Rafida

() refers to those Shia Muslims who reject the legitimacy of the caliphates of Abu Bakr (), Umar (), and Uthman (), in favor of Ali ibn Abi Talib (), the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

In particular, the term appears in Sunni polemics as a derogatory nickname for Twelvers, who constitute the overwhelming majority of the Shia community. In turn, Twelvers have reinterpreted this nickname favorably to signify their rejection of tyranny and their struggle against perceived Sunni oppression.

Definition

The term (or , , ) refers to those Shia Muslims who 'reject' the legitimacy of the caliphates of Abu Bakr (), Umar (), and Uthman (). One after another, these caliphs succeeded the Islamic prophet Muhammad after he died in 632 CE. In particular, the term is applied to Twelvers, who constitute the vast majority of Shias. Twelvers believe that, shortly before he died, Muhammad publicly designated his cousin and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib, as his successor at the Ghadir Khumm. In their view, early caliphs thus usurped Ali's right to succeed Muhammad. They also believe that Ali was succeeded by eleven of his descendants.

Rooted in early Islamic history, the term appears in Sunni polemics as a deragotary nickname for Twelvers, who have, in turn, reinterpreted this term favorably to signify 'rejection' of all tyranny and their struggle against perceived Sunni oppression. Less commonly, the term has been applied to other Shia sects, such as the (), who ascribed divinity to Shia imams and were excommunicated by them.

Context

By eleventh century, the Shia status as "rejectors of the Truth" was canonized by Hanbali scholars, who did not grant Islamic rights to Shia Muslims: They were not to be married with, meat slaughtered by them was not halal (permissible), and they could not lead prayers. With the fall of Abbasids in 1258, such attacks on Shi'ism intensified. They are labeled today as infidels or heretics by various Salafi and Wahhabi scholars, considered a bigger threat to Islam than Christianity and Judaism, and there are frequent calls for their extermination. On these grounds, some Sunni Jihadist groups have justified their acts of violence against the Shia community. A popular reference for these groups is the prominent Hanbali theologian Ibn Taymiyya (), a staunch anti-Shia who also accused the Shia of conspiring with nonbelievers to destroy Islam from within. In Saudi Arabia, where Wahhabism is present, schoolbooks referred to Shias as the Rafida until 1993. They were still openly denounced in Saudi schoolbooks and state-sponsored media as late as 2000s.

Once Shias realized that they could not rid themselves of the pejorative nickname, they sought to reappropriate it. Thus, the term in Twelver sources became an honorific title. In the contemporary era, some Shias in Iraq and Lebanon view the term as a source of pride, symbolizing revolt against tyranny.

History

Origins

Origins of the term is uncertain. Perhaps the term is linked with the desertion of the Shia rebel Zayd ibn Ali ( CE) by some Kufan Shias, after the former refused to denounce the first two caliphs. They thus 'rejected' Zayd and became known as the Rafida. Zayd's rebellion was subsequently suppressed by the Umayyads and he was killed. Rather than the rejection of Zayd, more likely the term historically signified the rejection of the first three caliphs by Imamites, the forerunners of Twelvers.

Over time, the term became a popular pejorative for Twelvers. For Sunnis, the term signified the rejection of the first three caliphs, whom Twelvers count among infidels for —according to the Twelver view— usurping Ali ibn Abi Talib's right to succeed Muhammad. For Zaydis, who follow Zayd's teachings, the term denoted the rejection of Zayd by early Imamites.

in Sunni tradition

Early in the Islamic history, the term became a popular pejorative nickname for Imamites which, for Sunnis, signified the Imamites' rejection of the first three caliphs. The term also appears in some Sunni traditions of dubious authenticity. In one such tradition, Muhammad predicts the emergence of a group that would reject () Islam. In another one, he orders Ali ibn Abi Talib to kill the Rafida for they are polytheists. Elsewhere, the Rafida, who are allegedly similar to Jews, are blamed for introducing into Islam the concept of anthropomorphism (), which is allegedly a hallmark of Judaism.

in Twelver tradition

Even though the term was initially intended as a derogatory nickname, there are Twelver traditions, attributed to Shia Imams, that reinterpret this term favorably. In one such tradition, Rafida are identified as a small group among the people of Pharaoh who rejected his rule, undaunted by his threats of punishment. This tradition is a reference to verses 7:120126 and 20:7075 of the Quran. According to some Twelver traditions, the term appeared also in the Tawrat.

in Zaydi tradition

In some Zaydi sources, the term refers to those Kufans who deserted Zayd because he did not condemn the first two caliphs. Even though Zayd likely viewed Ali as the best amongst the companions of the Islamic prophet and the most qualified to succeed him, he also regarded the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar as permissible. The preponderance of Shias who rejected Zayd's stance and refused to support his revolt were described by Zayd's supporters as the . Over time, this term became a popular pejorative nickname for Imamites which, for Zaydis, signified the Imamites' rejection of Zayd.

See also

Footnotes

Sources

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External links

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{{Religious slurs

Shia Islam
Shia–Sunni relations
Islam-related slurs
Arabic words and phrases
Anti-Shi'ism