Although the Druze faith developed from Isma'ilism, Druze do not identify as Muslims.[29][30] They maintain Arabic language and culture as integral parts of their identity,[31][32][33] with Arabic being their primary language.[34] Most Druze religious practices are kept secret,[35] and conversion to their religion is not permitted for outsiders.[36]Interfaith marriages are rare and strongly discouraged. They differentiate between spiritual individuals, known as "uqqāl", who hold the faith's secrets, and secular ones, known as "juhhāl", who focus on worldly matters.[37] Druze believe that, after completing the cycle of rebirth through successive reincarnations, the soul reunites with the Cosmic Mind (al-ʻaql al-kullī).[38]
The Druze faith is one of the major religious groups in the Levant, with between 800,000 and a million adherents. They are primarily located in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, with smaller communities in Jordan. They make up 5.5% of Lebanon's population, 3% of Syria and 1.6% of Israel. The oldest and most densely-populated Druze communities exist in Mount Lebanon and in the south of Syria around Jabal al-Druze (literally the "Mountain of the Druze").[56]
The Druze community played a critically important role in shaping the history of the Levant, where it continues to play a significant political role.[57] As a religious minority, they have often faced persecution from various Muslim regimes, including contemporary Islamic extremism.[58][59][60]
Several theories about the origins of the Druze have been proposed, with the Arabian hypothesis being the most widely accepted among historians, intellectuals, and religious leaders within the Druze community.[32] This hypothesis significantly influences the Druze’s self-perception, cultural identity, and both oral and written traditions.[31] It suggests that the Druze are descended from twelve Arab tribes that migrated to Syria before and during the early Islamic period.[61][62][63] This perspective is accepted by the entire Druze communities in Syria and Lebanon, as well as by most Druze in Israel.[note 1][68]
^Carl Skutsch (2013). Skutsch, Carl (ed.). Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities. Routledge. p. 410. ISBN978-1-135-19388-1. Total Population: 800,000
^Robert Brenton Betts (1990). The Druze (illustrated, reprint, revised ed.). Yale University Press. p. 55. ISBN978-0-300-04810-0. The total population of Druze throughout the world probably approaches one million.
^Donna Marsh (2015). Doing Business in the Middle East: A cultural and practical guide for all Business Professionals (revised ed.). Hachette UK. ISBN978-1-4721-3567-4. It is believed there are no more than 1 million Druze worldwide; most live in the Levant.
^Samy Swayd (2015). Historical Dictionary of the Druzes (2nd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. p. 3. ISBN978-1-4422-4617-1. The Druze world population at present is perhaps nearing two million; ...
^Hendrix, Scott; Okeja, Uchenna, eds. (2018). The World's Greatest Religious Leaders: How Religious Figures Helped Shape World History [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 11. ISBN978-1440841385.
^Cite error: The named reference De McLaurin 1979 114 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Druze in Syria". Harvard University. The Druze are an ethnoreligious group concentrated in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel with around one million adherents worldwide. The Druze follow a millenarian offshoot of Isma'ili Shi'ism. Followers emphasize Abrahamic monotheism but consider the religion as separate from Islam.
^ abQuilliam, Neil (1999). Syria and the New World Order. Michigan University press. p. 42. ISBN9780863722493.
^ abThe New Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1992. p. 237. ISBN9780852295533. Druze religious beliefs developed out of Isma'ill teachings. Various Jewish, Christian, Gnostic, Neoplatonic, and Iranian elements, however, are combined under a doctrine of strict monotheism.
^Cite error: The named reference Mahmut 2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^D Nisan, Mordechai (2015). Minorities in the Middle East: A History of Struggle and Self-Expression (2nd ed.). McFarland. p. 94. ISBN9780786451333.
^Swayd, Samy (2015). Historical Dictionary of the Druzes. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 77. ISBN978-1442246171.
^S. Swayd, Samy (2009). The A to Z of the Druzes. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 109. ISBN9780810868366. They also cover the lives and teachings of some biblical personages, such as Job, Jethro, Jesus, John, Luke, and others
^Zabad, Ibrahim (2017). Middle Eastern Minorities: The Impact of the Arab Spring. Taylor & Francis. p. 125. ISBN9781317096733. Although the Druze are a tiny community, they have played a vital role in the politics of the Levant
^Stewart, Dona J. (2008). The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. Routledge. p. 33. ISBN9781135980795.
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