Part 13. Other Religions: Druze

The history of the Druze dates back to the eleventh century CE, when an Isma`ili preacher named Muhammad al-Darazi, whose heterodox teachings in Cairo eventually led to his execution by the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim in 1018 CE, was associated with their early movement.  Although the Druze do not consider al-Darazi to be their founder (he is referred to as “the heretic”), he was associated with their group by opponents of the Druze.  The first imam of the Druze was Hamza ibn Ali, who opposed al-Darazi’s teachings while preaching his own heterodox teachings, including that al-Hakim was an emanation of God.  The disappearance of both Hamza and al-Hakim in the years following the execution of al-Darazi has been seen by Druze as the occultation of their early leaders.  Leadership was taken up by Hamza’s disciple Baha`uddin al-Muqtana, who led the movement until 1043.  During this period Druze missionaries were sent out throughout the Middle East, even as they suffered persecution in various locations because of their unorthodox teachings, which included rejection of shari`a, belief in theophany and reincarnation.

Beginning in the Crusader period, the Druze established their main community in Lebanon and they competed with the Maronite Christians and Crusaders for regional influence.  Their faith became very secretive, and they did not allow outsiders to convert nor members of their community to commit apostasy.  Despite their heterodox beliefs (and probably because they were not evangelistic), regional Muslim rulers permitted the Druze to maintain their communities and to obtain local influence in the Mount Lebanon region.  Under Ottoman rule, the Ma`an family governed the Druze community and operated as feudal lords in southern Lebanon.  For the most part, they coexisted with their Christian neighbors, with a few exceptions such as the 1860 civil war and resulting massacre of Maronite Christians.  This crisis resulted in European intervention on behalf of the Christian population and the subsequent establishment of an autonomous province of Lebanon under Maronite rule.  Hostilities between the two communities (as well as the Lebanese Muslim communities) broke out again in the Lebanese civil war of 1975-1990.

Today the Druze population is distributed between Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan.  It is estimated that there are around one million Druze worldwide.

The video linked below provides information on the history, major beliefs and teachings, and lifestyles of the Druze

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmD1G9BnhkA

This short article contains some observations about the Druze community in Israel

5 facts about Israeli Druze, a unique religious and ethnic group