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The Druze Religion In the Middle East are many religions. The most found
religions are Muslim, Christianity, and Judaism. One religion you will most
likely not hear about is the religion of the Druze. It is a very secretive and
small religion. Not many documents and information on this practice are released
to people outside the religion. The Druze are known for their belligerence and
independence. The Druze religion is a small, old, unique, and mysterious
practice. The history of the Druze is old and unlike any other religion. The
religion was established around 1017 in Egypt and North Africa, when the sixth
Fatimid caliph, al-hakim bi-Amrih Allah, declared himself the incarnation of God
(“Druze” Microsoft p.1).
However, even before 1017, ideas and increase of the new religion had begun.
Hamzah ibn ‘Ali converted Muhammad ad-Darazi, a Shi’i missionary from which the
religion got its name. (Adams p.1) Muhammed al-Darazi preached the new religion
to the people of Lebanon and was reportedly killed for letting people practice
wine drinking and sexual excesses. After al-Darazi’s death, Hamzah made new
fundamentals of the new sect with the help of many others on many sacred works.
In 1021, al-Hakim Hamzah was supposedly murdered, but his followers believed
that he had gone into hiding and would return again for his first appearance in
a thousand years (M.Z.H. p.1061). After the religion had been established, it
moved into Syria and Lebanon. In 1860, a war broke out between the Druzes and
the Christians. The British supported the Druze and the French supported the
Christians.
Over 15,000 Christians died. In 1861, a Christian governor general set up an
autonomous system of government in Lebanon where the people lived in prosperity
and relative tranquility until 1918 (H.Z.H p.1061). After World War I, the
Atrash family gained possibilities of seizing control of an area that was
controlled by Jabar ad-Duruz. The French were supporting the Druze but could
eventually not control the situation. Revolt broke out in Syria and part of
Lebanon, but the revolt failed due to lack of support from the Lebanese Druzes.
Today, the Druze mainly live in Syria in Jabal ad-Duruz, but have many scattered
villages in Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel (H.Z.H. p.1060).
The people of the Druze are as particular as their religion. The Druze have
many names. They have the names Druze and Druse but they call themselves
Mowahhidoon or what they call tawhid, which both mean “monotheists.”(Druse p.1)
They believe in the divinity of al-Hakim be Amr Allah. The Muslim people do not
consider the Druze Muslims but the Druze regard themselves as carriers of the
core of the Muslim religion (Kjeilen p.1). The Druze people believe in one God
and claim that the qualities of God can not be understood or defined by humans.
(Miller) In the Druze religion, a calf is considered to be the central symbol
that represents the negative forces in the world (Kjeilen p.1).
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