HISTORY
1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middel East and North Africa, but that it is only the Druze that kept it up.
1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the Ottomans. The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours.
1918: Druze participate in the army of Faisal, thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community.
1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations.
1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to Palmyira.
1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French.
Since 1948 the Druze are integral part of the state of Israel concetrating in the Golan with strong orientation to Syria, Very strong community in the upper Galilee and 2 villages on the top of the Carmel. They serve in the Israeli army
Influences I am a lebanese christian , also an ancestor and descendant of The Druze Religion and group of people with somewhere between 350,000 (estimate of Western scholars) and 900,000 (figures presented by the Druze) members (LexicOrient estimates that around 600,000 live in the Middle East and nearly 700,000 all over the world), living in Lebanon , Syria , Israel , and Jordan , often in mountainous regions. There are also important Druze communities abroad, living in Europe and USA. While the Druze are not regarded as Muslims by other Muslims, they regard themselves as Muslims as well as carriers of the core of this Islam . The Druze seem, to a large extent, to have originated from a group of Shi'is , the Isma'ilis ., but they have diverged much, and the Koran does not seem to be a part of their religion. The Druze call themselves muwahhidun, 'monotheists'. THEOLOGY The theology of Druze religion is called hikma and its main theme is that God incarnated himself in the Fatimid . caliph al-Hakim, who they claim disappeared in 1021. While most Muslims believe he died in 1021, the Druze disagree and believe that al-Hakim is awaiting to return to the world in order to bring a new golden age to true believers. HISTORY 1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middle East and North Africa., but that it is only the Druze that kept it up. 1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the . The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours. 1918: Druze participate in the army of , thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community. 1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations. 1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to 1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French. Druze believe in one God and claim that the qualities of God cannot be understood or defined by humans. Al-Hakim is worshiped in Druze religion, he is called 'Our Lord', and his cruelties and eccentricities are all interpreted symbolically. But while God incarnated himself in al-Hakim in his unity, other aspects of God can be incarnated in other human beings. These aspects are represented with 5 superior ministers. Under the ministers, one finds three other groups: functionaries, preachers, and heads of communities. The knowledge of about this hierarchal system is the highest knowledge in the Druze religion. Frequently one hears from sources about a calf in Druze religion. It is believed that the calf is a central symbol which represents the negative forces in the world. The moral system of Druze religion consists of seven principles: Love of truth Taking care of one another Renouncing all other religions Avoiding the demon (the calf?) and all wrongdoers Accepting divine unity in humanity Accepting all of al-Hakim's acts Acting in total accordance to al-Hakim's will Central in the Druze world system is the belief in reincarnation, through which all souls are reborn as humans, good as well as bad. Good people have a more fortunate rebirth than bad people. Behind this system is the belief that humans cannot reach perfection and unite with God. Hell and heaven in Druze religion are viewed differently from most other Middle Eastern middle_east. religions, and bear clear resemblances with Gnostic philosophy and religion, as heaven is only spiritual, when man stops being man and is saved from more rebirths. Hell is just as spiritual and is the distance from, and the longing to, unity with God which goes on for one lifetime after another if a person has been evil. MEANING OF THE DRUZE STAR The Druze star symbolizes the five wise superior ministers, each with his quality. Green is for "the mind", 'al-'akl, which is necessary for understanding the truth. Red is for "the soul", 'an-nafs. Yellow is for "the word", 'al-kalima, which is the purest form of expression of the truth. Blue, 'as-sabik, is for the mental power of the will. White, 'al-tali, is the realization of Blue, in which its power has been realized in the world of matter. ORGANIZATION OF THE DRUZE COMMUNITY The hikma is known only to an elite of religiously trained men, the uqqal. Most Druze know only parts of their religion's theology, and they are referred to as juhhal, "ignorants." One out of 50 members of the uqqal, reach as high as perfection, and are called 'ajawid, 'noble', and work as the real leaders of the Druze religion. The uqqal take care of the religion for the juhhal, and they alone attend the religious meetings taking place on the night between Thursday and Friday, in ordinary buildings in the outskirts of Druze villages. For the Druze, the centre of religious activities is located to the mountainous region called Jabalu d-Duruz in Syria. The juhhal perform few of the typical Muslim rituals, prayer is not performed in mosque., a fast is not performed during the Muslim month of Ramadan, and there are no obligations to perform the hajj., the Muslim pilgrimage. LIFE STYLES The Druze follow a life style of isolation in which no conversion is allowed, neither out of, or into, the religion. When Druze live among people of other religions, they try to blend in, in order to protect their religion and their own safety. They can perform prayer as Muslims, or as Christians, depending on where they are. This system is apparently changing in modern times, where more security has allowed Druze to be more open about their religious identity. Druze have earlier been reported to practice polygamy. But there is no evidence of such a practice among Druze today. Druze abstain from wine and tobacco. There are clear prohibitions against a number of other acts, too. Druze have a strong community feeling, in which they identify themselves as related even across borders of countries. There are sources suggesting that the Druze had their own identity even before conversion to the faith in al-Hakim. Unsubstantiated theories point in a direction of the Druze being descendants of Persian colonists, while another theory says they are descendants of Christians from the time of the crusades.htm. The latter is not very likely, due to the fact that the first crusade took place 80 years after al-Hakim's disappearance. Despite their practice of blending with dominant groups in order to avoid persecution, the Druze have had a history of brave resistance to occupying powers, and they have at times enjoyed more freedom than most other groups living in the Levant . HISTORY 1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middle East and North Africa., but that it is only the Druze that kept it up. 1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the . The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours. 1918: Druze participate in the army of , thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community. 1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations. 1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to 1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French.
*Location
The Druze people reside primarily in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, with a smaller community in Jordan.[9] The Arab Druze in Israel are mostly in the Galilee (70%) and around Haifa (25%). The Jordanian Druze can be found in Amman and Zarka, about 50% live in the town of Azraq, and a smaller number in Irbid and Aqaba. The Golan Heights, the mountainous region between Israel and Syria, is home to about 20,000 Druze.[10] The Institute of Druze Studies estimates that 40%-50% of Druze live in Syria, 30%-40% in Lebanon, 6%-7% in Israel, and 1%-2% in Jordan.[11][12]
Large communities of expatriate Druze also live outside the Middle East in Australia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the United States and West Africa. They use the Arabic language and follow a social pattern very similar to the other East Mediterraneans of the region.[13]
There are thought to be as many as 1 million Druze worldwide, the vast majority in the Levant or East Mediterranean.[14] However, some estimates of the total Druze population have been as low as 450,000.[15]
*History
*Origin of the name
The most plausible theory of the origin of the name Druze is that the term is traceable to Nashtakin ad-Darazi, one of the early leaders of the faith, even though the Druze consider ad-Darazi a heretic [16]who practiced ghuluww (from Arabic exaggeration), which is a belief held by some Islamic sects that God was incarnated in human beings, especially Imam Ali and his descendants.
The Druze sect gained his name because he was the Da'i who first preached an unorthodox version of the faith to outsiders in 1016 and claimed to be the true Imam rather than Hamza ibn Ali and that al-Hakim was the incarnation of God; proceeded by his ancestors, the descendants of Imam Ali. Though he is considered a renegade by the "Unitarians" the name "Druze" is still used for identification and for historical reasons. Ad-Darazi was killed in 1018 because of his extreme ideas concerning Al-Hakim.[7][16]
Some authorities see in the name Druze a descriptive epithet, derived from Arabic darasa (those who read the Book), or darisa (those in possession of Truth) or dugs (the clever or initiated)[17].Others have speculated that the word comes from the Arabic-Persian word Darazo (???), meaning "Bliss"; others claim that it is derived from the name of the Fatimid military commander Abi Man?ur Anushtakin ad-Darazi or that of a Fatimid Egyptian landlord, Shaykh Hussayn ad-Darazi, who was one of the early converts to the faith.[18] In the early stages of the movement the word "Druze" is rarely mentioned by historians, and in Druze religious texts only the word Muwa??idun ("Unitarian") appears. The only early Arab historian who mentions the Druze is the 11th century Christian scholar Yahyá ibn Sa?id al-Antaki, who clearly references the heretical group created by ad-Darazi rather than the followers of Hamza bin Ali.[18] As for Western sources, Benjamin of Tudela, the Jewish traveler who passed through Lebanon in or about 1165 was one of the first European writers to refer to the Druzes by name. The word Dogziyin ("Druzes") occurs in an early Hebrew edition of his travels, but it is clear that this is a scribal error. Be that as it may, he described the Druze as "mountain dwellers, monotheists, who believe in "soul eternity" and reincarnation."[19]
*Early history
The Druze faith began as a movement in Ismailism that favored the traditional and more liberal eastern order of Ismailism that was mainly influenced by Greek philosophy and Gnosticism and it opposed certain religious and philosophical ideologies that were present during that epoch.
The faith was officially revealed in the year 1017 by Hamza ibn ?Ali ibn Ahmad. Hamza Bin Ali, who was a Persian Ismaili mystic and scholar, came to Egypt in 1014 AD and assembled a group of scholars and leaders from across the Islamic world to form the Unitarian Order. The Order's meetings were held in the Mosque of Raydan, situated near the palace of al-Hakim.[20]
After gaining the support of the Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim, Hamza ibn ?Ali started to work on spreading the faith facing a lot of hostility from many prominent figures of the Caliphate, especially after al-Hakim was accused of undermining the orthodox Islamic law by publishing a decree promoting religious freedom.
*The decree stated :
“ Remove ye the causes of fear and estrangement from yourselves. Do away with the corruption of delusion and conformity. Be ye certain that the Prince of Believers hath given unto you free will, and hath spared you the trouble of disguising and concealing your true beliefs, so that when ye work ye may keep your deeds pure for God. He hath done thus so that when you relinquish your previous beliefs and doctrines ye shall not indeed lean on such causes of impediments and pretensions. By conveying to you the reality of his intention, the Prince of Believers hath spared you any excuse for doing so. He hath urged you to declare your belief openly. Ye are now safe from any hand which may bringeth harm unto you. Ye now may find rest in his assurance ye shall not be wronged. Let those who are present convey this message unto the absent so that it may be known by both the distinguished and the common people. It shall thus become a rule to mankind; and Divine Wisdom shall prevail for all the days to come.[21]. ”
The Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah became the central figure in the Druze faith. Although his position when it comes to the faith, had been disputed among scholars. John Esposito states that Al-Hakim believed that he was not only the divinely appointed religiopolitical leader but also the cosmic intellect, linking God with creation. [22], while others like Nissim Dana and Mordechai Nisan stated that he is perceived as the manifestation and the reincarnation of God or presumably the image of God[23][24]. Some Druze and non-Druze scholars like Samy Swayd and Sami Makarem state that this confusion is created because of the early heretical preacher Ad-Darazi who claimed that Al-Hakim is the Incarnation of God, so that he can gain his support, and that the modern Druze had been wrongfully attributed, by their rivals, to their early renegade Ad-Darazi.[25].These sources assert that Al-Hakim refused the claims of divinity preached by Ad-Darazi [26] [27] [7] and ordered the elimination of his movement, while he supported that of Hamza Ibn Ali.[28]
Imam al-?akim. disappeared one night, when he went out for his evening ride - presumably assassinated, perhaps at the behest of his formidable elder sister Sitt al-Mulk. The Druze believe he went into Occultation, with Hamza Ibn Ali and the other three prominent preachers, leaving the "Unitarian missionary movement" to Baha' ad-Din.
*Persecution during the Fatimid times
Al-Hakim was replaced by his underage son ?Ali az-Zahir after he mysteriously disappeared. Theories abound as to what happened to him, but none is certain. The sect founded by Hamza b. ?Ali, which was prominent in the Levant, North Africa, Egypt, Arabia, Iraq, Persia, Yemen and other parts of the Near East, acknowledged az-Zahir as the Caliph but followed Hamza b. ?Ali as its Imam.[7] Fatimid Caliph az-Zahir therefore ordered his army to destroy the movement.[16] At the same time, Baha' ad-Din as-Samuki assumed leadership of the Druze in 1021.[7]
The killing ranged from Antioch to Alexandria, where tens of thousands of Druze were slaughtered by the Fatimid Army.[16] The largest massacre was at Antioch, where 5000 Druze religious leaders were killed,followed by that of Aleppo.[16] The massacres are well described in the remaining scriptures written by As-Samuki, which recorded how the Fatimid army brutally put to death infants, women and men.[16]
*The Closing of the Faith
Az-Zahir finally agreed to let the Druze alone after 1026, and Baha' ad-Din as-Samuki sent feelers and missionaries deeper into the Levant. After two decades of building strong new communities there, Baha' ad-Din as-Samuki declared that the sect would no longer accept new pledges, and since that time conversion has been prohibited.[7]
*During the Crusades
It was during the period of Crusader rule in Syria (1099-1291) that the Druze first emerged into the full light of history in the Gharb region of the Chouf Mountains. As redoubtable warriors serving the Muslim rulers of Damascus against the alien invaders, the Druze were given the task of keeping watch over the Crusaders in the seaport of Beirut, with the aim of preventing them from making any encroachments inland. Subsequently, the Druze chiefs of the Gharb placed their considerable military experience at the disposal of the Mamluk rulers of Egypt (1250-1516); first, to assist them in putting an end to what remained of Crusader rule in coastal Syria, and later to help them safeguard the Syrian coast against Crusader retaliation by sea.[29]
In the early period of the Crusader era the Druze feudal power was in the hands of two families, the Tanukhs and the Arslans. From their fortresses in the Gharb district (modern Aley Province) of southern Mount Lebanon, the Tanukhs led their incursions into the Phoenician coast and finally succeeded in holding Beirut and the marine plain against the Franks. Because of their fierce battles with the crusaders the Druzes earned the respect of the Sunni Muslim Caliphs and thus gained important political powers. After the middle of the twelfth century, the Ma’an family superseded the Tanukhs in Druze leadership. The origin of the family goes back to a prince Ma’an who made his appearance in the Lebanon in the days of the ‘Abbasid Caliph al-Mustarshid (1118 AD-1135 AD). The Ma’ans chose for their abode the Chouf district in the southern part of Western Lebanon, overlooking the maritime plain between Beirut and Sidon, and made their headquarters in Baaqlin, which is still a leading Druze village. They were invested with feudal authority by Sultan Nur-al-Din and furnished respectable contingents to the Muslim ranks in their struggle against the Crusaders.[30]
*Persecution during the Mamluk and Ottoman period
Having cleared Syria from the Franks, the Mamluk Sultans of Egypt turned their attention to the schismatic Muslims of Syria. In 1305, after the issuing of a fatwa by the Hanbali Sunni scholar Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiya al-Harrani calling for jihad against the Druze, Alawites, Ismaili and twelver Shiites, al-Malik al-Nasir inflicted a disastrous defeat on the Druzes at Keserwan and forced outward compliance on their part to "orthodox" Sunni Islam. Later, under the Ottoman Turks, they were severely attacked at Ayn-?awfar in 1585 after the Ottomans claimed that they assaulted their caravans near Tripoli.[30]
Consequently, the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were to witness a succession of armed Druze rebellions against the Ottomans, countered by repeated Ottoman punitive expeditions against the Chouf, in which the Druze population of the area was severely depleted and many villages destroyed. These military measures, severe as they were, did not succeed in reducing the local Druze to the required degree of subordination. This led the Ottoman government to agree to an arrangement whereby the different nahiyes (districts) of the Chouf would be granted in iltizam ("fiscal concession") to one of the region’s amirs, or leading chiefs, leaving the maintenance of law and order and the collection of its taxes in the area in the hands of the appointed amir. This arrangement was to provide the cornerstone for the privileged status which ultimately came to be enjoyed by the whole of Mount Lebanon in Ottoman Syria, Druze and Christian areas alike.[31]
Ma’an Dynasty, The Druze Power at its Height
With the advent of the Ottoman Turks and the conquest of Syria by Sultan Selim I in 1516, the Ma’ans were acknowledged by the new rulers as the feudal lords of southern Lebanon. Druze villages spread and prospered in that region, which under Ma’an leadership so flourished that it acquired the generic term of Jabal Bayt-Ma’an (the mountain of the Ma’an family) or Jabal al-Druze. The latter title has since been usurped by the Hawran region, which since the middle of the nineteenth century has proven a haven of refuge to Druze emigrants from Lebanon and has become the headquarters of Druze power.[30]
Under Fakhreddin II,the Druze dominion increased until it included almost all Syria, extending from the edge of the Antioch plain in the north to Safad in the south, with a part of the Syrian desert dominated by Fakhreddin's castle at Tadmur (Palmyra), the ancient capital of Zenobia. The ruins of this castle still stand on a steep hill overlooking the town. Fakhr-al-Din became too strong for his Turkish sovereign in Constantinople. He went so far in 1608 as to sign a commercial treaty with Duke Ferdinand I of Tuscany containing secret military clauses. The Sultan then sent a force against him, and he was compelled to flee the land and seek refuge in the courts of Tuscany and Naples in 1614.
In 1618 political changes in the Ottoman sultanate had resulted in the removal of many enemies of Fakhr-al-Din from power, signaling the prince's triumphant return to Lebanon soon afterwards.
In 1632 Ahmad Koujak was named Lord of Damascus, being a rival of Fakhr-al-Din and a friend of the bloody sultan Murad IV, who ordered koujak and the sultanat navy to attack Lebanon and depose Fakhr-El-Din. This time the prince had decided to remain in Lebanon and resist the offensive, but the death of his son Ali in Wadi el-Taym was the beginning of his defeat. He later took refuge in Jezzine's grotto, closely followed by Koujak who caught eventually with him and his family.
Fakhr-al-Din finally traveled to Turkey, appearing before the sultan, defending himself so skilfully that the sultan gave him permission to return to Lebanon.
Later, the sultan changed orders and had Fakhr-al-Din and his family killed on 13 April 1635, in Istanbul, the capital city of the Ottoman Empire, bringing an end to possibly one of the greatest eras in the history of Lebanon, a country which would not regain its natural and current boundaries that Fakhr-al-Din once ruled until Lebanon was proclaimed a republic in 1920.
Fakhr-al-Din was the first ruler in modern Lebanon to open the doors of his country to foreign Western influences. Under his auspices the French established a khan (hostel) in Sidon, the Florentines a consulate, and the Christian missionaries were admitted into the country. Beirut and Sidon, which Fakhr-al-Din beautified, still bear traces of his benign rule.
*Shihab Dynasty, The Last Feudal Chiefs
Main article: Shihab family
As early as the days of Saladin, and while the Ma’ans were still in complete control over southern Lebanon, the Shihab tribe, originally Hijaz Arabs but later settled in ?awran, advanced from ?awran, in 1172, and settled in Wadi-al-Taym at the foot of Mt. Hermon. They soon made an alliance with the Ma’ans and were acknowledged as the Druze chiefs in Wadi-al-Taym. At the end of the seventeenth century (1697) the Shihabs succeeded the Ma’ans in the feudal leadership of Druze southern Lebanon, although they professed Sunni Islam. Secretly, they showed sympathy with Druzism, the religion of the majority of their subjects.
The Shihab leadership continued till the middle of the last century and culminated in the illustrious governorship of Amir Bashir Shihab II (1788-1840) who, after Fakhr-al-Din, was the most powerful feudal lord Lebanon produced. Though governor of the Druze Mountain Bashir was a crypto-Christian, and it was he whose aid Napoleon solicited in 1799 during his campaign against Syria.
Having consolidated his conquests in Syria (1831-1838), Ibrahim Pasha, son of the viceroy of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, made the fatal mistake of trying to disarm the Christians and Druzes of the Lebanon and to draft the latter into his army. This was contrary to the principles of the life of independence which these mountaineers had always lived, and resulted in a general uprising against Egyptian rule. The uprising was encouraged, for political reasons, by the British. The Druzes of Wadi-al-Taym and ?awran, under the leadership of Shibli al-Aryan, distinguished themselves in their stubborn resistance at their inaccessible headquarters, al-Laja, lying southeast of Damascus.[30]
*Qaysites and the Yemenites
Main article: Battle of Ain Darra
The conquest of Syria by the Muslim Arabs in the middle of the seventh century introduced into the land two political factions later called the Qaysites and the Yemenites. The Qaysite party represented the ?ijaz and Bedouin Arabs who were regarded as inferior by the Yemenites who were earlier and more cultured emigrants into Syria from southern Arabia. Druzes and Christians grouped in political rather than religious parties so the party lines in Lebanon obliterated racial and religious lines and the people grouped themselves regardless of their religious affiliations, into one or the other of these two parties. The sanguinary feuds between these two factions depleted, in course of time, the manhood of the Lebanon and ended in the decisive battle of Ain Dara in 1711, which resulted in the utter defeat of the Yemenite party. Many Yemenite Druzes thereupon immigrated to the Hawran region and thus laid the foundation of Druze power there.[30]
*Civil War of 1860
Main article: 1860 Lebanon conflict
The Druzes and their Christian Maronite neighbors, who had thus far lived as religious communities on friendly terms, entered a period of social disturbance in the year 1840, which culminated in the civil war of 1860. For this disturbance the Ottoman Sultan was, in a great measure, responsible. The Sultan, realizing that the only way to bring the semi-independent people of Lebanon under his direct control was to sow the seeds of discord among the people themselves, inaugurated in the mountain a policy long tried and found successful in the Ottoman provinces, the policy of "divide and rule".[30]
Also, after the Shehab dynasty converted to Christianity the Druze community and feudal leaders came under attack from the regime with the collaboration of the Catholic Church, and the Druze lost most of their political and feudal powers. Also, the Druze formed a strong ally with Britain and allowed Protestant missionaries to enter Mount Lebanon, creating tension between them and the Catholic Maronites, who were supported by the french. The civil war of 1860 cost the Christians some ten thousand lives in Damascus, Zahle, Deir al-Qamar, Hasbaya and other towns of Lebanon.
The European powers then determined to interfere and authorized the landing in Beirut of a body of French troops under General Beaufort d’Hautpoul, whose inscription can still be seen on the historic rock at the mouth of the Dog River (Nahr El-Kalb). Following the recommendations of the powers, the Ottoman Porte granted Lebanon local autonomy, guaranteed by the powers, under a Christian governor. This autonomy was maintained until World War I.[32][30]
[edit] Modern history
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 Aql "the Universal Mind", red for Nafs "the Universal Soul", yellow for Kalima "the Truth/Word", blue for Sabq "the Antagonist/Cause" and white for Tali "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 Syria, most Druze live in the Jebel al-Druze, a rugged and mountainous region in the southwest of the country, which is more than 90 percent Druze inhabited, some 120 villages are exclusively so.
The Druze always played a far more important role in Syrian politics than its comparatively small population would suggest. With a community of little more than 100,000 in 1949, or roughly three percent of the Syrian population, the Druzes of Syria's southeastern mountains constituted a potent force in Syrian politics and played a leading role in the nationalist struggle against the French. Under the military leadership of Sultan Pasha al-Atrash the Druzes provided much of the military force behind the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925-1927. In 1945 Amir Hasan al-Atrash, the paramount political leader of the Jebel al-Druze, led the Druze military units in a successful revolt against the French, making the Jebel al-Druze the first and only region in Syria to liberate itself from French rule without British assistance. No Syrians played a more heroic role in the struggle against colonialism or shed more blood for independence than the Druzes. At independence the Druzes, made confident by their successes, expected that Damascus would reward them for their many sacrifices on the battlefield. They demanded to keep their autonomous administration and many political privileges accorded them by the French and sought generous economic assistance from the newly independent government.
Well led by the Atrash household and jealous of their reputation as Arab nationalists and proud warriors, the Druze leaders refused to be beaten into submission by Damascus or cowed by threats. When a local paper in 1945 reported that President Shukri al-Quwatli (1943-1949) had called the Druzes a "dangerous minority" Sultan Pasha al-Atrash flew into a rage and demanded a public retraction. If it were not forthcoming, he announced, the Druzes would indeed become "dangerous" and a force of 4,000 Druze warriors would "occupy the city of Damascus." Quwwatli could not dismiss Sultan Pasha's threat. The military balance of power in Syria was tilted in favor of the Druzes, at least until the military build up during the 1948 War in Palestine. One advisor to the Syrian Defense Department warned in 1946 that the Syrian army was "useless," and that the Druzes could "take Damascus and capture the present leaders in a breeze."
During the four years of Adib Shishakli's rule in Syria (December 1949 to February 1954) the Druze community was subjected to a heavy attack by the Syrian regime. Shishakli believed that among his many opponents in Syria, the Druzes were the most potentially dangerous, and he was determined to crush them. He frequently proclaimed: "My enemies are like a serpent: the head is the Jebel al-Druze, the stomach Homs, and the tail Aleppo. If I crush the head the serpent will die." Shishakli dispatched 10,000 regular troops to occupy the Jebel al-Druze. Several towns were bombarded with heavy weapons, killing scores of civilians and destroying many houses. According to Druze accounts, Shishakli encouraged neighboring bedouin tribes to plunder the defenseless population and allowed his own troops to run amok.
Shishakli launched a brutal campaign to defame the Druzes for their religion and politics. He accused the entire community of treason, at times claiming they were agents of the British and Hashimites, at others that they were fighting for Israel against the Arabs. He even produced a cache of Israeli weapons allegedly discover in the Jabal. Even more painful for the Druze community was his publication of "falsified Druze religious texts" and false testimonials ascribed to leading Druze sheikhs designed to stir up sectarian hatred. This propaganda was also broadcasted in the Arab world, mainly Egypt. Shishakli was assassinated in Brazil on September 27, 1964 by a Druze seeking revenge for Shishakli's bombardment of the Jebel al-Druze.
After the Shishakli’s military campaign, the Druze community lost a lot of its political influence but many Druze military officers played an important role when it comes to the Baathist regime currently ruling Syria.[33]
*In Lebanon
The Druze community played an important role in the formation of the modern state of Lebanon, and even though they are a minority they played an important role in the Lebanese political scene. Before and during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), the Druze were in favor of Pan-Arabism and Palestinian resistance represented by the PLO. Most of the community supported the Progressive Socialist Party formed by the Lebanese leader Kamal Jumblatt and they fought alongside other leftist and Palestinian parties against the Lebanese Front that was mainly constituted of Christians. After the assassination of Kamal Jumblatt on March 16, 1977, his son Walid Jumblatt took the leadership of the party and played an important role in preserving his father’s legacy and sustained the existence of the Druze community during the sectarian bloodshed that lasted till 1990.
In August 2001 Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir toured the predominantly Druze Chouf region of Mount Lebanon and visited Mukhtara, the ancestral stronghold of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt. The tumultuous reception that Sfeir received not only signified a historic reconciliation between Maronites and Druze, who fought a bloody war in 1983-1984, but underscored the fact that the banner of Lebanese sovereignty had broad multi-confessional appeal[34] and was a cornerstone for the Cedar Revolution. Other “pro-Syrian” political parties are supported by some Druzes such as the Lebanese Democratic Party led by Talal Arslan and other minor political figures.
*In Israel
In Israel the majority of the approximately 120,000 Druze consider themselves a distinct ethnic group and no longer identify themselves as Arab.[35] Since 1957 the Israeli government has also designated the Druze a distinct ethnic community, at the request of the community's leaders
A minority of the Druze in the Golan region occupied and administered by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, have a separate legal status from those in the Galilee region, and are considered permanent residents under the Golan Heights Law of 1981. Few of them have accepted full Israeli citizenship, and the majority are citizens of Syria.[36] Druze in the Golan are not drafted into the Israeli army (although a minority serve voluntarily) and many travel to Syria regularly to visit family or receive university degrees in Damascus. A year after Israel annexed the Golan, on April 14, 1982, the Druze communities around Mt. Hermon launched a six-month non-violent general strike in protest of Israel's annexation of the Golan.
The rest of the Druze population are citizens of Israel. Druze citizens are prominent in the Israel Defense Forces and in politics. A considerable number of Israeli Druze soldiers have fallen in Israel's wars since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The bond between Jewish and Druze soldiers is commonly known by the term brit damim "covenant of blood", although in recent years the phrase has been criticized as the Israeli government has been accused for failing to open up employment opportunities to Druze youth outside of the army.[37]
In 1996 Azzam Azzam, a Druze Israeli businessman, was accused by Egypt of spying for Israel and was imprisoned for eight years, an accusation denied by the Israeli government.
In January 2004 the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Shaykh 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 Galilean city of Shefa-'Amr also signed the document&183;[38] The declaration includes the commitment to make a "...better humane world based on the Seven Noahide Commandments and the values they represent commanded by the Creator to all mankind through Moses on Mount Sinai."[38]
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, whom Muslims call Shu?ayb. 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. The tomb of Jethro near Tiberias is the most important religious site for the Druze community.[38] It has been claimed that the Druze are actually descendents of Jethro.[citation needed]
*Beliefs of the Druze
The Druze are considered to be a social group as well as a religion, but not a distinct ethnic group. Also complicating their identity is the custom of Taqiya—concealing or disguising their beliefs when necessary—that they adopted from Shia Islam. Druze in different states can have radically different lifestyles. Some claim to be Muslim, some do not. The Druze faith is said to abide by Islamic principles, but they tend to be separatist in their treatment of Druze-hood. Druze does not allow conversion to the religion. Marriage between Druze and non-Druze is discouraged for religious, political and historical reasons.
*God in the Druze faith
The Druze conception of the deity is declared by them to be one of strict and uncompromising unity. The main Druze doctrine states that God is both Transcendent and Immanent, in which He is above all attributes but at the same time He is present.[39]
In their desire to maintain a rigid confession of unity they stripped from God all attributes (tanzih) which may savor of, or lead into, polytheism (shirk). In Allah there are no attributes distinct from his essence. He is wise, mighty, just, not by wisdom, might, justice, but by his own essence. God is "the whole of existence" rather than "above existence," or on His throne which would make Him "limited." There is neither "how," "when" nor "where" about him, he is incomprehensible [40]
In this dogma, they are similar to the semi-philosophical, semi-religious body which flourished under Al-Ma'mun and was known by the name of Mu'tazila and the equally interesting fraternal order of the Brethren of Purity (Ikhwan al-?afa). [30]
But unlike the Mu’tazilla and similar to some branches of Sufism the Druze believe in the concept of Tajalli (meaning "theophany"). [40] The Tajalli, which is more often misunderstood by scholars and writers, and is usually confused with the concept of Incarnation, is the core spiritual beliefs in the Druze and some other intellectual and spiritual traditions. [40] In a mystical sense, it refers to the light of God experienced by certain mystics who have reached a high level of purity in their spiritual journey. Thus, God is perceived as the “Lahut” (the divine) who manifests His Light in the Station (Maqaam) of the “Nasut (material realm) without the Nasut becoming Lahut. This is like one's image in the mirror: one is in the mirror but does not become the mirror. The Druze manuscripts are emphatic and warn against the belief that the Nasut is God. Neglecting this warning, individual seekers, scholars, and other spectators have considered al-Hakim and other figures divine.[40]
In the Druze scriptural view of the Tajalli "takes a central stage.In which, “One author comments that the Tajalli occurs when the seeker's humanity is annihilated so that divine attributes and light are experienced by the person. The concept of God reincarnating in a human, seem to contradict with what the Druze scriptural view has to teach about the Oneness of God, while Tajalli is at the center of the Druze and some other, often mystical, traditions.[40]
*Esotericism
The Druze believe that many teachings given by Prophets, religious leaders, and Holy Books, had esoteric meanings preserved for those of intellect, in which some teachings are mere symbols and allegoristic in nature and for that they divide the understanding of holy books and teachings into three layers. These layers according to the Druze are:
The obvious or exoteric (Zahir), accessible to anyone who can read or hear;
The hidden or esoteric (Batin), accessible to those who are willing to search and learn through the concept of (exegesis); and
The hidden of the hidden, a concept known as Anagoge, inaccessible to all but a few really enlightened individuals who truly understand the nature of the universe.[41]
Unlike some Islamic esoteric movements known as the batinids at that time, the Druzes don’t believe that the esoteric meaning abrogates or necessary abolishes the exoteric one. For example, Hamza b. Ali, refutes such claims by stating that, if the esoteric interpretation of purity is the purity of the heart and soul, it doesn’t mean that a person can discard his physical purity, as Prayer is useless if a person is untruthful in his speech and that the esoteric and exoteric meanings complement each other.[42]
*The Precepts of the Druze Faith
Main article: Seven Pillars of Islam (Druze)
The Druze follow seven precepts, that are considered the core of the faith and are perceived by them, as the essence of the pillars of Islam. The Seven Druze precepts are:
Veracity in speech and the truthfulness of the tongue.
Protection and mutual aid to the brethren in faith.
Renunciation of all forms of former worship (specifically, invalid creeds) and false belief.
Repudiation of the devil (Iblis), and all forces of evil (translated from Arabic Toghyan meaning "Tyranny").
Confession of God’s unity.
Acquiescence in God’s acts no matter what they be.
Absolute submission and resignation to God’s divine will in both secret and public. [43]
?Uqqal and Juhhal
The Druze are split into two groups. The largely secular majority, called al-Juhhal (????) ("the Ignorant") are not granted access to the Druze holy literature. They are around 80% of the Druze population, and generally distance themselves from religious issues - for this reason they are able to fill governmental positions (sometimes disproportionately to the Druze's share of the general population) in the nations that they inhabit which endorse other religions. They often do not consider themselves to have most of the religious responsibilities that the faith includes, but practice personal prayer.
The religious group, which includes both men and women (about 20% of the population), is called al-?Uqqal (????), ("the Knowledgeable Initiates"). They have a special mode of dress designed to comply with Quranic traditions. Women can opt to wear al-mandil, a loose white veil, especially in the presence of other people. They wear al-mandil 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. Male ?uqqal grow moustaches, and wear dark clothing with white turbans.
Al-?uqqal have equal rights to al-Juhhal, but establish an informal hierarchy of respect based on religious service. The most influential 5% of so become Ajawid, recognized religious leaders, and from this group the local community usually chooses its official Shaykh al-?Aql. His role is primarily as political and social leader of the community, but he is also recognized as religious authority as well - and must commit to a humble, celibate (interestingly, including celibate marriage), pious, modest lifestyle somewhat akin to some Christian clergy positions.
The Druze believe in the unity of God, and are often known as the "People of Monotheism" or simply "Monotheists". 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. There are Sufi influences in their philosophy as well. Some individual Druze sheikhs interpret Quranic phrases to talk about reincarnation, but contrary to popular perception this is not part of the primary theology of the faith.
Druze principles focus on honesty, loyalty, filial piety, altruism, patriotic sacrifice, and monotheism. They reject polygamy, tobacco smoking, alcohol, consumption of pork and marriage to non-Druze, though these rules are only seriously enforced among ?Uqqal.
*Origins of the Druze people
*Ethnic origins
The Druze faith did extend to many areas in the Middle East and even reached Persia and India [44] but most of the surviving modern Druze can trace their origin to the Wadi al-Taym in South Lebanon, which is so called after an Arab tribe Taym-Allah (formerly Taym-Allat) which, according to the greatest Arab historian, al-Tabari, first came from Arabia into the valley of the Euphrates where they were Christianized prior to their migration into the Lebanon. Many of the Druze feudal families whose genealogies have been preserved to us by the two modern Syrian chroniclers: Haydar al-Shihabi and al-Shidyaq, seem also to point in the direction of the same origin. Arabian tribes which emigrated via the Persian Gulf and stopped in Iraq on the route that was later to lead them to Syria. The first feudal Druze family, the Tanukh family, which made for itself a name in fighting the Crusaders, was according to Haydar al-Shihabi, an Arab tribe from Mesopotamia where it occupied the position of a ruling family and was apparently Christianized.[30]
The Tanukhs must have left Arabia as early as the second or third century A.D. The Ma‘an tribe which superseded the Tanukhs and produced the greatest Druze hero in history, Fakhr-al-Din, had the same traditional origin. The Talhuq family and ‘Abd-al-Malik who supplied the later Druze leadership, have the same record as the Tanukhs. The Imad family is so-called from al-Imadiyyah, near Mosul in northern Iraq, and, like the Jumblatts, is thought to be of Kurdish origin. The Arsalan family claim descent from the Hirah Arab kings, but the name Arsalan (Persian and Turkish for lion) suggests Persian influence if not origin.[30]
Mainly, the most accepted theory is that the Druzes are a mixture of stocks in which the Arab largely predominates, while being grafted on to an original mountain population of Aramaic blood.[45]
Nevertheless, many scholars formed their own hypotheses for example Lamartine (1835) discovered in the modern Druzes the remnants of the Samaritans, [46]; Earl of Carnarvon (1860), those of the Cuthites whom Esarhaddon transplanted into Palestine [47]. Professor Felix von Luschan (1911), according to his conclusions from anthropometric measurements, makes the Druzes, Maronites, and Alawites of Syria, together with the Armenians, Bektashis, ‘Ali-Ilahis and Yezidis of Asia Minor and Persia, the modern representatives of the ancient Hittites.[48]
During the 18th century, there have been two branches of Druze living in Lebanon: the Yemeni Druze, headed by the Hamdan and Al-Atrash families, and the Kaysi Druze, headed by the Jumblat and Arsalan families.
The Hamdan family was banished from Mount Lebanon following the battle of Ain Dara in 1711. This battle was fought between two Druze factions: the Yemeni and the Kaysi. Following their dramatic defeat, the Yemeni faction migrated to Syria in the Jebel-Druze region and its capital, Soueida. Though, it had been argued that these two factions were of political nature rather than ethnic and had both Christians and Druze supporters.
[edit] Genetics
In a 2005 study of ASPM gene variants, Mekel-Bobrov et al. found that the Israeli Druze people of the Carmel region have among the highest rate of the newly-evolved ASPM haplogroup D, at 52.2% occurrence of the approximately 6,000-year-old allele.[49] While it is not yet known exactly what selective advantage is provided by this gene variant, the haplogroup D allele is thought to be positively selected in populations and to confer some substantial advantage that has caused its frequency to rapidly increase.
According to DNA testing, Druze are remarkable for their high frequency (35%) of males who carry the Y-chromosomal haplogroup L, which is otherwise uncommon in the Mideast (Shen et al 2004).[50] This haplogroup originates from prehistoric South Asia.
Cruciani in 2007 found E1b1b1a2 (E-V13) [one from Sub Clades of E1b1b1a1 (E-V12)] in high levels (>10% of the male population) in Turkish Cypriot and Druze Arab lineages.
Also, a new study concluded that the Druze harbor a remarkable diversity of mitochondrial DNA lineages that appear to have separated from each other thousands of years ago. But instead of dispersing throughout the world after their separation, the full range of lineages can still be found within the Druze population.[51]
The researchers noted that the Druze villages, contained a striking range of high frequency and high diversity of the X haplogroup, suggesting that this population provides a glimpse into the past genetic landscape of the Near East, at a time when the X haplogroup was more prevalent.[51]
These findings are consistent with the Druze oral tradition, that claims that the adherents of the faith, came from a diverse ancestral lineages stretching back tens of thousands of years.[51]
I AM A DECENDANT OF THE DRUZE
What is the Druze's evaluation of Christianity ?
The answer to this question is quite special. The Druze believe in Jesus and his four disciples, who wrote the Gospels. According to theirclassification Christ is the Greatest Imam and the incarnation of UltimateReason (Akl) on earth and the first cosmic principle (Hadd). He is directlysecond to God. His four disciples are considered as the four cosmic principles(Houdoud). The Gospels are Holy Books. With Christianity, the developmentof Monotheism was decisive. God promised the Christians the salvation ofthe tortured souls, and made it clear that Jesus had come to lead his followersto the safety shore. As for the crucifixion of Jesus, the Druze believethat he was not crucified but another person who resembles him was crucifiedin his place. Such a belief may seem very queer to a traditional Christian,but we have to remember that the Druze follow also the koranic verses andthe Koran made it clear that Jesus Christ was not crucified. Nevertheless,the Druze maintain a great value to the meaning of sacrifice. John theBaptist is considered next to Jesus and he personifies the Ultimate Sacrifice.
One of the Druze manuscripts reveals a fascinating idea by mentioning thatJesus and the Holy Spirit are one identity. This idea is very near to theconcept of the sacred Trinity in Christianity. The Druze's manner of thinkingenabled them to accept the idea of the all in one. The diluted pantheismof their faith leads to such a conclusion.
Another remark that shows a close relation with Christianity is the Druzerefutation to polygamy unlike the traditional Muslim sects
HISTORY of LEBANON
The first written artifacts from the ancient Lebanon tell us about the first known occupants of the land, Phoenicians. As long as 5000 years ago, people known also as Canaanites of the Bible were living here. Ancient Greeks called them Phoenicians. They were living in cities like Byblos, Sidon and Tyre and involving with commercial and maritime activities. These three cities were among the most important port-cities of the ancient times. Tyre was considered to be the most important of the Phoenician city-states. The ancient people of the city built a business empire nearly 3000 years ago. They founded Carthage in the 9th century B.C. and reached the Straits of Gibraltar. They colonized part of Cyprus, Rhodes and the Aegean Islands. They founded Tashish, a great commercial colony, on the coast of Spain. After reaching most remote parts of the Mediterranean region, they sailed around Africa. Starting from the Gulf of Aqaba they returned to Egypt.
Egyptian domination of the Phoenician cities started in about 1500 B.C. and continued for many centuries. Only there was a period during which the Hittites, an Indo-European civilization from Anatolia, dominated the areas covering Syria and Lebanon. After a short period the Egyptians took over the control of Lebanon again.
As the Egyptian domination ceased to exist, Phoenicia enjoyed a period of independence. This was interrupted by the Assryians. This Assryian domination was very brutal. The relative prosperity came back only after the Persian king Cyrus' conquering of Phoenicia in 538 B.C. The Phoenician fleet became a major weapon in the hands of Persian kings to conquer the rest of the Mediterranean region during the following centuries.
The Macedonians under Alexander the Great overthrew Persia in 333 B.C. All Phoenician cities except Tyre welcomed Alexander's rule. It took 7 months for Alexander to take control of the city. This was the beginning of the Greek/Macedonian cultural domination of Phoenician cities during the following many centuries.
The Phoenician traders sold cedarwood, bronze, glass, silk and brocades to the cities in Greece and Asia Minor as early as 4000 years ago. This commercial activity was not a one way process. They sold and bought items from places like ancient Greece. This activity soon started to influence the ways Phoenicians lived, thought and believed. Greek traditions, festivals, baths, theatres and even gods and goddeses became part of Phoenicians' life.
The first alphabet of 22 consonants from which most ancient and also the modern scripts were derived was created by the Phoenicians. They invented the first glass making technique and produced glassware in large quantities.
The cultural influence of Greeks was replaced with the Romans during the following centuries. In 64 B.C. Phoenicia was officially ceased to exist and became part of the vast Roman province of Syria. The important Phoenician cities such as Berytus (Beirut) and Heliopolis (Baalbeck) became model Roman cities soon after this takeover. The law school in Berytus which was founded by the Emperor Septimus Severus (193 - 211 A.D.) was contributed extensively by the Phoenician lecturers and the law studied here were compiled into the Roman Code of Law which is still studied by students now.
After Roman era, there was a short period of Byzantine rule on the land of Phoenicia ending in the 6th century A.D. The Muslim Arabs invaded and ruled the country until the late 11th century, when European Crusaders arrived. The Christian Crusaders ruled Lebanon for only 200 years. Finally, by the late 13th century, the Seljuk Turks and then the Ottomans ruled the land during the following 600 years. During this period the people of Lebanon, mainly both Christians and Muslims co-existed peacefully. This harmony quickly disappeared soon after the decline of the Ottoman rule in the mid-19th century. Troubles surfaced between Muslem Druzes and Christian Maronites. The long disturbing riots and massacres were stopped by a new authority which was setup under French Government control. This authority covered the areas only in Mount Lebanon district. This period under the new authority, brought important political, social and educational and economic reforms. Consequently, the country has became prosperous once again. This continued until the World War I. The new educational system encouraged the use of the Arabic language as a prime cultural resource. The newly emerging Arabic nationalism was fed tremendously by this recent trend of education in Arabic has caused the Arabs to demand independence from the Ottoman rule. After the World War I the Ottoman Empire was totally destroyed and the control of the State of Lebanon was passes into French authorities in the form of a mandate approved by the League of Nations. During the French domination period, an effective health, education and judiciary system was established.
In 1926, Lebanon was declared a republic. The foreign control of Lebanon did not end with this declaration. The independence from French was granted on 22 November 1943. The newly elected Nationalist Government tried to purge the constitution of all references to the French mandate. This has caused the French delegate-general to suspend the constitution and arrest the prime minister and cabinet and even send them into exile.
Riots and strikes against the French forced the French authorities to back down. In 1944 all important government positions were handed back to the Lebanese. After World War II the most important Western influence in the country has been USA.
Lebanon's strategic location and stable west-leaning stand made it a major banking and trade center. Many mulitnational companies had their Middle Eartern head-quarters in Beirut. This stable and prosperous period continued until mid-70s. The power was mainly in the hands of the Christian half of the people of Lebanon. The other half, mainly Muslim citizens of Lebanon were excluded from real government. The escalating tensions in the new Middle East, dislocated Palestinians and Suez crisis caused the national unity to break apart. The first Muslim rebellion in 1958 was put down by the help of USA. After the disastrous Arab-Israeli war in 1967, the problems have been surfaced more seriously. In the mid-70s the all-out civil war began which has torn the country apart. Since then the power struggle between different groups continued with less hope for a true peace. Syria and Israel marched in and marched out without any real success to turn the struggle to their advantage by leaving a worse mess behind them everytime.
Only in 1991 a final cease-fire and then a continuing peace accord has been established between the rival groups. The current political status is stable and very promising.
Israel, Hezbollah in deadly battle
On July 13, Israel launched a series of bombing raids in Lebanon. The move came after Hezbollah forces crossed into Israel, killing three soldiers and abducting two more -- an act the Israeli prime minister declared an "act of war."
Since then, Israel has carried on an aerial and ground battle against Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon, as the Lebanese militant group pounds northern Israel with Katyusha rockets.
The Lebanese prime minister described his country as a "disaster zone." Thousands of foreign nationals have been fleeing on cruise ships and military vessels, passing through an Israeli naval blockade
Israel Attacks Lebanon's Christian Heartland
An Israeli airstrike hit dozens of farm workers loading vegetables near the Lebanon-Syria border, killing 28, the workers' foreman and a Lebanese official said.
Five Lebanese civilians were killed and 19 wounded in the Israeli airstrikes north of the capital in Christian areas where Hezbollah has little support or presence, including the picturesque coastal resort of Jounieh.
According to the Psalmist, the heathen’s attitude is, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm 2:3). Translated into modern terms, this reads: “Come now, we can no longer tolerate any condemnation from the Bible. We won’t allow this ’Jesus bondage’ to stop us. We’re going to put into effect laws that break all the old chains of morality. We’ll claim our right to marriage between two men or two women. We’re going to push for the rights of all manner of sexual deviations. We need to break down the old moral boundaries. We’ll claim the moral high ground.”
My Bible tells me what will happen in such an hour. When evil men’s wrath is poised to overwhelm the laws of nature - turning society into an indescribable, Sodom-like hell, where every man is a law unto himself - that’s when our Lord moves in: “Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (2:5).
The Psalmist tells us, “They have set up their own standards as holy. They’ve lifted up their earthly axes in a forest of trees to cut down all that is righteous. They’re smashing holy things with hatchets and hammers, and defiling God’s dwelling place” (see Psalm 74:4-7). He then laments, “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?” (74:10).
That’s when God’s Word tells us the destruction and blasphemy being brought about by man’s wrath won’t last much longer. “Surely the wrath of men shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain” (76:10). How will this happen? Simply put, the more intense the wrath of men becomes, the more God will pour out his grace. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).
We see wonderful examples of this throughout history. Think about how the church of Christ was trampled in China, under the horrible wrath of communism. All forms of religious activity were banned, including Buddhism, the prominent religion in that land. A spiritual vacuum was left, with people empty and hungering. Yet, once again, the wrath of man was turned into the praises of God. The Lord poured out rivers of grace on China, and an underground church sprang up all across the nation. Today the Chinese church numbers in the millions, and it’s still growing strong.
Perhaps the clearest example to me of man’s wrath turning into God’s praise is the testimony of the apostle Paul. Jesus manifested himself to this fierce persecutor of the early church, on the road to Damascus. In a single moment, Paul’s raging hatred for Christ and his church was turned into God’s praise. The entire world is different today as a result.
Even now we’re seeing the wrath of Hezbollah being turned into God’s praise. How? Islamics in South Lebanon fled the war into Jordan and Syria, where many were taken in by Christians. As those believers showed Christ’s unconditional love to the refugees, feeding and housing them, the hearts of the disenfranchised Islamics were being melted. They are now more open to the gospel than ever.
Through all of these examples, I see the Lord answering the Psalmist’s cry: “Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually” (Psalm 74:22-23).
Religion and group of people with somewhere between 350,000 (estimate of Western scholars) and 900,000 (figures presented by the Druze) members (LexicOrient estimates that around 600,000 live in the Middel east and nearly 700,000 all over the world), living in Lebanon ,Syria, Israel and Jordan , often in mountainous regions. There are also important Druze communities abroad, living in Europe and USA.
While the Druze are not regarded as Muslims by other Muslims, they regard themselves as Muslims as well as carriers of the core of this Islam. The Druze seem, to a large extent, to have originated from a group of Shi'is, the Ismaili'is, but they have diverged much, and the Koran does not seem to be a part of their religion.
The Druze call themselves muwahhidun, 'monotheists'.
THEOLOGY
The theology of Druze religion is called hikma and its main theme is that God incarnated himself in the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim, who they claim disappeared in 1021. While most Muslims believe he died in 1021, the Druze disagree and believe that al-Hakim is awaiting to return to the world in order to bring a new golden age to true believers.
Druze believe in one God and claim that the qualities of God cannot be understood or defined by humans. Al-Hakim is worshiped in Druze religion, he is called 'Our Lord', and his cruelties and eccentricities are all interpreted symbolically.
But while God incarnated himself in al-Hakim in his unity, other aspects of God can be incarnated in other human beings. These aspects are represented with 5 superior ministers. Under the ministers, one finds three other groups: functionaries, preachers, and heads of communities. The knowledge of about this hierarchal system is the highest knowledge in the Druze religion.
Frequently one hears from sources about a calf in Druze religion. It is believed that the calf is a central symbol which represents the negative forces in the world.
The moral system of Druze religion consists of seven principles:
Love of truth
Taking care of one another
Renouncing all other religions
Avoiding the demon (the calf?) and all wrongdoers
Accepting divine unity in humanity
Accepting all of al-Hakim's acts
Acting in total accordance to al-Hakim's will
Central in the Druze world system is the belief in reincarnation, through which all souls are reborn as humans, good as well as bad. Good people have a more fortunate rebirth than bad people. Behind this system is the belief that humans cannot reach perfection and unite with God.
Hell and heaven in Druze religion are viewed differently from most other Middel Eastern religions, and bear clear resemblances with Gnostic philosophy and religion, as heaven is only spiritual, when man stops being man and is saved from more rebirths. Hell is just as spiritual and is the distance from, and the longing to, unity with God which goes on for one lifetime after another if a person has been evil.
MEANING OF THE DRUZE STAR
The Druze star symbolizes the five wise superior ministers, each with his quality. Green is for "the mind", 'al-'akl, which is necessary for understanding the truth. Red is for "the soul", 'an-nafs. Yellow is for "the word", 'al-kalima, which is the purest form of expression of the truth. Blue, 'as-sabik, is for the mental power of the will. White, 'al-tali, is the realization of Blue, in which its power has been realized in the world of matter.
ORGANIZATION OF THE DRUZE COMMUNITY
The hikma is known only to an elite of religiously trained men, the uqqal. Most Druze know only parts of their religion's theology, and they are referred to as juhhal, "ignorants." One out of 50 members of the uqqal, reach as high as perfection, and are called 'ajawid, 'noble', and work as the real leaders of the Druze religion.
The uqqal take care of the religion for the juhhal, and they alone attend the religious meetings taking place on the night between Thursday and Friday, in ordinary buildings in the outskirts of Druze villages. For the Druze, the centre of religious activities is located to the mountainous region called Jabalu d-Duruz in Syria.
The juhhal perform few of the typical Muslim rituals, prayer is not performed in mosques, a fast is not performed during the Muslim month of Ramadan, and there are no obligations to perform the Hajj the Muslim pilgrimage.
LIFE STYLES
The Druze follow a life style of isolation in which no conversion is allowed, neither out of, or into, the religion. When Druze live among people of other religions, they try to blend in, in order to protect their religion and their own safety. They can perform prayer as Muslims, or as Christians, depending on where they are.
This system is apparently changing in modern times, where more security has allowed Druze to be more open about their religious identity.
Druze have earlier been reported to practice polygamy. But there is no evidence of such a practice among Druze today.
Druze abstain from wine and tobacco. There are clear prohibitions against a number of other acts, too.
Druze have a strong community feeling, in which they identify themselves as related even across borders of countries.
There are sources suggesting that the Druze had their own identity even before conversion to the faith in al-Hakim. Unsubstantiated theories point in a direction of the Druze being descendants of Persian colonists, while another theory says they are descendants of Christians from the time of the Crusades. The latter is not very likely, due to the fact that the first crusade took place 80 years after al-Hakim's disappearance.
Despite their practice of blending with dominant groups in order to avoid persecution, the Druze have had a history of brave resistance to occupying powers, and they have at times enjoyed more freedom than most other groups living in the Levant.
HISTORY
1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middel East and North Africa, but that it is only the Druze that kept it up.
1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the Ottomans. The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours.
1918: Druze participate in the army of Faisal, thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community.
1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations.
1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to Palmyira.
1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French.
Since 1948 the Druze are integral part of the state of Israel concetrating in the Golan with strong orientation to Syria, Very strong community in the upper Galilee and 2 villages on the top of the Carmel. They serve in the Israeli army
Influences I am a lebanese christian , also an ancestor and descendant of The Druze Religion and group of people with somewhere between 350,000 (estimate of Western scholars) and 900,000 (figures presented by the Druze) members (LexicOrient estimates that around 600,000 live in the Middle East and nearly 700,000 all over the world), living in Lebanon , Syria , Israel , and Jordan , often in mountainous regions. There are also important Druze communities abroad, living in Europe and USA. While the Druze are not regarded as Muslims by other Muslims, they regard themselves as Muslims as well as carriers of the core of this Islam . The Druze seem, to a large extent, to have originated from a group of Shi'is , the Isma'ilis ., but they have diverged much, and the Koran does not seem to be a part of their religion. The Druze call themselves muwahhidun, 'monotheists'. THEOLOGY The theology of Druze religion is called hikma and its main theme is that God incarnated himself in the Fatimid . caliph al-Hakim, who they claim disappeared in 1021. While most Muslims believe he died in 1021, the Druze disagree and believe that al-Hakim is awaiting to return to the world in order to bring a new golden age to true believers. HISTORY 1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middle East and North Africa., but that it is only the Druze that kept it up. 1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the . The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours. 1918: Druze participate in the army of , thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community. 1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations. 1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to 1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French. Druze believe in one God and claim that the qualities of God cannot be understood or defined by humans. Al-Hakim is worshiped in Druze religion, he is called 'Our Lord', and his cruelties and eccentricities are all interpreted symbolically. But while God incarnated himself in al-Hakim in his unity, other aspects of God can be incarnated in other human beings. These aspects are represented with 5 superior ministers. Under the ministers, one finds three other groups: functionaries, preachers, and heads of communities. The knowledge of about this hierarchal system is the highest knowledge in the Druze religion. Frequently one hears from sources about a calf in Druze religion. It is believed that the calf is a central symbol which represents the negative forces in the world. The moral system of Druze religion consists of seven principles: Love of truth Taking care of one another Renouncing all other religions Avoiding the demon (the calf?) and all wrongdoers Accepting divine unity in humanity Accepting all of al-Hakim's acts Acting in total accordance to al-Hakim's will Central in the Druze world system is the belief in reincarnation, through which all souls are reborn as humans, good as well as bad. Good people have a more fortunate rebirth than bad people. Behind this system is the belief that humans cannot reach perfection and unite with God. Hell and heaven in Druze religion are viewed differently from most other Middle Eastern middle_east. religions, and bear clear resemblances with Gnostic philosophy and religion, as heaven is only spiritual, when man stops being man and is saved from more rebirths. Hell is just as spiritual and is the distance from, and the longing to, unity with God which goes on for one lifetime after another if a person has been evil. MEANING OF THE DRUZE STAR The Druze star symbolizes the five wise superior ministers, each with his quality. Green is for "the mind", 'al-'akl, which is necessary for understanding the truth. Red is for "the soul", 'an-nafs. Yellow is for "the word", 'al-kalima, which is the purest form of expression of the truth. Blue, 'as-sabik, is for the mental power of the will. White, 'al-tali, is the realization of Blue, in which its power has been realized in the world of matter. ORGANIZATION OF THE DRUZE COMMUNITY The hikma is known only to an elite of religiously trained men, the uqqal. Most Druze know only parts of their religion's theology, and they are referred to as juhhal, "ignorants." One out of 50 members of the uqqal, reach as high as perfection, and are called 'ajawid, 'noble', and work as the real leaders of the Druze religion. The uqqal take care of the religion for the juhhal, and they alone attend the religious meetings taking place on the night between Thursday and Friday, in ordinary buildings in the outskirts of Druze villages. For the Druze, the centre of religious activities is located to the mountainous region called Jabalu d-Duruz in Syria. The juhhal perform few of the typical Muslim rituals, prayer is not performed in mosque., a fast is not performed during the Muslim month of Ramadan, and there are no obligations to perform the hajj., the Muslim pilgrimage. LIFE STYLES The Druze follow a life style of isolation in which no conversion is allowed, neither out of, or into, the religion. When Druze live among people of other religions, they try to blend in, in order to protect their religion and their own safety. They can perform prayer as Muslims, or as Christians, depending on where they are. This system is apparently changing in modern times, where more security has allowed Druze to be more open about their religious identity. Druze have earlier been reported to practice polygamy. But there is no evidence of such a practice among Druze today. Druze abstain from wine and tobacco. There are clear prohibitions against a number of other acts, too. Druze have a strong community feeling, in which they identify themselves as related even across borders of countries. There are sources suggesting that the Druze had their own identity even before conversion to the faith in al-Hakim. Unsubstantiated theories point in a direction of the Druze being descendants of Persian colonists, while another theory says they are descendants of Christians from the time of the crusades.htm. The latter is not very likely, due to the fact that the first crusade took place 80 years after al-Hakim's disappearance. Despite their practice of blending with dominant groups in order to avoid persecution, the Druze have had a history of brave resistance to occupying powers, and they have at times enjoyed more freedom than most other groups living in the Levant . HISTORY 1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middle East and North Africa., but that it is only the Druze that kept it up. 1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the . The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours. 1918: Druze participate in the army of , thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community. 1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations. 1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to 1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French.
NEW TRACKS POSTED ON MY PAGE STOP THRU AND LET ME KNOW WHAT U THINK 1. IN THE JUNGLE... HOT TRACK CLUB BANGER LADIES GONNA WANNA DANCE 2. GET IT.... WHERE ALL MY HUSTLAZ @ THIS IS FOR ALL THOSE THAT GET IT!!!!! 3. FUK U HATAZ.... THE NAME SAYS IT ALL IF U GETTIN HATED ON THIS IS UR SONG 4. CHAMPION... BANGIN BEAT ICEE HOT LYRICS IF U FEEL LIKE I'M DISSIN U ON THIS TRADCK I PROLLY M HA HA!!!!!! 5. FLEX (X-HER-SIZE MUZIK).... LADIES MAKE THIS YOUR NEW WORKOUT SONG HOTTIES WITH BODIES BY PALATIES FLEX LET ME KNOW IF U LIKE MY SONGS OR IF U DON'T LIKE THEM EITHER WAY LEAVE FEEDBACK THANK U
Listen to Batching It's debut album "Homage" in it's entirety before it is released! CD out in January 2010! Featuring songs by NOFX, Skankin' Pickle, Swingin' Utters, Pearl Jam, Rancid, Lagwagon, Metallica, Sublime, No Use For a Name, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, No Doubt, The Descendents, Less Than Jake and Operation Ivy!
HEY U GUESS WHAT..... MISS KNOCKOUT JUST ANNOUNCED AS WINNER!!! 2009 UPSTATE INDIE AWARDS BEST FEMALE HIP HOP come thru and CONGRATULATE!!
THANKS TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORTED ME SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO COCO CHYNA AND THE COCO NATION MOVEMENT HEIDY Z TAKIYAH- BETHANY DAVIS- G DASH-SHY HIPS- M J WITH HIS INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE SHERIDONNA AND J BLACK FOR THE WARM WELCOME!! AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED THANKS!!! MISS KNOCKOUT "YA NEW FAVORITE RAPCHIC!" FURS IN PICTURE BY COCO CHYNNA OF COCO NATION
Blessed, I give thanks for the friendship, and the love. I just finshed an album bout to drop..sept.09.. called "Break Free" . with My family Man-I-fest. click the link to hear us.
Urge People all over the World to Boycott the Olympic Games in Canada 2010
All eyes are on Canada as it prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. This extra attention will bring increased scrutiny and comes with the added responsibility of setting a positive example for the world.
To host the Olympic Games should be a Honour for every Country.
But the Olympic Games should only host Countrys who respect Animal Rights and Human Rights.
The World is watching to Canada and People all over the World are outraged over the Seal Slaughter. People all over the World protest against the Seal Hunt, they will not longer accept this Massacre.
Each Year hundreds of thousands of Baby harp seals are slaughtered on the Ice Fields off Canadas East Coast for their Pelts. 95% off the Seals killed during this Hunt are just Days or Weeks old.
Baby seals stand no chance against club-wielding trappers, and they must look on as fellow pups are bludgeoned to death before meeting the same bloody fate. The anguish that a mother seal feels as she watches her baby being beaten to death just a few feet away from her is horrifying and can be heard in her desperate cries and seen in her attempts to get to her baby. If you were to witness this Cruelty personaly your Heart would break. Shockingly, the Hunt subsidized by the canadian Government!
The 2009 seal slaughter has ended. But we dont stop fighting untill the Seal Hunt ends forever.
Please sign this Petition , Boycott the Olympic Games in Canada 2010 and help bring an immediate end to the seal slaughter.Boycott canadian Products, boycott joining and watching the Omypics. Join others around the World in speaking out against the Seal Hunt. The Seals cant tell their own Story, so we must speak for them, please give your voice to the voiceless Seal Pups. Share this Petition with everyone you know. A few minutes of your time will make a huge difference for baby seals.
Yo Come n Checkout LawgicProject, 60 cents a track, I'm Sharpening My Swords, Stayn On Point, Working On Some New Joints: "Cali Way" n "Revelations". Come Support Your Boi So I Could bring You Hip-Hop In Its Purest Form I Stay Breaking Down Da Science In Order To Sum Up Da Math Word Is Bound!
Israel, Hezbollah in deadly battle
On July 13, Israel launched a series of bombing raids in Lebanon. The move came after Hezbollah forces crossed into Israel, killing three soldiers and abducting two more -- an act the Israeli prime minister declared an "act of war."
Since then, Israel has carried on an aerial and ground battle against Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon, as the Lebanese militant group pounds northern Israel with Katyusha rockets.
The Lebanese prime minister described his country as a "disaster zone." Thousands of foreign nationals have been fleeing on cruise ships and military vessels, passing through an Israeli naval blockade
Israel Attacks Lebanon's Christian Heartland
An Israeli airstrike hit dozens of farm workers loading vegetables near the Lebanon-Syria border, killing 28, the workers' foreman and a Lebanese official said.
Five Lebanese civilians were killed and 19 wounded in the Israeli airstrikes north of the capital in Christian areas where Hezbollah has little support or presence, including the picturesque coastal resort of Jounieh.
According to the Psalmist, the heathen’s attitude is, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm 2:3). Translated into modern terms, this reads: “Come now, we can no longer tolerate any condemnation from the Bible. We won’t allow this ’Jesus bondage’ to stop us. We’re going to put into effect laws that break all the old chains of morality. We’ll claim our right to marriage between two men or two women. We’re going to push for the rights of all manner of sexual deviations. We need to break down the old moral boundaries. We’ll claim the moral high ground.”
My Bible tells me what will happen in such an hour. When evil men’s wrath is poised to overwhelm the laws of nature - turning society into an indescribable, Sodom-like hell, where every man is a law unto himself - that’s when our Lord moves in: “Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (2:5).
The Psalmist tells us, “They have set up their own standards as holy. They’ve lifted up their earthly axes in a forest of trees to cut down all that is righteous. They’re smashing holy things with hatchets and hammers, and defiling God’s dwelling place” (see Psalm 74:4-7). He then laments, “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?” (74:10).
That’s when God’s Word tells us the destruction and blasphemy being brought about by man’s wrath won’t last much longer. “Surely the wrath of men shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain” (76:10). How will this happen? Simply put, the more intense the wrath of men becomes, the more God will pour out his grace. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).
We see wonderful examples of this throughout history. Think about how the church of Christ was trampled in China, under the horrible wrath of communism. All forms of religious activity were banned, including Buddhism, the prominent religion in that land. A spiritual vacuum was left, with people empty and hungering. Yet, once again, the wrath of man was turned into the praises of God. The Lord poured out rivers of grace on China, and an underground church sprang up all across the nation. Today the Chinese church numbers in the millions, and it’s still growing strong.
Perhaps the clearest example to me of man’s wrath turning into God’s praise is the testimony of the apostle Paul. Jesus manifested himself to this fierce persecutor of the early church, on the road to Damascus. In a single moment, Paul’s raging hatred for Christ and his church was turned into God’s praise. The entire world is different today as a result.
Even now we’re seeing the wrath of Hezbollah being turned into God’s praise. How? Islamics in South Lebanon fled the war into Jordan and Syria, where many were taken in by Christians. As those believers showed Christ’s unconditional love to the refugees, feeding and housing them, the hearts of the disenfranchised Islamics were being melted. They are now more open to the gospel than ever.
Through all of these examples, I see the Lord answering the Psalmist’s cry: “Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually” (Psalm 74:22-23).
Religion and group of people with somewhere between 350,000 (estimate of Western scholars) and 900,000 (figures presented by the Druze) members (LexicOrient estimates that around 600,000 live in the Middel east and nearly 700,000 all over the world), living in Lebanon ,Syria, Israel and Jordan , often in mountainous regions. There are also important Druze communities abroad, living in Europe and USA.
While the Druze are not regarded as Muslims by other Muslims, they regard themselves as Muslims as well as carriers of the core of this Islam. The Druze seem, to a large extent, to have originated from a group of Shi'is, the Ismaili'is, but they have diverged much, and the Koran does not seem to be a part of their religion.
The Druze call themselves muwahhidun, 'monotheists'.
THEOLOGY
The theology of Druze religion is called hikma and its main theme is that God incarnated himself in the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim, who they claim disappeared in 1021. While most Muslims believe he died in 1021, the Druze disagree and believe that al-Hakim is awaiting to return to the world in order to bring a new golden age to true believers.
Druze believe in one God and claim that the qualities of God cannot be understood or defined by humans. Al-Hakim is worshiped in Druze religion, he is called 'Our Lord', and his cruelties and eccentricities are all interpreted symbolically.
But while God incarnated himself in al-Hakim in his unity, other aspects of God can be incarnated in other human beings. These aspects are represented with 5 superior ministers. Under the ministers, one finds three other groups: functionaries, preachers, and heads of communities. The knowledge of about this hierarchal system is the highest knowledge in the Druze religion.
Frequently one hears from sources about a calf in Druze religion. It is believed that the calf is a central symbol which represents the negative forces in the world.
The moral system of Druze religion consists of seven principles:
Love of truth
Taking care of one another
Renouncing all other religions
Avoiding the demon (the calf?) and all wrongdoers
Accepting divine unity in humanity
Accepting all of al-Hakim's acts
Acting in total accordance to al-Hakim's will
Central in the Druze world system is the belief in reincarnation, through which all souls are reborn as humans, good as well as bad. Good people have a more fortunate rebirth than bad people. Behind this system is the belief that humans cannot reach perfection and unite with God.
Hell and heaven in Druze religion are viewed differently from most other Middel Eastern religions, and bear clear resemblances with Gnostic philosophy and religion, as heaven is only spiritual, when man stops being man and is saved from more rebirths. Hell is just as spiritual and is the distance from, and the longing to, unity with God which goes on for one lifetime after another if a person has been evil.
MEANING OF THE DRUZE STAR
The Druze star symbolizes the five wise superior ministers, each with his quality. Green is for "the mind", 'al-'akl, which is necessary for understanding the truth. Red is for "the soul", 'an-nafs. Yellow is for "the word", 'al-kalima, which is the purest form of expression of the truth. Blue, 'as-sabik, is for the mental power of the will. White, 'al-tali, is the realization of Blue, in which its power has been realized in the world of matter.
ORGANIZATION OF THE DRUZE COMMUNITY
The hikma is known only to an elite of religiously trained men, the uqqal. Most Druze know only parts of their religion's theology, and they are referred to as juhhal, "ignorants." One out of 50 members of the uqqal, reach as high as perfection, and are called 'ajawid, 'noble', and work as the real leaders of the Druze religion.
The uqqal take care of the religion for the juhhal, and they alone attend the religious meetings taking place on the night between Thursday and Friday, in ordinary buildings in the outskirts of Druze villages. For the Druze, the centre of religious activities is located to the mountainous region called Jabalu d-Duruz in Syria.
The juhhal perform few of the typical Muslim rituals, prayer is not performed in mosques, a fast is not performed during the Muslim month of Ramadan, and there are no obligations to perform the Hajj the Muslim pilgrimage.
LIFE STYLES
The Druze follow a life style of isolation in which no conversion is allowed, neither out of, or into, the religion. When Druze live among people of other religions, they try to blend in, in order to protect their religion and their own safety. They can perform prayer as Muslims, or as Christians, depending on where they are.
This system is apparently changing in modern times, where more security has allowed Druze to be more open about their religious identity.
Druze have earlier been reported to practice polygamy. But there is no evidence of such a practice among Druze today.
Druze abstain from wine and tobacco. There are clear prohibitions against a number of other acts, too.
Druze have a strong community feeling, in which they identify themselves as related even across borders of countries.
There are sources suggesting that the Druze had their own identity even before conversion to the faith in al-Hakim. Unsubstantiated theories point in a direction of the Druze being descendants of Persian colonists, while another theory says they are descendants of Christians from the time of the Crusades. The latter is not very likely, due to the fact that the first crusade took place 80 years after al-Hakim's disappearance.
Despite their practice of blending with dominant groups in order to avoid persecution, the Druze have had a history of brave resistance to occupying powers, and they have at times enjoyed more freedom than most other groups living in the Levant.
HISTORY
1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middel East and North Africa, but that it is only the Druze that kept it up.
1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the Ottomans. The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours.
1918: Druze participate in the army of Faisal, thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community.
1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations.
1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to Palmyira.
1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French.
Since 1948 the Druze are integral part of the state of Israel concetrating in the Golan with strong orientation to Syria, Very strong community in the upper Galilee and 2 villages on the top of the Carmel. They serve in the Israeli army
Influences I am a lebanese christian , also an ancestor and descendant of The Druze Religion and group of people with somewhere between 350,000 (estimate of Western scholars) and 900,000 (figures presented by the Druze) members (LexicOrient estimates that around 600,000 live in the Middle East and nearly 700,000 all over the world), living in Lebanon , Syria , Israel , and Jordan , often in mountainous regions. There are also important Druze communities abroad, living in Europe and USA. While the Druze are not regarded as Muslims by other Muslims, they regard themselves as Muslims as well as carriers of the core of this Islam . The Druze seem, to a large extent, to have originated from a group of Shi'is , the Isma'ilis ., but they have diverged much, and the Koran does not seem to be a part of their religion. The Druze call themselves muwahhidun, 'monotheists'. THEOLOGY The theology of Druze religion is called hikma and its main theme is that God incarnated himself in the Fatimid . caliph al-Hakim, who they claim disappeared in 1021. While most Muslims believe he died in 1021, the Druze disagree and believe that al-Hakim is awaiting to return to the world in order to bring a new golden age to true believers. HISTORY 1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middle East and North Africa., but that it is only the Druze that kept it up. 1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the . The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours. 1918: Druze participate in the army of , thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community. 1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations. 1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to 1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French. Druze believe in one God and claim that the qualities of God cannot be understood or defined by humans. Al-Hakim is worshiped in Druze religion, he is called 'Our Lord', and his cruelties and eccentricities are all interpreted symbolically. But while God incarnated himself in al-Hakim in his unity, other aspects of God can be incarnated in other human beings. These aspects are represented with 5 superior ministers. Under the ministers, one finds three other groups: functionaries, preachers, and heads of communities. The knowledge of about this hierarchal system is the highest knowledge in the Druze religion. Frequently one hears from sources about a calf in Druze religion. It is believed that the calf is a central symbol which represents the negative forces in the world. The moral system of Druze religion consists of seven principles: Love of truth Taking care of one another Renouncing all other religions Avoiding the demon (the calf?) and all wrongdoers Accepting divine unity in humanity Accepting all of al-Hakim's acts Acting in total accordance to al-Hakim's will Central in the Druze world system is the belief in reincarnation, through which all souls are reborn as humans, good as well as bad. Good people have a more fortunate rebirth than bad people. Behind this system is the belief that humans cannot reach perfection and unite with God. Hell and heaven in Druze religion are viewed differently from most other Middle Eastern middle_east. religions, and bear clear resemblances with Gnostic philosophy and religion, as heaven is only spiritual, when man stops being man and is saved from more rebirths. Hell is just as spiritual and is the distance from, and the longing to, unity with God which goes on for one lifetime after another if a person has been evil. MEANING OF THE DRUZE STAR The Druze star symbolizes the five wise superior ministers, each with his quality. Green is for "the mind", 'al-'akl, which is necessary for understanding the truth. Red is for "the soul", 'an-nafs. Yellow is for "the word", 'al-kalima, which is the purest form of expression of the truth. Blue, 'as-sabik, is for the mental power of the will. White, 'al-tali, is the realization of Blue, in which its power has been realized in the world of matter. ORGANIZATION OF THE DRUZE COMMUNITY The hikma is known only to an elite of religiously trained men, the uqqal. Most Druze know only parts of their religion's theology, and they are referred to as juhhal, "ignorants." One out of 50 members of the uqqal, reach as high as perfection, and are called 'ajawid, 'noble', and work as the real leaders of the Druze religion. The uqqal take care of the religion for the juhhal, and they alone attend the religious meetings taking place on the night between Thursday and Friday, in ordinary buildings in the outskirts of Druze villages. For the Druze, the centre of religious activities is located to the mountainous region called Jabalu d-Duruz in Syria. The juhhal perform few of the typical Muslim rituals, prayer is not performed in mosque., a fast is not performed during the Muslim month of Ramadan, and there are no obligations to perform the hajj., the Muslim pilgrimage. LIFE STYLES The Druze follow a life style of isolation in which no conversion is allowed, neither out of, or into, the religion. When Druze live among people of other religions, they try to blend in, in order to protect their religion and their own safety. They can perform prayer as Muslims, or as Christians, depending on where they are. This system is apparently changing in modern times, where more security has allowed Druze to be more open about their religious identity. Druze have earlier been reported to practice polygamy. But there is no evidence of such a practice among Druze today. Druze abstain from wine and tobacco. There are clear prohibitions against a number of other acts, too. Druze have a strong community feeling, in which they identify themselves as related even across borders of countries. There are sources suggesting that the Druze had their own identity even before conversion to the faith in al-Hakim. Unsubstantiated theories point in a direction of the Druze being descendants of Persian colonists, while another theory says they are descendants of Christians from the time of the crusades.htm. The latter is not very likely, due to the fact that the first crusade took place 80 years after al-Hakim's disappearance. Despite their practice of blending with dominant groups in order to avoid persecution, the Druze have had a history of brave resistance to occupying powers, and they have at times enjoyed more freedom than most other groups living in the Levant . HISTORY 1017: The religion is established in Cairo. The religious orientation gets its name from one of the earliest followers of Caliph al-Hakim, Muhammadu d-Darazi. It is believed that it spread to many regions in the Middle East and North Africa., but that it is only the Druze that kept it up. 1516: The Druze come under Turkish pressure as the Levant is conquered by the . The Druze offer strong opposition, and keep a higher level of independence than their neighbours. 1918: Druze participate in the army of , thereby breaking a principle of non-participation outside their own community. 1921 March 4: The Druze are granted autonomy in the region of Jabalu d-Duruz, from the League of Nations. 1925: The Druze revolt, when Druze leaders protest against the liberalization of the society as promoted by the French governor of Duruz Mountains. The revolt ends with the arrest of the Druze leaders, and their being exiled to 1927: The Druze revolt is over, and the French begin a politics that is intended to keep the Druze away from Arab nationalism, and hence dependent upon the safety offered by the French.
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