Druze

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Druze

Location

The Druze reside primarily in Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and Jordan. Large communities of expatriates also live in the United States, Canada, Latin America, West Africa, Australia and Europe. They use the Arabic language and follow a social pattern very similar to the other Arabs of the region. Most Druze consider themselves Arabs;Walid Jumlat, head of Lebanese Progressive Party. Op-ed: 'The Arabs must unite above all else' (free registration required). Israeli Druze, however, absolutely do not want to be classified as Arabs.

There are about 2.3 million Druze worldwide, the vast majority in the Levant or East Mediterranean.However, this figure may not be accurate as some sites/studies suggest they number around 450,000.[http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Islam

History of the Druze

The religion developed out of Ismaili Islam, a philosophical movement based in the Fātimid Caliphate, in the 10th century, a time of particular cultural wealth. The religion did not attempt to change mainstream Islam but to create a whole new religious body influenced by Greek philosophy, Gnosticism and Christianity, among others.

After the death of Ḥakīm, the Druze were forced to move and use the (accepted) practice of taqiyya "dissimulation", whereby they conceal their true beliefs and outwardly accept the religious beliefs of those amongst whom they live even as they secretly retained their true convictions.

The Druze have played major roles in the history of the Levant. They were mostly scattered in the Chouf Mountains, which is part of Mount Lebanon, and later the so-named Jabal al-Durūz (Mount of the Druzes) in Syria.

The Druze also played a major role in the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990). They organized a militia (one of the strongest and most atrocious militias in the War) under the leadership of Walid Jumblatt, (son of Kamal Jumblatt), in opposition to the Maronite Christian Phalangist militia of Bachir Gemayel in the Mount Lebanon area (especially the Chouf) where the Druze militia were successful in winning the war. A peace treaty was then signed between the Druze and Maronite leaders which has enabled them to live peacefully together and later led to them becoming allies.

The Druze today

In Lebanon, Syria and Israel, the Druze have official recognition as a separate religious community with its own religious court system. Their symbol is an array of five colors: green, red, yellow, blue and white. Each color pertains to a symbol defining its principles: green for ˤAql "the Universal Mind", red for Rūħ "the Universal Soul", yellow for Kalima "the Truth/Word", blue for Sabq "the Antagonist/Cause" and white for Talī "the Protagonist/Effect". These principles are why the number five has special considerations among the religious community; it is usually represented symbolically as a five-pointed star.

In Israel, Druze choose to vote in elections but usually identify themselves as Arabs (but not specifically as Palestinians)¹. Some of the Galilean and Carmelean Druzes are well known in Israel as “Israeli patriots”. Lately, Azzam Azzam, an Israeli-Druze alleged spy, has become (in Israel’s popular culture) the model of the “ultimate Israeli patriot”.

However, many Druze living in the Golan Heights consider themselves Syrian and refuse Israeli citizenship, while the remainder consider themselves Israeli. In general elections, the majority of Druze villages have similar voting patterns as the general public.

Israeli Druze also serve in the Israeli army, voluntarily since 1948, and—at the community's request—compulsorily since 1956. Their privileges and responsibilites are the same as Israeli Jews; thus, all Druze are drafted, but exemptions are given for religious students and for various other reasons.

In April 2006, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Shaykh Mowafak Tarif, signed a declaration calling on all non-Jews in Israel to observe the Seven Noahide Laws as laid down in the Bible and expounded upon in Jewish tradition. The mayor of the Galilean and the city of Shfaram also signed the document . The declaration includes the commitment to make a "...better humane world based on the Seven Noachide Commandments and the values they represent commanded by the Creator to all mankind through Moses on Mount Sinai."

Support for the spread of the Seven Noahide Commandments by the Druze leaders reflects the Biblical narrative itself. The Druze community reveres the non-Jewish father-in-law of Moses, Jethro, whom Muslim Arabs call Shuˤayb. According to the Biblical narrative, Jethro joined and assisted the Jewish people in the desert during the Exodus, accepted monotheism, but ultimately rejoined his own people. In fact, the tomb of Jethro in Tiberias is the most important religious site for the Druze community. ^*

Prominent Druze figures

Fakhreddin II (1588 - 1635), descendant of the Ma'an Dynasty, ruled at its height what is now Lebanon, part of Syria, Israel and even part of Turkey.
L'Emir Magid Arslan was the leader of the independence of Lebanon in 1943 when the president Bechara el Khoury with fellow ministers were taken to prison to rachaya by the French. His sons L'Emir Faysal Arslan and L'Emir Talal Arslan fought each other democratically to gain seat in the Lebanese Parliament but L'Emir Talal Arslan won the seat because of Syria's influence over Lebanon during the Lebanese elections in 1992.
Kamal Jumblatt founded the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party in the mid-20th century and was a major thinker and philosopher; his son Walid Jumblatt remains prominent in Lebanese politics.
In Israel, Salah Tarif, a former captain in the paratrooper and the tank divisions of the Israeli Army, has been a Knesset member since 1992. He has served as the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and was appointed Minister Without Portfolio in the Sharon government of 2001.
Ayoob Kara, a former member of the Knesset (Israeli parliament)for the Likud party.
Colonel Imad Fares, acclaimed commander of the Givati Brigade of the Israeli Army from 2001–2003.
Major General Hussain Fares, commander of the Israel Border Police.
Lieutenant General Salim Slim, commander of the Lebanese Judiciary Police.
Azzam Azzam was accused of spying for Israel by Egypt and jailed there for eight years before being released in late 2004.
The famous musician Farid Al Atrache, born in Syria's Jabal al-Durūz to Prince Farhan al-Atrash (brother of Sultan Basha al-Atrash). He moved to Egypt with his mother, brother and sister Asmahan, who was also a famous singer. He composed hundreds of songs and acted in many movies. Al-Atrache revived the Eastern musical traditions with such pieces as "Lahn al-Khulud" and the Rabeeh Opera.
Radio announcer Casey Kasem, born Kamal Amin Kasem to Lebanese Druze immigrants to the USA, is probably that country's most well-known figure of Druze heritage. About 20,000 Druze live in the United States.
Sultan Basha al-Atrash was leader of the revolution against the French occupation of Lebanon and Syria in the 1920s. He is viewed by many Druze, as well as many non-Druze Arabs, as a symbol of courage and defiance to outside influence and occupation.

Beliefs of the Druze

The Druze faith keeps its tenets secret. They are publicly open about very few details of their faith (they practice taqiyya) and they do not accept converts and strongly discourage conversion from their religion to another. This is due to many religious, political and historical reasons: the Druze were violently and brutally persecuted for centuries by other religious communities.

The Druze believe in the unity of God, hence their preference for the name "People of Monotheism" or "Monotheists". Their theology has a Neo-Platonic view about how God interacts with the world through emanations and is similar to some gnostic and other esoteric sects. They are not, however, influenced by the Sufi philosophy, as many believe.

The principles of the Druze faith are: guarding one's tongue (honesty), protecting one's brother, respecting the elderly, helping others, protecting one's homeland, and belief in one God. Another well-known feature of the Druze religion is a fervent belief in human-only reincarnation for all the members of the community. They reject polygamy, tobacco smoking, alcohol or consumption of pork, although pork and alcohol may be consumed in many non-religious and/or al-Juhl households.

Druze religion does not allow them to intermarry with Muslims, Jews or members of any other religions. However, these rules are often disregarded in modern societies.

It is also known that Druze believe in five cosmic principles, represented by the five colored Druze star: intelligence/reason (green), soul (red), word (yellow), precedent (blue) and immanence (white). These virtues take the shape of five different spirits which, until recently, have been continuously reincarnated on Earth as prophets and philosophers including Adam, Pythagoras, Akhenaten, and many others. The Druze believe that, in every time period, these 5 principles were personified in 5 different people who came down together to Earth to teach humans the true path to God and nirvana, but that with them came 5 other individuals who would lead people away from the right path into 'darkness'.

Individual prayer does not exist. Druze are not required to follow the Muslim duties of prayer, fasting, or pilgrimage to Mecca but may do so, especially if it is dangerous for them if they do not.

One of the faith's holy books is called the Kitābu l-Ħikma or "Book of Wisdom", largely compiled by a mysterious figure called al-Muqtana. It has six volumes and compiled in chapters each covering a specific issue. The teachings denounce materialism, especially materialism relative to religion.

The Druze are split into two groups. The outer group, called al-Juhhāl (جهال), "the Ignorant", are not granted access to the secret Druze holy literature. They form the Druze political and military leadership and generally distance themselves from religious issues. They comprise perhaps 90% of the Druze.

Contradictory literature surrounds the Druze mainly due to adopted beliefs that were used to protect them from persecutors and due to the rumors and stories of outsiders. For example, it is still unclear to most outsiders whether the Druze follow the same traditions of fasting as Muslims in the month of Ramadan. This is because the Druze have followed these traditions for centuries in order to protect themselves. Many orthodox Druze hold that they should not follow these traditions, but should follow a different fasting tradition still practiced by religious figures instead. The Druze have other fasting traditions, such as fasting during the ten days before Eid ul-Adha, the last night of which is spent in prayer. The Druze fast is more difficult than the traditional Ramadan fast in that only one light meal is allowed in the evening.

Notes

Identity Repertoires among Arabs in Israel, by Muhammad Amara and Izhak Schnell; Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 30, 2004

External links

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