Rafida

Template:Short description Template:Italic title (Template:Langx) refers to Shia Muslims who reject the legitimacy of Abu Bakr (Template:Reign), Umar (Template:Reign), and Uthman (Template:Reign) as caliphs; in favor of Ali ibn Abi Talib (Template:Reign), 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 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 , Template:Lit, Template:Singular ) refers to those Shia Muslims who 'reject' the legitimacy of the caliphates of Abu Bakr (Template:Reign), Umar (Template:Reign), and Uthman (Template:Reign). One after another, these caliphs succeeded the Islamic prophet Muhammad after he died in 632 CE.Template:Sfn In particular, the term is applied to Twelvers,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn who constitute the vast majority of Shias.Template:Sfn 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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

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.Template:Sfn Less commonly, the term has been applied to other Shia sects, such as the (Template:Lit),Template:Sfn who ascribed divinity to Shia imams and were excommunicated by them.Template:Sfn

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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn With the fall of Abbasids in 1258, such attacks on Shi'ism intensified.Template:Sfn They are labeled today as infidels or heretics by various Salafi and Wahhabi scholars,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn considered a bigger threat to Islam than Christianity and Judaism,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn and there are frequent calls for their extermination.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn On these grounds, some Sunni Jihadist groups have justified their acts of violence against the Shia community.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn A popular reference for these groups is the prominent Hanbali theologian Ibn Taymiyya (Template:Died in), a staunch anti-Shia who also accused the Shia of conspiring with nonbelievers to destroy Islam from within.Template:Sfn In Saudi Arabia, where Wahhabism is present,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn 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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

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.Template:Sfn In the contemporary era, some Shias in Iraq and Lebanon view the term as a source of pride, symbolizing revolt against tyranny.Template:Sfn

History

Origins

Origins of the term is uncertain. Perhaps the term is linked with the desertion of the Shia rebel Zayd ibn Ali (Template:Died in 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.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn Rather than the rejection of Zayd, more likely the term historically signified the rejection of the first three caliphs by Imamites,Template:Sfn the forerunners of Twelvers.Template:Sfn

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

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.Template:Sfn 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.Template:Sfn

in Twelver tradition

Even though the term was initially intended as a derogatory nickname,Template:Sfn 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 7:120Template:Ndash126 and 20:70Template:Ndash75 of the Quran. According to some Twelver traditions, the term appeared also in the Tawrat.Template:Sfn

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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Even though Zayd likely viewed Ali as the best amongst the companions of the Islamic prophet and the most qualified to succeed him,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn 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 .Template:Sfn Over time, this term became a popular pejorative nickname for Imamites which, for Zaydis, signified the Imamites' rejection of Zayd.Template:Sfn

Sources

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