One of the problems in writing this book has been to decide what to call the sect of Islam that is being described, since it is known by a variety of names. It is often referred to by Sunnis by the derogatory title of Rāfidī (the Repudiators, see p. 73). The name Ja'farī is strictly a designation of the Shi'i school of jurisprudence (see p. 125), but this name has also been used for the whole sect, especially by the ulama and b Sunnis. In Lebanon the Shi'is have traditionally been called Mutawālī (plural: Mutāwila), while in Afghanistan and India the name Qizilbāsh is used. A name that has found favour among Western scholars is Imāmī. Although it is used among Arab Shi'is, it has little currency among Iranians or Indians and has the further disadvantage of being often used loosely to include Ismā'īlīs. Probably the most accurate and most widely-accepted, although less elegant, designation is Ithnā-'Asharī (Twelver) and this is the usage that has been preferred in this book. The Shi'a often refer to themselves as al-Khāssa (the Select, as against the Sunnis who are referred to as al-'Āmma, the generality of the people)
