طائِفَة
ṭāʔifafeminine
In Arabic, the word for cult is translated as طائِفَة (ṭāʔifa), فِرْقَة or مِلّة.
Meaning: sect (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| طائِفَة | ṭāʔifa | feminine |
| فِرْقَة | firqa | feminine |
| مِلّة | milla | feminine |
Which one should you use?
طائِفَة is the most common term for a religious sect or a group of people with shared beliefs. In contrast, فِرْقَة often refers to a faction, a political group or a military squad rather than a purely religious sect. مِلّة is used to describe religious communities or faiths.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural forms for these words are as follows: طائِفَة becomes طائِفات, فِرْقَة becomes فِرَق and مِلّة becomes مِلَل. All three forms are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
ṭāʔifa
Did you know?
- The word طائِفَة shares its root with the verb meaning 'to circle around', which was originally used to describe pilgrims performing the circumambulation of the Kaaba.
- While فِرْقَة can mean a cult or faction, it is also the standard word for a 'band' or 'musical group' in modern Arabic.
- The term مِلّة is closely related to the Ottoman 'Millet system', which allowed different religious communities to govern their own affairs under the empire.
Examples in context
- هذه طائِفَة غريبة جداً.hadhihi ta'ifa ghariba jiddan.This is a very strange cult.
- هل هي طائِفَة دينية؟hal hiya ta'ifa diniyya?Is it a religious sect?
- تجنب التعامل مع أي طائِفَة مشبوهة.tajannab al-ta'amul ma'a ay ta'ifa mashbuha.Avoid dealing with any suspicious cult.
Example conversation
Ahmad and Maryam are discussing a news report about a mysterious group.
- أحمد Ahmedهل سمعتِ عن تلك الطائِفَة؟hal sami'ti 'an tilka al-ta'ifa?Did you hear about that cult?
- مريم Maryamنعم، إنها طائِفَة خطيرة للغاية.na'am, innaha ta'ifa khatira lil-ghaya.Yes, it is a very dangerous cult.
- أحمد Ahmedيجب أن نحذر من أفكارها.yajibu an nahdhar min afkariha.We must be careful of its ideas.
- مريم Maryamأنا أتفق معك يا أحمد.ana attafiqu ma'aka ya Ahmad.I agree with you, Ahmad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cult” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
