Rafidi: Difference between revisions

The word Rafidi, among Shi‘as, refers to any of those who abandoned the army of [[Zayd b. Ali b. Husayn]] and left him alone.

Arabic verb Rafada means: to refuse, and in the tradition of [[Sunni sect]] every Shi‘a is referred to as rafidi(one who refuses), because he or she refuses the caliphate of [[the first three caliphs]]. Sunnis tend to denigrate Shi‘as by labeling them with such a term and quote narrations from [[the Holy Prophet (s)]] in this regard. On the contrary, Shi‘as rely on some [[narrations]] to take the label as an honorific title for themselves. However, among Sunni scholars, [[Shafi’i]] holds that: if the term Rafidi signifies the love for [[the Progeny of Muhammad (s)]] then let everyone know that I am a Rafidi.

==Shi‘a as Rafidi in the view of Sunnis==

[[Abu al-Hasan al-ash‘ari]] (330/942) 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 [[Abubakr]] and [[Umar]].

One day [[‘ammar al-Duhni]] testified in the court of [[Ibn abi layla]] (the Qadi of [[al-Kufah]]) the Qadi said: O ‘ammar! We know you, you are a rafidi, your testimony is not valid. You shall go. As he was shaking and crying, ‘ammar stood up to leave. Ibn ibi layla said: ‘ammar! You are a knowledgeable man, if your unhappy with this name, quit this sect and you shall be our brother. ‘ammar then said: no, it is not as you think, my tears were for me and you, I cried for myself because you ascribed a credit to me I don’t deserve, you called me a rafidi, whereas [[al-Imam al-Sadiq]] says: the first to be known by this title, were [[the magicians of Pharaoh]], once they realized the truth of [[Moses’]] divine miracle, they refused to obey the command and religion of [[Pharaoh]], they joined Moses and accepted all the hardship and torture. Then, Pharaoh called them Rafidis (those who refuse) because they had refused his religion. So Rafidi is the one refusing all that is unpleasant by God. But I cried for you; ‘ammar continued; because you dared to take the best title as the worst label, so how are you going to reply when you are questioned by your Lord about such serious crime on the day of Judgment? Upon hearing about this story of ‘ammar, al-Imam al-Sadiq said: If ‘ammar had sins greater than heavens and earth, they all would be forgiven because of this saying of his, and this  saying will increase his reward to the point that each atom of his good deeds is a thousand times greater than the whole universe.