Druze

From Free net encyclopedia

(Redirected from Druse)

The Druze (Arabic: duruzī درزي, pl. durūz دروز, Hebrew: druzi דרוזי, pl. druzim דרוזים) are a small, distinct religious community based mostly in the Middle East, whose religion resembles Islam, but is influenced by Greek philosophy and other religions.

Image:Druze star.gif

Contents

[edit]

Location

The Druze reside primarily in Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and Jordan. Small 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. They are not considered Muslim by most Muslims in the region; although the Druze faith has its origins in Shīˤa Islām, it differs in many respects from the principal branches of Islām.

Most Druze consider themselves Arabs [1]. There are about 1 million Druze worldwide, the vast majority in the Levant or East Mediterranean [2]. However, this figure may not be accurate as some sites/studies suggest they number around 450,000 [3].

The Druze call themselves Ahl al-Tawhīd "the People of Monotheism" or al-Muwahhidūn "the Monotheists". The origin of the name Druze is debated but is usually traced to Muħammad ad-Darazī, an early messenger of the community who is considered a heretic by the Druze today.

[edit]

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 reform mainstream Islam but to create a whole new religious body influenced by Greek philosophy, Gnosticism and Christianity, among others. The main actors were Tariqu l-Ħakīm "Ruler", also known as al-Ħakīm bi-ˤAmru l-Lāh "Ruler in the Name of God" and Hamza ibn ˤAlī ibn Aħmad, the main architect of the movement. It was Hamza who first publicly proclaimed that Ħakīm was the "Ruler in the Name of God". Ħakīm was opposed by mainstream Muslims for what was considered apostasy.

Because the Druze considered Tariq al-Ħakīm to be the incarnation of God, they were persecuted by mainstream Muslims, especially after Ħakīm's death in 1021. The Druze believe that Ħakīm disappeared and will return in the end of days.

The Druze took up taqiyya "dissimulation", a practice 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 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).

[edit]

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. Some Israeli Druze complain that their villages do not receive the same grants and subsidies that are given to Jewish communities.

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; however, conscientious objectors typically face jail time [4] (see also Refusal to serve in the Israeli military).

In April 2006, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh 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 primarily Druze city of Shfaram, in the Galilee, 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 (Yitro), whom they call Shu’eib. 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. [5]

[edit]

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 democratically each other 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 was founder of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party in the mid-20th century, and 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. Other notable figures include Ayoob Kara, a Druze Knesset member of the Likud party, and Colonel Imad Fares, the acclaimed commander of the Givati Brigade from 2001–2003. Major General Hussain Fares is the commander of the Israel Border Police. Azzam Azzam was accused of spying for Israel by Egypt, and jailed there for 8 years, before being released in late 2004.
  • Famous musician Farid Al Atrache, born in Syria (Jabal Al Druze) to Prince Farhan 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. He 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 U.S., is probably that country's most well-known figure of Druze heritage. About 20,000 Druze live in the United States.
  • Sultan Basha Elatrash: leader of the revolution against the French occupation of Lebanon and Syria in 1920's. He is viewed by many Druse as well as many Arabs as a symbol of courage and defiance to outside influence and occupation.
  • Massari: named after the word in arabic for Money, is born in Lebanon and has recalled to have said being half druze, half catholic
[edit]

Beliefs of the Druze

The Druze faith keeps its tenets secret. They are publicly open about very few details of their faith (borrowing from the Shiite practice of 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 comes their own name for themselves: Ahl at-Tawhīd. They are monotheists in the same way as Christians, Jews and Muslims. 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 do not accept polygamy, tobacco smoking, alcohol or consumption of pork, although pork and alcohol may be consumed in many non-religious and/or aj-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'.

The Druze believe in prophets like Adam, Noah (Nūħ), Abraham (Ibrāhīm), Sarah, Jacob (Yaˤqub), Moses (Mūsā), Solomon (Sulaymān), John the Baptist (Yahya), Jesus Christ (Isa) and Muħammad. In contrast to members of the other monotheistic faiths, they also elevate Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, to the status of major prophet under the Arabic name Shuˤayb. They also believe in the wisdom of classical Greek philosophers such as Plato and Pythagoras. In addition, they have an array of "wise men" that founded the religion in the 11th century.

Individual prayer does not exist. Druze are not required to follow the Muslim duties of prayer, fasting, nor make pilgrimage to Mecca but may do so, especially if it is dangerous for them if they do not - a practice known as taqiyya.

[edit]

ˤUqqāl and Juhhāl

The Druze are split into two groups. The inner group are called al-ˤUqqāl (عقال), "the Knowledgeable Initiates". Male ˤuqqāl grow moustaches, shave their heads, and wear dark clothing with white turbans. Women are considered especially suitable to become ˤUqqāl; they are even regarded to be spiritually superior to men, a belief that greatly contrasts with the surrounding Christian and Muslim communities. Druze women who are ˤuqqāl can opt to wear al-mandīl or transparent loose white veil, especially in the presence of religious figures. They wear al-mandīl on their head to cover their hair and wrap it around their mouth and sometimes over their nose as well. They wear black shirts and long skirts covering their legs to their ankles.

Between 10–20% of Druze are ˤUqqāl. The outer group, called aj-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.

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 several volumes and compiled in chapters each covering a specific issue. The teachings denounce materialism, especially materialism relative to religion.

Druze places of worship are usually very modest, and their religious figures (ajawīd) lead very modest lifestyles. Prayer is usually conducted discreetly, among family and friends. There is little official hierarchy in the religious community except for the Shaykh al-ˤAql, whose role is more political and social than religious. A religious figure is admired for his wisdom and lifestyle.

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.

[edit]

Notes

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

External links

ca:Drusos de:Drusen es:Drusos eo:Druzoj fr:Druzes hr:Druzi it:Drusi he:דרוזים nl:Druzen ja:ドゥルーズ派 nn:Drusarane pl:Druzowie pt:Druzo ru:Друзы sl:Druzi sv:Druser tr:Dürzilik wa:Druzes

Retrieved from "http://www.netipedia.com/index.php/Druze"