"I am a RaafiDee"

The shee`ahs have been called a “raafiDee” (rejecter) as a derogatory term by the different schools in Islaam. Ever wonder how the Imaams thought of this term? Did the Imaams think of it as a derogatory name or as a “badge of honor”? According to our hadeeth, the Imaams have considered this name as a “blessing”, mainly because this name has always been ascribed to the TRUE followers of the different Prophets of Islaam.

Taken from Al-Barqi’s Al-MaHaasin, Chapter on RaafiDah

باب الرافضة

Chapter on RaafiDah

عنه عن علي بن أسباط عن عيينة بياع القصب عن أبي عبد الله ع قال و الله لنعم الاسم الذي منحكم الله ما دمتم تأخذون بقولنا و لا تكذبون علينا قال و قال لي أبو عبد الله ع هذا القول إني كنت خبرته أن رجلا قال لي إياك أن تكون رافضيا

Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) said: ‘By Allaah, Allaah has bestowed this name as a blessing, as long as you take our sayings and do not (attribute) lies upon us.’ Aboo `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) said to me this statement I told him that a man said to me ‘Beware of being a RaafiDa’

Source:

1.     Al-Barqi, Al-MaHaasin, vol. 1, ch. 24, pg. 157, hadeeth # 90

2.     Al-Majlisi, BiHaar Al-Anwaar, vol. 65, ch. 17, pg. 96, hadeeth # 1

 عنه عن يعقوب بن يزيد عن صفوان بن يحيى عن أبي أسامة زيد الشحام عن أبي الجارود قال أصم الله أذنيه كما أعمى عينيه إن لم يكن سمع أبا جعفر ع يقول إن فلانا سمانا باسم قال و ما ذاك الاسم قال سمانا الرافضة فقال أبو جعفر ع بيده إلى صدره و أنا من الرافضة و هو مني قالها ثلاثا

May Allaah make deaf his ears as he has blinded his eyes if he did not hear Abaa Ja`far (عليه السلام) say so-and-so called us a name. He said: 'And what is this name?' He said: 'He calls us RaafiDah.' So Aboo Ja`far (عليه السلام) put his hand on his chest and said three times: ‘I am from the RaafiDah and he is from me’.
Source:

1.     Al-Barqi, Al-MaHaasin, vol. 1, ch. 24, pg. 157, hadeeth # 91

2.     Al-Majlisi, BiHaar Al-Anwaar, vol. 65, ch. 17, pg. 97, hadeeth # 2

فقال أبو جعفر ع إن سبعين رجلا من عسكر فرعون رفضوا فرعون فأتوا موسى ع فلم يكن في قوم موسى ع أحد أشد اجتهادا و لا أشد حبا لهارون منهم فسماهم قوم موسى الرافضة فأوحى الله إلى موسى أن ثبت لهم هذا الاسم في التوراة

So Aboo Ja`far said: ‘Verily 70 men from fir`awn’s camp rejected (rafaDoo) fir`awn and came to Moosa (عليه السلام). There was no one from the people of Moosa (عليه السلام) who (showed) diligence and love to Haroon more than them, so the people of Moosa was name RaafiDee, and Allaah revealed to Moosa this name and established them in the Torah”

Source:

1.     Al-Barqi, Al-MaHaasin, vol. 1, ch. 24, pg. 157, hadeeth # 91

2.     Al-Majlisi, BiHaar Al-Anwaar, vol. 65, ch. 17, pg. 97, hadeeth # 3

وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا مِنْ قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ رَفَضُوا فِرْعَوْنَ وَ دَخَلُوا فِي دِينِ مُوسَى فَسَمَّاهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى الرَّافِضَةَ وَ أَوْحَى إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَثْبِتْ لَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ

Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) “And that 70 men from the people of fir`awn reject (rafaDoo) fir`awn and entered in the religion of Moosa (عليه السلام). So Allaah, the Most High, named them Al-RaafiDah, and revealed to Moosa that establishes them in the Torah…”

Source:

1.     Al-Furaat, Tafseer Furaat, vol. 1, pg. 377, hadeeth # 506

2.     Al-Majlisi, BiHaar Al-Anwaar, vol. 65, ch. 17, pg. 97, hadeeth # 4