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Druze

Not to be confused with Druse.

Druze
Al-Muwaḥḥidūn
الموحدون


Druze star and Druze flag
Total population
≈800,000[1][2][3]–2,000,000[4]
Founder
Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad[5]
Regions with significant populations
 Syria≈624,000 (pre-2011)[6][7]
 Lebanon250,000[8]
 Israel[a]≈119,000[9]
 Venezuela60,000[10][11]
 United States50,000[12][11]
 Canada25,000[13]
 Jordan20,000[14]
 Germany10,000[15]
 Australia4,268[16]
Religions
Druze
Scriptures
Epistles of Wisdom
(Rasa'il al-hikma)
Languages
Druze faith
The Shrine of Shu'ayb near Hittin in the Galilee, Israel
TypeEthnic religion; Esoteric religion
ClassificationAbrahamic
ScriptureEpistles of Wisdom
TheologyMonotheistic
RegionSyria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and diaspora
LanguageClassical Arabic
HeadquartersKhalwat al-Bayada
TerritoryJabal al-Druze, Wadi al-Taym
FounderHamza ibn Ali[19]
OriginBetween 1017 and 1018 CE
Cairo, Fatimid Caliphate[20]
Separated fromIslam (Isma'ilism)[21]
Number of followersc. 800,000 – 2,000,000[22] (referred to as al-Muwaḥḥidūn al-Druze)

The Druze (/druːz/ DROOZ; Arabic: دَرْزِيّ, darzī or دُرْزِيّ durzī, pl. دُرُوز, durūz), who call themselves al-Muwaḥḥidūn (lit. 'the monotheists' or 'the unitarians'),[23] are an Arab esoteric religious group[24][25][26] from West Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and syncretic religion whose main tenets assert the unity of God, reincarnation, and the eternity of the soul.[27][28]

Although the Druze faith developed from Isma'ilism, Druze do not identify as Muslims.[29][21][30] They maintain Arabic language and culture as integral parts of their identity,[31][32][18] with Arabic being their primary language.[33] Most Druze religious practices are kept secret,[34] and conversion to their religion is not permitted for outsiders.[35] 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.[36] Druze believe that, after completing the cycle of rebirth through successive reincarnations, the soul reunites with the Cosmic Mind (al-ʻaql al-kullī).

The Epistles of Wisdom is the foundational and central text of the Druze faith.[37] The Druze faith originated in Isma'ilism (a branch of Shia Islam),[38] and has been influenced by a diverse range of traditions, including Christianity,[39][40][41] Gnosticism, Neoplatonism,[39][40] Zoroastrianism,[42][43] Manichaeism,[44][45] Pythagoreanism.[46][47][page needed] This has led to the development of a distinct and secretive theology, characterized by an esoteric interpretation of scripture that emphasizes the importance of the mind and truthfulness.[23][47] Druze beliefs include the concepts of theophany and reincarnation.[48]

The Druze hold Shuaib in high regard, believing him to be the same person as the biblical Jethro.[49] They regard Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and the Isma'ili Imam Muhammad ibn Isma'il as prophets.[50] Additionally, Druze tradition honors figures such as Salman the Persian,[51] al-Khidr (whom they identify with Elijah, John the Baptist and Saint George),[52] Job, Luke the Evangelist, and others as "mentors" and "prophets".[53]

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's and 1.6% of Israel's. 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").[54] The Druze community played a critically important role in shaping the history of the Levant, where it continues to play a significant political role.[55] As a religious minority, they have often faced persecution from various Muslim regimes, including contemporary Islamic extremism.[56][57][58]

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.[59] 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 12 Arab tribes that migrated to Syria before and during the early Islamic period.[60][61][62] This perspective is accepted by the entire Druze communities in Syria and Lebanon, as well as by most Druze in Israel.[note 1][67]

  1. ^ Skutsch, Carl (2013). Skutsch, Carl (ed.). Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities. Routledge. p. 410. ISBN 978-1-135-19388-1. Total Population: 800,000
  2. ^ Betts 1990, p. 55: "The total population of Druze throughout the world probably approaches one million."
  3. ^ Marsh, Donna (2015). Doing Business in the Middle East: A cultural and practical guide for all Business Professionals (revised ed.). Hachette UK. ISBN 978-1-4721-3567-4. It is believed there are no more than 1 million Druze worldwide; most live in the Levant.
  4. ^ Swayd 2015, p. 3: "The Druze world population at present is perhaps nearing two million; ..."
  5. ^ 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. ISBN 978-1440841385.
  6. ^ "Syria region map" (PNG). gulf2000.columbia.edu.
  7. ^ Irshaid, Faisal (19 June 2015). "Syria's Druze under threat as conflict spreads". BBC News.
  8. ^ Lebanon – International Religious Freedom Report 2008 U.S. Department of State. Retrieved on 2013-06-13.
  9. ^ "The Druze population in Israel – a collection of data on the occasion of the Prophet Shuaib holiday" (PDF). CBS – Israel. Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  10. ^ "alwazir tariq aleisami nayiban lirayiys jumhuriat finizwilaa" "الوزير طارق العيسمي نائبا لرئيس جمهورية فنزويلا" [Minister Tareck El Aissami, Vice President of the Republic of Venezuela] (in Arabic). Aamama. 2013. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019.: Referring governor Tareck El Aissami.
  11. ^ a b "Sending relief – and a message of inclusion and love – to our Druze sisters and brothers".
  12. ^ Druze Traditions, Institute of Druze Studies, archived from the original on 14 January 2009
  13. ^ "Dating Druze: The struggle to find love in a dwindling diaspora". CBC News. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  14. ^ International Religious Freedom Report, US State Department, 2005
  15. ^ "Drusentum – Die geheime Religion (2020)". Deutschlandfunk. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Cultural diversity: Census, 2021". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  17. ^ Berdichevsky, Norman (2004). Nations, Language and Citizenship. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-2700-0.
  18. ^ a b Brockman 2011, p. 259.
  19. ^ Halm, Heinz (2003). Die Kalifen von Kairo: Die Fāṭimiden in Ägypten, 973–1074 [The Caliphs of Cairo: The Fatimids in Egypt, 973–1074] (in German). Munich: C. H. Beck. p. 286. ISBN 3-406-48654-1.
  20. ^ Hodgson, Marshall G. S. (1962). "Al-Darazî and Ḥamza in the Origin of the Druze Religion". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 82 (1): 5–20. doi:10.2307/595974. ISSN 0003-0279. JSTOR 595974.
  21. ^ a b "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.
  22. ^ Swayd 2015, p. 3: "The Druze world population at present is perhaps nearing two million; ..."
  23. ^ a b Doniger, Wendy (1999). Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions. Merriam-Webster, Inc. ISBN 978-0-87779-044-0.
  24. ^ Quigley, John B. (2005). The Case for Palestine An International Law Perspective. Duke University Press. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-8223-3539-9.
  25. ^ Chatty, Dawn (2010). Displacement and Dispossession in the Modern Middle East. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81792-9.
  26. ^ Harrison, Simon (2006). Fracturing Resemblances: Identity and Mimetic Conflict in Melanesia and the West. Berghahn Books. pp. 121–. ISBN 978-1-57181-680-1.
  27. ^
  28. ^ Morrison, Terri; Conaway, Wayne A. (2006). Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries (illustrated ed.). Adams Media. p. 259. ISBN 978-1-59337-368-9.
  29. ^ Cite error: The named reference De McLaurin 1979 114 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  30. ^ Stewart, Dona J. (2008). The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. Routledge. p. 33. ISBN 9781135980795. Most Druze do not consider themselves Muslim. Historically they faced much persecution and keep their religious beliefs secrets.
  31. ^ a b Abu-Izeddin 1993, p. 14.
  32. ^ Firro 2023, p. 19-20.
  33. ^ Nili, Shmuel (2019). The People's Duty: Collective Agency and the Morality of Public Policy. Cambridge University Press. p. 195. ISBN 9781108480925.
  34. ^ "Druze | History, Religion, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  35. ^ Daftary 2007, pp. 188–189.
  36. ^ Swayd 2009, p. xxxix.
  37. ^ Abu Izzeddin, Nejla M. (1993). The Druzes: A New Study of their History, Faith, and Society. Brill. p. 108. ISBN 978-90-04-09705-6.
  38. ^ Daftary, Farhad (2013). A History of Shi'i Islam. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-0-85773-524-9.
  39. ^ a b Quilliam, Neil (1999). Syria and the New World Order. University of Michigan Press. p. 42. ISBN 9780863722493.
  40. ^ a b The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1992. p. 237. ISBN 9780852295533. 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.
  41. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mahmut 2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  42. ^ Hitti, Philip Khuri (1928). The Origins of the Druze People and Religion: With Extracts from Their Sacred Writings. Library of Alexandria. pp. 27–. ISBN 978-1-4655-4662-3. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  43. ^ Sālibī, Kamāl (2005). The Druze: realities & perceptions. Druze Heritage Foundation. pp. 186–190. ISBN 978-1-904850-06-9.
  44. ^ Conder, Claude Reignier (2018). Palestine. BoD – Books on Demand. pp. 80–. ISBN 978-3-7340-3986-7.
  45. ^ Al-Rāfidān. Kokushikan Daigaku, Iraku Kodai Bunka Kenkyūjo. 1989. pp. 2–.
  46. ^ Rosenthal, Donna (2003). The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land. Simon & Schuster. p. 296. ISBN 978-0-684-86972-8.
  47. ^ a b Kapur, Kamlesh (2010). History of Ancient India. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 978-81-207-4910-8.
  48. ^ Nisan 2002, p. 95.
  49. ^ A Political and Economic Dictionary of the Middle East. Routledge. 2013. ISBN 9781135355616.
  50. ^ Finegan, Jack (1981). Discovering Israel: An Archeological Guide to the Holy Land. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-1869-0.
  51. ^ Nisan 2015, p. 94.
  52. ^ Swayd 2015, p. 77.
  53. ^ Swayd 2009, p. 109: "They also cover the lives and teachings of some biblical personages, such as Job, Jethro, Jesus, John, Luke, and others"
  54. ^ Radwan, Chad K. (June 2009). Assessing Druze identity and strategies for preserving Druze heritage in North America (MA thesis). University of South Florida.
  55. ^ Zabad 2017, p. 125: "Although the Druze are a tiny community, they have played a vital role in the politics of the Levant"
  56. ^ Stewart, Dona J. (2008). The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. Routledge. p. 33. ISBN 9781135980795.
  57. ^ Al-Khalidi, Suleiman (11 June 2015). "Calls for aid to Syria's Druze after al Qaeda kills 20". Reuters.
  58. ^ "Syria: ISIS Imposes 'Sharia' on Idlib's Druze". Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  59. ^ Firro 2023, pp. 19–20.
  60. ^ Firro 2023, p. 19.
  61. ^ Abu-Izeddin 1993, p. 10.
  62. ^ Makarim 1974, pp. 2–3.
  63. ^ Firro, Kais (1999). The Druzes in the Jewish State: A Brief History. Brill. pp. 9, 171. ISBN 90-04-11251-0.
  64. ^ 'Weingrod, Alex (1985). Studies in Israeli Ethnicity: After the Ingathering. Taylor & Francis. pp. 259–279. ISBN 978-2-88124-007-2.
  65. ^ Firro, Kais M. (2001). "Reshaping Druze Particularism in Israel". Journal of Palestine Studies. 30 (3): 40–53. doi:10.1525/jps.2001.30.3.40.
  66. ^ Halabi, Rabah (2014). "Invention of a Nation: The Druze in Israel". Journal of Asian and African Studies. 49 (3): 267–281. doi:10.1177/0021909613485700.
  67. ^ Firro 2023, p. 20.


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