شيعة

From the root ش ي ع‎ (š-y-ʿ); compare شَاعَ‎ (šāʿa, “to spread (intransitive), to become known”). Cognate with Hebrew סיעה‎ (si'a, “party, faction”).

• IPA^(key): /ʃiː.ʕa/

شِيعَة • (šīʿa) f (plural شِيَع‎ (šiyaʿ) or أَشْيَاع‎ (ʾašyāʿ))

1. cult, sect
2. (collective) followers, assistants
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 28:15:

     ‏فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِ وَهَٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ ۖ فَٱسْتَغَاثَهُ ٱلَّذِي مِن شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى ٱلَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِ‎

     fawajada fīhā rajulayni yaqtatilāni hāḏā min šīʿatihi wahāḏā min ʿaduwwihi fastaḡāṯahu llaḏī min šīʿatihi ʿalā llaḏī min ʿaduwwihi fawakazahu mūsā faqaḍā ʿalayhi

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

3. (collective) adherents, disciples, partisans
4. faction, party
5. (definite) the Shi'a

• الشِّيعَة‎ (aš-šīʿa, “the Shi'a”)
• شِيعِيّ‎ (šīʿiyy, “Shiite”)

• سُنِّيّ‎ f (sunniyy)
• طَائِفَة‎ f (ṭāʾifa)
• فِرْقَة‎ f (firqa)