Druze

Druze, Middle Eastern Muslim sect whose members live mainly in mountainous regions of Lebanon, southern Syria, and Israel. They differ from their neighbours only in religion, though this dominates their habits and customs. Their faith stems from Fatimid Ismailism, a branch of Shiism. Druze believe that God has incarnated Himself in men at various times, and that His last, and final, incarnation was al-Hakim bi Amri Allah, the sixth Fatimid caliph who died in ad 1021: Druze believe he proclaimed himself to be the earthly incarnation of God in Cairo in ad 1016. In 1017 the new movement found an apostle in Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad, who became minister (wazir) to al-Hakim. Hamza is believed to have given the religion its present form and content and to have codified its various dogmas into a single creed. The religion probably derives its name from Muhammad al-Darazi, a follower of al-Hakim.

The Druze believe that in al-Hakim God made a final appeal to humans to redeem themselves; and that God, incarnated as Hakim, would again return to establish the primacy of His religion. The religion itself, though an outgrowth of Islam, contains more recent, additional elements borrowed from Judaism and Christianity. The Druze believe in one God, whose qualities cannot be understood or defined, and who renders impartial justice. They do not believe in proselytizing. The seven cardinal principles to which they adhere are as follows: (1) veracity in dealing with each other; (2) mutual protection and assistance; (3) renunciation of other religions; (4) belief in the divine incarnation of al-Hakim; (5) contentment with the works of God; (6) submission to His will; (7) separation from those in error and from demons. They believe in the transmigration of souls, with constant advancement and final purification. The teachings demand abstinence from wine and tobacco, and from profanity and obscenity. The Druze do not pray in mosques: meetings for prayer and religious instruction are held on Thursday evenings and take place in inconspicuous buildings outside Druze villages. In order to protect their religion and conceal its secret teachings, they worship as Muslims when among Muslims and as Christians when among Christians.

The Druze were nominally ruled by the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century up to 1918. They gained virtual autonomy by their fierce opposition to forces sent by the Ottoman sultan to subjugate them. In 1860 a conflict broke out between the Maronites—Syrian Christians—in the course of which several thousand Maronites were killed and large numbers driven from their homes. Europe's major powers intervened to protect the Christians, with a French force occupying Lebanon for nearly a year. A Christian governor-general was appointed administrator in 1864, and a large measure of autonomy was conferred on Lebanon. These events marked the end of the political importance of the Lebanese Druze, who until 1918 remained an isolated and conservative community. The Syrian Druze were engaged periodically in struggles against the Turkish government until 1910, mainly over tax and military service. During World War I most of the Druze remained neutral. On September 1, 1918, however, an armed force of Syrian and Lebanese Druze gave assistance to the Arab leader Faisal, who in turn helped British forces capture the city of Damascus a month later. Late in 1920 the Druze entered into negotiations with the French government, which controlled Syria through a mandate from the League of Nations. On March 4, 1921, an agreement was concluded that granted autonomy to the Syrian plateau region of Jabal al-Duruz. In April 1925 the Druze petitioned the French authorities for a hearing to discuss French breaches of the agreement. On July 11, 1925, General Maurice Sarrail, the high commissioner for the French mandate, ordered his delegate at Damascus to summon the Druze representatives. On arrival the petitioners were seized and exiled by the French to the distant oasis of Palmyra, precipitating a Druze revolt that gave impetus to the independence struggles of Syria and Lebanon.

According to the latest available statistics, the Druze in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan number about 350,000. Because of the Druze practice of outwardly conforming to the faith of the people among whom they live, their exact number is difficult to determine.