Rafida

Rafida (Arabic: رافضة, romanized: Rāfiḍa, lit. 'rejectors') is a polemical term referring to Shia Muslims. It derives from Shia Muslims' rejection of the legitimacy of Abu Bakr (r. 632–634), Umar (r. 634–644), and Uthman (r. 644–656) as caliphs, in favor of an Imamate beginning with Ali ibn Abi Talib (r. 656–661), the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

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

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