Other Sects : Introduction To The Region

The Druze The faith of the Druze, a staunchly independent sect of Shi’i Muslims,centers around a hierarchy of individuals who are the sole custodians of a religious doctrine hidden from the rest of the world. Many Druze consider themselves a separate ethnicity as well as a religious group, while others consider themselves Arab. The Druze believe that the word of God is revealed only to a divinely chosen few, and these blessed few must be followed to the ends of the earth. Wherever the Druze settle, however, they generally remain loyal to their host country. Israel’s 85,000 Druze are among its best soldiers, while 500,000 Syrian and 300,000 Lebanese Druze serve with equal fervor in the armies of Israel’s enemies.

The religion was founded in 1017 by an Egyptian chieftain named Ad-Darazi who drew upon various beliefs in the Muslim world at the time, especially Shi’ism. The Druze believe that God was incarnated in human forms, the final incarnation being Al-Hakim. The Druze have suffered a history of persecution and repression for their beliefs, which may partially explain the group’s refusal to discuss its religion. The Druze prospered in the late 1600s, and under Emir Fakhir ad-Din, the Druze kingdom extended from Lebanon to Gaza to the Golan Heights. Sixteen villages were built from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jezreel Valley to guard the two major roads on which goods and armies were transported. In 1830, a Druze revolt against the Egyptian pasha was crushed, along with all but two of the 14 Druze villages in the Carmel. In the 1860s, Ottoman rulers encouraged the Druze to return to the Carmel.

Because the Druze will not discuss their religion, most of what Westerners know about them comes from British “explorers” who fought their way into villages and stole holy books. The religion is not known even to some Druze. Insofar as anyone knows, Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, is their most revered prophet. The most important holiday falls in late April, when Druze throughout Israel gather in the holy village of Hittim, near Tiberias. Devout Druze are forbidden to smoke, drink alcohol, or eat pork, but many young Druze do not adhere strictly to these prohibitions. Gabriel Ben-Dor’s The Druze in Israel: A Political Study details the ideology, lifestyle, and political situation of the Druze.