Rafidha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rafidha (رافضة, pl. Rawafid) is an Arabic collective noun which means "turncoats, dissenters, deserters", from the Arabic verb root ر ف ض which can mean "to reject".
It is a term to denote religious opponents, which refers in a derogatory way to those who (in the opinion of the person using the term) reject the authority of their leaders.
It was also used by Salafi Muslims as a term of abuse for Shi'a Muslims. They were considered "Refusers" because they refused to give allegiance to Sunni Caliph Abu Bakr, and refused to recognize the authority of the others Sunni caliphs.
The word rafidha (and also the Arabic non-collective singular form rafidi رافضي) is currently used as a derogatory term for Shi'a Muslims by Salafi Muslims who refuse to accept Shi`a Islam as being a valid form of Islam. It would seem to be used primarily by Salafis, but it is possible that it is used by other groups.
