RELG 402 - World's Living Religions
Druze
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Druze refers to both a religion and the people who practice it.
Most Druze live in either Syria or Lebanon, with smaller communities in Israel and Jordan. Some have settled in the USA , Europe, and other parts of the world.
Moslems in general do not regard Druze as being Moslems, and in fact have persecuted the Druze in the past.
The Druze regard themselves as Moslems, and maintain that they are the true upholders of Islam.
They call themselves the Muwahhidun or monotheists.
Because of their past history of being persecuted, the Druze are rather secretive about themselves and their religion.
However some of their history is known. They stem from the Ismaili group of the Shi'ite branch of Islam, which holds that only a descendent of Mohammed's daughter Fatima and her husband Ali can be a "rightful Caliph" (leader of the Islamic community).
Fatima's descendents were known as the Fatimid dynasty, and in 985 Hakim was born into this dynasty.
In AD 996 Hakim (Al-Hakim Bi Amr Allah - the Ruler in the Name of Allah) became Caliph (hereditary leader of the Islamic community) in Cairo (Egypt) at the age of 11.
Al-Hakim sent missionaries out to proclaim a reform of Islam and insist on only one God. Al-Hakim is regarded by the Druzes as their first founding father. Al-Hakim disappeared under mysterious circumstances in AD 1021, and the next Caliph started to persecute his followers.
The Druze believe that Al-Hakim disappeared from this world, and is waiting to return and bring in a new golden age for believers. Most Moslems believe that Hakim died in 1021.
The second founding father was Hamza (Hamza ibn-'Ali ibn-Ahmad), a Persian who announced that Hakim was "Ruler in the Name of Allah". Hamza was appointed as a religious leader by Hakim in AD 1017. Hamza taught disciples and missionaries, and wrote religious doctrine for what has become the Druze religion. (There is some dispute as to whether Hamza wrote the texts, or whether Ad-Darazi wrote them and passed them off as Hamza's work)
The doctrine of the Druze religion is called hikma, and full knowledge of it is restricted to an elite group of men and women, the Uqqal. A very few of the Uqqal are regarded as having reached perfection and are given the title Ajawid - they are the real leaders of the Druze. Most Druze belong to the class called Juhhal (ignorant) and are not allowed to read their scriptures or to learn parts of their theology.
The Uqqal wear dark robes and white head-coverings (the women wear a white niqab), and are the leaders of the Druze. The Juhhal form the Druze political and military leadership and protect the Uqqal.
Though Druze believe in one God, Allah, and claim that Allah can not be understood or defined by human beings, yet a primary feature of their faith is that Allah became incarnate in the caliph al-Hakim.
They also believe that some aspects of Allah can be incarnated in human beings to fit them for ministry. They express some of the attributes of Allah as being "the 5 superior ministers" and believe that He inspires others such as preachers, administrators, and heads of communities.
They have a special reverence for Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses; they consider him to be the ancestor of all the Druze, and revere him as one of their spiritual founders.
Druze do not seem to read or use the Koran at all. They have other scriptures, the main one being called "The Epistles of Wisdom", but only those who are initiated into the higher ranks of the religion are allowed to read them. They do not fast during Ramadan, do not pray in mosques, and do not make the pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj).
Another distinctive feature of the Druze religion is a belief in reincarnation - all souls will be reborn as human beings. This distinguishes the Druze view of reincarnation from the Hindu view, where one may be reborn as another kind of creature such as an animal or an insect. The basis for the Druze view is the thought that people cannot reach perfection, and therefore cannot unite with Allah.
The symbol for the Druze is a 5-pointed star, each arm being a different color and symbolizing the 5 Wise Superior Ministers, or the 5 Cosmic Principles :
- Green - al-aki - the Universal Mind - intelligence and reason, necessary for understanding the Truth.
- Red - an-narfs - the Universal Soul.
- Yellow - al-kalima- the word, the purest from of expressing the truth.
- Blue - as-sabik - the mental power of the will - the Antecedent-Precedent.
- White - al-tali - the realization of the Blue in the material world - the Successor - immanence.
The 5 cosmic principles are also regarded as "virtues" or "spirits" which have been reincarnated on earth as various prophets and philosophers (Adam, Moses, Jethro (the father-in-law of Moses), John the Baptist, Jesus, Mohammed, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Akhnaten - the Pharaoh who tried to make Egypt worship only "Aten" the sun-god).
The ethical and moral system of the Druze is expressed in seven principles :
- Guard one's tongue - Truthfulness.
- Protect and support one's brother - take care of one another.
- Renounce all other religions - Cut out fallacies and falsehoods.
- Avoid the demon and all wrong-doers - Reject villains and aggressors.
- Adore the Lord at all times - Accept the divine unity in humanity.
- Accept all of Al-Hakim's acts - Accept cheerfully whatever comes from Allah.
- Act in total accordance with Al-Hakim's will - Submit to the will of Allah.
The Druze fled from Egypt to escape persecution from Moslem authorities, and settled in remote villages in the mountainous regions of Syria, Lebanon, and northern Israel. They have lived a life of isolationism for centuries, and do not allow conversion - neither out of, nor into, their religion.
If they live among people of other religions they try to blend in, and will join in either Moslem or Christian prayer.
Occasionally, if they feel safe, Druze will open up a bit - there are some Webpages on the InterNet by a Druze living in California, who has made public some of the teachings of the Druze.
When I was in Israel one year I met a Druze at the Christian Church at the top of Mount Carmel - he was the gardener and general gofer for the monks who looked after the church, and he told me right up front that he was Druze. Unfortunately the only language we had in common was Hebrew, so we didn't get into any deep theological discussions - conversation was more on the level of "Me Tarzan, You Jane"
Time Line
985 - Birth of Abu `Ali Mansur in Cairo, Egypt. His father was the fifth Caliph of the Fatimid Dynasty, and 15th in the line of Imams according to Shi'ite reckoning. Abu `Ali Mansur was named by his father as his heir, and on becoming Caliph on his father's death he took the name Al-Hakim.
985 - Birth of Hamza ibn 'Ali, chief author of the Druze scriptures.
996 - Al-Hakim became the sixth Caliph of the Fatimid Dynasty at the age of 11.
1017 - The Druze religion was founded in Cairo, Egypt, in the person of Al-Hakim. Al-Hakim appointed Hamza as the Imam of the "Monotheists" (al-Muwahhidūn).
1018 - Rivalry between Hamza and Ad-Darazi, another of Al-Hakim's associates. Ad-Darazi started to preach that Al-Hakim was divine. Al-Hakim executed Ad-Darazi for heresy (or someone assassinated him - accounts vary), but the idea had taken root, and his name was associated with the new religion - Druze.
1021 - Al-Hakim went into the hills outside Cairo alone to meditate through the night. He did not return. Searchers found his bloodstained clothes, and his donkey, but they found no body.
1021 - Hamza retreated from public life and appointed a successor to lead the Druze.
1021 - 1028 - Al-Hakim's son became Caliph. He was under-age, and his regent ordered the eradication of the Druze. Many thousand Druze were slaughtered.
1043 - The Druze community was closed to outsiders - no new converts were accepted.
1516 - The Ottoman Turks conquered the Levant. The Druze opposed them and managed to keep a measure of independence
1860 - The center for the Duze community was moved to Jebel-al-Druze in Syria.
ca. 1880 - The traditional site of Jethro's Tomb (at the Horns of Hattin near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel) was built up as a center for Druze gatherings.
1918 - The end of WWI, and the Fall of the Ottoman Empire. The Druze became a semi-autonomous community.
1921 - The United Nations created an autonomous region for the Druze.
1925 - The Druze Revolt, against the French governor of the Duruz Mountains. The leaders of the revolt were arrested and sent into exile.
1945 - The War of Independence in Israel - the Druze fought on the side of Israel, against the other Arab forces.
1948 - The Druze in Israel opted against joining Arab nationalism, and were eventually allowed to serve with the Israeli forces and police.
Copyright © 2015 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
