rifai

Rifai (also spelled Rifa'i, Rifai) is a surname of Arabic origin and, less commonly, a given name. It is also used to refer to followers of the Rifa'i Sufi order, known as the Rifa'i or Rifaiyya, named after its founder Ahmad ar-Rifa'i.

The order was founded in Baghdad in the late 12th century and became one of the prominent Sufi lineages in the Islamic world. Its practices center on the remembrance of God through dhikr, with an emphasis on spiritual discipline and communal charity. Over the centuries, the Rifa'i order expanded from Iraq into Egypt, the Levant, North Africa, and parts of Anatolia, establishing lodges (khanka) and attracting adherents among rulers and commoners alike. In various regions the order interacted with other Sufi traditions and with the broader cultural life of the Muslim world; in some places it also influenced popular devotional practices, poetry, and music.

Today, Rifai is a common surname in the Arab world and in diaspora communities. It is found among families in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Palestine, and beyond. The spelling varies, including Rifai, Rifa'i, and Rifai, reflecting different transliteration systems from Arabic.

Notable individuals with the surname exist across fields such as politics, academia, and the arts, but there is no single, universally recognized figure associated with the name. The name can also function as a toponymic or honorific indicating lineage or association with the Rifa'i order.