Toifa

Toifa (Arabic: طائفة; transliterated as taifa or ta’ifa) is a noun in Arabic meaning "a group, faction, or sect." It denotes an organized subset within a larger community, united by shared belief, interest, or allegiance. The term is used in religious, political, and social contexts.

In historical Islamic and Near Eastern usage, taifa can refer to a faction within a caliphate or a religious sect or school. In Iberia, the term gained a specific historical sense: after the collapse of centralized Muslim rule in 1031, the Muslim-ruled territory fragmented into independent principalities called ta’ifas (the Taifas). Notable examples include the Taifa of Seville and the Taifa of Zaragoza; these polities persisted for about a century before being subsumed by larger powers.

In modern Arabic, taifa remains common for any organized group or faction, including political parties, social movements, or tribal groupings. In Spanish historiography, "taifa" is used to describe the medieval Muslim states of al-Andalus. The term has also appeared in other languages as a loanword, particularly in historical and academic discussions.

Overall, toifa is a versatile term reflecting collective identity within a larger framework, rather than a fixed institution.