DRUZE
DRUSE, DRUZE, MOWAHHIDOON
History
The Druse are a fiercely independent group concentrated in Lebanon around
the base of Mount Hermon, and in the mountains behind Beirut and Sidon. A
few villages are also located on the Golan Heights, in Syria and just inside
the Northern border of Israel.
Very little information is known about the Druse religion. It started in the
9th Century CE as a break-away group from Islam. Darazi (a preacher)
and Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad (a Persian mystic) were instrumental in
founding the religion. They announced that God had manifested himself in
human form as al-Hakim Bi-amr Allah, (985 or 996-1021 CE), a Muslim
caliph from Cairo Egypt. They now believe that Darazi started to distort the
message; he is now considered blasphemous.
They refer to themselves as Mowahhidoon (plural) or Mowahhid
(singular) which means "monotheistic". Unfortunately, the rest of the world
tends to refer to them as "Druze" or "Druse", a name derived from their
fallen preacher Darazi.
After the death of their leader Baha al-Din in 1031 CE, their
religion became exclusive: they do not accept converts; they do not marry
other than fellow Druse; they do not leave the faith. They currently total
about 200 to 300 thousand members. The Druse keep their religion secret, and
often pose as members of the locally dominant religion.
Beliefs:
- The Druse hold the Qur'an to be sacred, but look upon it as an outer
shell, holding an "inner, esoteric meaning".
Their religious texts are known collectively as "Kitab Al Hikma" (The
Book Of Wisdom). It is a collection of books, of which the first six are
most commonly used.
- They are firmly monotheistic, believing in a single God. He has no
partner; he is not part of a Trinity.
- They recognize seven major prophets, including Adam, Abraham, and Jesus
(who they believe to be the son of Joseph). Each major prophets had seven
minor prophets; each of the latter had twelve disciples, including Daniel,
Plato and other individuals from Biblical and Greek history. Prophets are
not worshipped, although their names may be called out for help in times
of trouble. The prophets are considered special people who are free of
mistakes and of sin.
- One source indicated that the Druze reject the concept of an after-life:
of heaven and hell, and that they believe in transmigration of the
soul: that, at death, one is reborn into another life. However, one
follower of the religion Emailed us to say that this is not true.
Practices:
- Ordinary members, Jahill (singular) and Juhaall (plural), do not normally
have access to religious texts. They attend only the first part of their
religious meetings. The remainder of the meetings are reserved for the
Sheiks. There is no actual prohibition of the reading of religious books.
It is just that if a person becomes educated in the truth of God and of
life and yet do not follow the duties arising from these truths, then
their judgment would be worse that if they had remained uneducated.
- The Druse have abandoned the Five Pillars of Islam (recitation of
the creed, reciting prayers five times a day, donating to charity, fasting
during the month of Ramadan and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Thus, they
are not regarded by Muslims as Islamic.
- Their leaders are a group of aesthetics called uqqal (sages)
- Their religious meetings are held on Thursdays.
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