Druze

The Druze, who call themselves al-Muwaḥḥidūn, meaning "the monotheists" or "the unitarians," are an esoteric religious group of Arabs whose faith, Druzism, is Abrahamic, monotheistic, ethnic, and syncretic. Its core tenets affirm the unity of God, the eternity of the soul, and reincarnation, with the soul ultimately reuniting with the Cosmic Mind after completing a cycle of rebirths. The faith developed from the Ismā‘īli branch of Shiʿa Islam, but Druze do not identify as Muslims. Their theology has been shaped by diverse influences, including Christianity, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Pythagoreanism, resulting in a secretive system centered on esoteric scriptural interpretation that values the mind and truthfulness. The foundational text is the Epistles of Wisdom (Rasāʾil al-Ḥikma). Druze religious practices are largely kept secret, and conversion is forbidden for outsiders. Interfaith marriage is rare and strongly discouraged. The community distinguishes between the spiritual elite, known as "uqqāl," who hold the faith's secrets, and the secular majority, called "juhhāl," who focus on worldly matters. Druze hold Shuaib (identified with the biblical Jethro) in high regard and recognize a lineage of prophets including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and the Ismā‘īli Imam Muhammad ibn Isma'il. Figures such as Salman the Persian, al-Khidr (considered a reincarnation of Elijah, John the Baptist, and Saint George), Job, and Luke the Evangelist are honored as mentors and prophets. The name "Druze" likely derives from Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin ad-Darazī, an early preacher whom the Druze consider a heretic. The movement began secretly with closed Sessions of Wisdom, but after a dispute between ad-Darazī and Hamza bin Ali, ad-Darazī openly proclaimed his beliefs in 1016, causing riots in Cairo and leading to the movement’s suspension. Ad-Darazī was assassinated in 1018, possibly by order of Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. The Druze are a major Levantine religious group, with between 800,000 and a million adherents primarily in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, with smaller communities in Jordan. They constitute 5.5% of Lebanon’s population, 3% of Syria’s, and 1.6% of Israel’s. The oldest and most densely populated communities are in Mount Lebanon and around Jabal al-Druze in southern Syria. The community has played a critical role in