A non-Muslim subject or citizen in the Ottoman Empire, or more broadly, a peasant or common person.
From Turkish 'raya,' which comes from Arabic 'ra'aya,' meaning 'flock' or 'herd.' It literally referred to common people as a 'herd' under the Ottoman ruler's protection, reflecting the hierarchical power structure.
The word 'raya' reveals how Ottoman society viewed non-Muslims and commoners as a 'flock' requiring protection—the language itself encoded the power relationship, much like how 'subject' in English comes from 'subjugated.'
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