ ۗ وَمَنْ يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِيهَا حُسْنًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ
To understand this verse, you have to recall all the other reward verses and have to understand a linguistic style. It's not that God actually is asserting Mohammad seeks a reward, but is saying, "as for the reward (disbelievers accuse of)", it's really this and that.
Other Prophets and Mohammad as well, didn't seek wealth from people because they would've looked greedy, but yet just as we view fake Prophets to be power hungry and wanting fame, influence, power, followers, a legacy, etc... the reward is in context of what disbelievers see Prophets seeking for their efforts and for the message they are delivering.
25:57 for example says What is this reward you accuse me of seeking really to be but for who wants, to take a path to their Lord. And the Surah after emphasizes the reward the Prophets sought was regarding God because obeying them is obeying God as far as authority in the land goes.
Aside from the Prophets looking greedy for power and fame and influence and control in the eyes of disbelievers. They looked greedy regarding succession after them, as it would go to their kinsfolk or a blood line related to them.
For example, the offspring of Noah and Abraham.
Fatima being the trial here because lineage of Mohammad is linked back to him through Fatima, 42:23 in connection with 25:57 is saying, "that which you see me as seeking a reward is in fact just me asking you guys to recognize us Ahlulbayt for who we are and to appreciate God's favor whence we are those who it's regarding to (1:7)", then it emphasizes "whoever does a goodness we increase them their in it's beauty", the goodness alluded to here is the love of Mohammad and his family, the kinsfolk of guidance.
So this goes back to the division issue and rebellion to one another, it's emphasize, yes all I'm asking you is to love me and my family and whoever does this goodness will be increased therein. This means all that Mohammad (s) is seen rewarded by in terms of authority, leadership, influence, exalting, etc, also is applied to his family in 42:23. This goes back to the fact the line "and God distinguishes for himself who he wants and guides who turn to him" in the verse emphasizing not to divide and that God explained the same religion.
This goes back also that God got Mohammad to explain the religion and he didn't so on his own, and so it's true that the chosen family of Mohammad are to explain the religion, but it's not that Mohammad is favoring bloodline, it's that this is God's way of guiding humans as explained through out Quran. So recognizing them and loving them is in fact "only regarding the Lord of the worlds'.
"Say: What reward (you see me as seeking) I sought from you it is for yourselves, verily my reward (you accuse me of seeking) is regarding God..." (a verse in Suratal Sheba).
مْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا ۖ فَإِنْ يَشَإِ اللَّهُ يَخْتِمْ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ ۗ وَيَمْحُ اللَّهُ الْبَاطِلَ وَيُحِقُّ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ {24}
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ {25}
وَيَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۚ وَالْكَافِرُونَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ {26}
وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِنْ يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ {27
Here it goes back to linking it to his Wilayah. So although we are to love Ahlulbayt, we appreciate them more for the relationship that God establishes to himself through them. It's emphasizing it's not a fabrication and also that God accepts repentance of his servants is linked back his Wilayah. Allah (swt) will accept repentance on certain conditions.
And he responds to the believers and increases them, and this Wilayah is then emphasize to be unique with God and believers, while disbelievers they have a punishment.
And goes back to emphasize on Risq, because God is emphasizing his role As Rasiq with the issue of guidance and spiritual nourishment.
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا وَيَنْشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ ۚ وَهُوَ الْوَلِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ {28}
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِيهِمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ جَمْعِهِمْ إِذَا يَشَاءُ قَدِيرٌ {29}
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ {30}
وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ {3
And then he describes helping and descending help or rain to people who given up. And justifies the afflictions we humans face. And then emphasizes near the end his Wilayah as described so far, is only something we have God for, and no one else, can provide us this Wilayah. And nor a helper in this regard.
This means no one can help us with this Wilayah but God.