Rafia (رافضة, /rɑːfid̪ˤa/; pl. Rawafid) is an Arabic collective noun which means "turncoats", "defectors", "dissenters", or "deserters". The word is derived from the Arabic verb root ر ف ض, which can mean "to reject". It is an Islamic term which refers in a derogatory way to those who, in the opinion of the person using the term, reject legitimate Islamic authority and leadership.