THE TERM "RAFIDI"

[Taqavi]

Who is called Rāfiḍī and why?

 

First, it should be said that the word "Rafidi" (رافضی) means leaving and refusing.[1] So, it can refer to a group that has left a congregation or a religion, such as Prophet Idris and his companions, who avoided the infidel congregation and their religion and left them.[2]

Abu l-Hasan al-Ash'ari believes Rafidi and Imami are different titles for the same group that along other groups, constitutes Shi'a. he says: these people are called Rafidi, because they refused the leadership of Abu bakr and 'Umar.[3]

Ja'far Subhani believes that Rafidi is a political term and is used for those who oppose the government of the time. Since Shi'a, after the demise of the Prophet (s) did not follow the first three caliphs, they were called so.[4]

However, opponents of the Shi'a have used this term for the Shi'a, and they believe that these individuals have abandoned the religion of Islam, separated themselves from the Muslim community, and considered Shia's actions to be equivalent to disbelief.[5]

some Sunnis have defined Rafidi as someone who prefers Ali over the first three caliphs[6] Thus, throughout history, enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) have used this term to undermine Ahl al-Bayt (AS) and their companions.

On the contrary, the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) has considered the meaning of Rafidi to be the same as rejecting Prophet Idris and his companions, and they took pride in this.[7]

 

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[1] . Kitab al-Ain: Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, vol: 7 p: 29 / Lisan al-Arab: Ibn Manzur, vol: 7 p: 156.

[2] . Bihar al-Anwar: Al-Allama al-Majlisi, vol: 11 p: 271.

[3] . Maqalat al'iislamiiyn w akhtilaf almusaliyna: abu alhasan aliasheary, VOL: 1 P: 16

[4] . Subḥānī, Buḥūth fī l-milal wa l-niḥal, vol. 1, p. 123.

[5] . Al-Sirat al-Mustaqim: Al-Amili, Ali ibn Yunus, vol: 3 p: 76 / Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’: Al-Dhahabi, Shams al-Din, vol: 14 p: 178 / Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah: Ibn Kathir, vol: 18 p: 468.

[6] . Fath al-Bari: Al-Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, vol: 1 p: 459.

[7] . Al-Kafi: Al-Sheikh al-Kulayni, vol: 8 p: 34 / Tafsir al-Imam al-Askari: attributed to al-Imam al-Askari, vol: 1 pp: 310-311