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. mohafazah). [165][166], The Druze allow divorce, although it is discouraged, and circumcision is not necessary. Lebanese Sunnis are mainly residents of the major cities: west Beirut, Tripoli, and Sidon. [177], The Druze do not recognize any religious hierarchy. This resulted in friction with the new caliph who clashed militarily with the Druze community. [281] On the other hand, Benjamin of Tudela, a Jewish traveler[282] from the 12th century, pointed out that the Druze maintained good commercial relations with the Jews nearby, and according to him this was because the Druze liked the Jewish people. 2008). The name Druze is derived from the name of Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin ad-Daraz (from Persian darzi, "seamster") who was an early preacher. [190] The Druze faith does not follow Sharia nor any of the Five Pillars of Islam save reciting the Shahada. The two main religions, as is the case for most countries in the world, are Islam with 54% of the population, and Christianity accounting for 40.4%. It consists of a narrow strip of territory and is one of the world's smaller sovereign states. [110][111] Conversion of Druze to Christianity used to be common practice in the Levant region. Remove ye the causes of fear and estrangement from yourselves. The Druze always played a far more important role in Syrian politics than its comparatively small population would suggest. [123][pageneeded], He forcibly integrated minorities into the national Syrian social structure, his "Syrianization" of Alawite and Druze territories had to be accomplished in part using violence. [220][221] The persecution of the Druze included massacres, demolishing Druze prayer houses and holy places, and forced conversion to Islam. [78] An inherently modest man, al-Hakim did not believe that he was God, and felt al-Darazi was trying to depict himself as a new prophet. Differences between Islamic schools and branches and Druze include their belief in the theophany,[39] Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad is considered the founder of the Druze and the primary author of the Druze manuscripts;[5] he proclaimed that God had become human and taken the form of man, Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. [147][clarification needed], The Druze also use a similar formula, called al-'ahd, when one is initiated into the Uqql. 1 Tyre Coast Nature Reserve Understand [ edit] Southern Lebanon is a historian and archaeologist's delight, with a history dating back to the Assyrians over 6,000 years ago. [250][192] Over the centuries, a number of Druze embraced Christianity,[251][252][253][254] such as some of Shihab dynasty members,[255] as well as the Abi-Lamma clan. Lebanon - United States Department of State Uplands include the Lebanon Mountains in the central region and the Anti-Lebanon and Hermon ranges along the eastern border; a low coastal plain stretches along the Mediterranean. While the Shaykh al-Aql, which is an official position in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, is elected by the local community and serves as the head of the Druze religious council, judges from the Druze religious courts are usually elected for this position. [citation needed], Al-Hakim was replaced by his underage son, Al al-Zahir. 2006 - Israel attacks . [200] Al-Meleh a popular dish among Druze in Hauran region (As-Suwayda Governorate), cooked in a pressure cooker and served on huge special plates at weddings, holidays, and other special occasions. This is done in order to keep the religion from those who are not yet prepared to accept the teachings and therefore could misunderstand it, as well as to protect the community when it is in danger. [304], Cruciani, in 2007, found E1b1b1a2 (E-V13) [a subclade of E1b1b1a (E-M78)] in high levels (>10% of the male population) in Cypriot and Druze lineages. [274] In the Druze tradition, Jesus is known under three titles: the True Messiah (al-Masih al-Haq), the Messiah of all Nations (Masih al-Umam), and the Messiah of Sinners. [81] Epistle thirteen of the Epistles of Wisdom called it "A spiritual doctrine without any ritualistic imposition". The Pact of Time Custodian (Mithq Wal al-zamn) is considered the entrance to the Druze religion, and they believe that all Druze in their past lives have signed this Charter, and Druze believe that this Charter embodies with human souls after death. Laque Pride supports the enacting of a unified Civil Code for the Personal Status Law.[28]. [170][171], Formal Druze worship is confined to weekly meeting on Thursday evenings, during which all members of community gather together to discuss local issues before those not initiated into the secrets of the faith (the juhhl, or the ignorant) are dismissed, and those who are "uqql" or "enlightened" (those few initiated in the Druze holy books) remain to read and study.[169]. [103] Iltizam rights in Shuf and Kisrawan passed to the rising Shihab family through female-line inheritance.[104]. [61] Druze people reside primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. The Druze believe he went into Occultation with Hamza ibn Ali and three other prominent preachers, leaving the care of the "Unitarian missionary movement" to a new leader, al-Muqtana Baha'uddin. [3] The refugees, who mostly are of Syrian or Palestinian origin, are predominantly Sunni Muslim, but also include Christians and Shia Muslims. Lebanese Greek Orthodox are concentrated in north Beirut, as well as Lebanese North areas including Zgharta, Bsharre, Koura, and Batroun. Profile: Lebanon's Hezbollah movement - BBC News From 1957, the Israeli government formally recognized the Druze as a separate religious community,[295] and are defined as a distinct ethnic group in the Israeli Ministry of Interior's census registration. Given the strict religious, intellectual and spiritual requirements, most of the Druze are not initiated and might be referred to as al-Juhhl (), literally "the Ignorant", but in practice referring to the non-initiated Druze. [6][7] It is also estimated that a large proportion of its population are refugees (1.5million out of a bit over 6million in 2017), which affects statistics. [39] Druze believe that at the end of the cycle of rebirth, which is achieved through successive reincarnations, the soul is united with the Cosmic Mind (al-aql al-kull). In August 2001, Maronite Catholic Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir toured the predominantly Druze Chouf region of Mount Lebanon and visited Mukhtara, the ancestral stronghold of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt. [227][228][229][230][231] Ibn Taymiyya, a prominent Muslim scholar muhaddith, dismissed the Druze as non-Muslims,[232] and his fatwa cited that Druze: "Are not at the level of Ahl al-Kitb (People of the Book) nor mushrikin (polytheists). The city is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and is renowned for producing a large share of Lebanon's wine, arak and poetry. A human soul will transfer only to a human body, in contrast to the Neoplatonic, Hindu and Buddhist belief systems, according to which souls can transfer to any living creature. Religion in Lebanon - Wikipedia [50] [14], The Druze conception of the deity is declared by them to be one of strict and uncompromising unity. [citation needed] The movement culminated with the 185960 massacre and defeat of the Maronites by the Druze. For the next seven years, the Druze faced extreme persecution by the new caliph, al-Zahir, who wanted to eradicate the faith. Having consolidated his conquests in Syria (18311838), Ibrahim Pasha, son of the viceroy of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, made the fatal mistake of trying to disarm the Christians and Druze of the Lebanon and to draft the latter into his army. At a march in May 2012 in which 600 participated, Laque Pride issued six demands, four concerning women's rights and two concerning media freedom. Acquiescence in God's acts no matter what they be. [191] Some Druze do not circumcise their male children, and refuse to observe this "common Muslim practice".[195]. This is due, respectively, to the belief that Jesus delivered the true Gospel message, the belief that he was the Saviour of all nations, and the belief that he offers forgiveness. However, they were less ready for personal relationships with Jews compared to Israeli Muslims and Christians.[296]. Lebanon | People, Economy, Religion, & History | Britannica A large Syrian Druze community historically lived in the Golan Heights, but following wars with Israel in 1967 and 1973, many of these Druze fled to other parts of Syria; most of those who remained live in a handful of villages in the disputed zone, while only a few live in the narrow remnant of Quneitra Governorate that is still under effective Syrian control. One advisor to the Syrian Defense Department warned in 1946 that the Syrian army was "useless", and that the Druze could "take Damascus and capture the present leaders in a breeze". [226] Druze are not considered Muslims by those belonging to orthodox Islamic schools of thought. After the Shehab dynasty converted to Christianity, the Druze community and feudal leaders came under attack from the regime with the collaboration of the Maronite Catholic Church, and the Druze lost most of their political and feudal powers. [308], A 2016 study based on testing samples of Druze in the historic region of Syria, in comparison with ancient humans (including Anatolian and Armenian), and on Geographic Population Structure (GPS) tool by converting genetic distances into geographic distances, concluded that Druze might hail from the Zagros Mountains and the surroundings of Lake Van in eastern Anatolia, then they later migrated south to settle in the mountainous regions in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.[309]. Quwwatli could not dismiss Sultan Pasha's threat. June 3, 2020 Located in the Bekaa Valley, Zahle is Lebanon's third largest city and a hub in the region. Traditionally the Druze women have played an important role both socially and religiously inside the community. Many Yemenite Druze thereupon migrated to the Hauran region, laying the foundation of Druze power there. The Shihab leadership continued until the middle of the 19th century and culminated in the illustrious governorship of Amir Bashir Shihab II (17881840) who, after Fakhr-al-Din, was the most powerful feudal lord Lebanon produced. [67] According to the Los Angeles Times in 2017 "there are about 30,000 in the United States, with the largest concentration in Southern California".[68]. I rely on our Moula Al-Hakim the lonely God, the individual, the eternal, who is out of couples and numbers, (someone) the son of (someone) has approved recognition enjoined on himself and on his soul, in a healthy of his mind and his body, permissibility aversive is obedient and not forced, to repudiate from all creeds, articles and all religions and beliefs on the differences varieties, and he does not know something except obedience of almighty Moulana Al-Hakim, and obedience is worship and that it does not engage in worship anyone ever attended or wait, and that he had handed his soul and his body and his money and all he owns to almighty Maulana Al-Hakim. Lebanon is an eastern Mediterranean country that has the most religiously diverse society within the Middle East, comprising 18 recognized religious sects. USA. Those Druze are not granted access to the Druze holy literature or allowed to attend the initiated religious meetings of the uqql. [citation needed], Persecutions started forty days after the disappearance into Occultation of al-Hakim, who was thought to have been converting people to the Unitarian faith for over twenty years prior. [45], The Druze do not permit outsiders to convert to their religion. In a principal component analysis of a 2014 study, Druze were located between Lebanese people and Mizrahi Jews. [302] While it is not yet known exactly what selective advantage is provided by this gene variant, the Haplogroup D allele is thought[by whom?] Lebanon entered the fourth year of a crippling economic crisis that has had disastrous consequences for rights and pushed over 80 percent of the population into poverty. [240][241] The fatwa declares that the Druze are Muslims because they recite the twofold Shahada, and believe in the Qur'an and monotheism and do not oppose Islam in word or deed. [91], Wadi al-Taym, in Lebanon, was one of the two most important centers of Druze missionary activity in the 11th century. As a result, the religious affiliation of the Lebanese population is very difficult to establish with certainty and various sources are used to get the possible estimate of the population by religious affiliation. Lebanon's civil war had an outside dimension from the outset. [290] Since the establishment of the state of Israel, the Druze have demonstrated solidarity with Israel and distanced themselves from Arab and Islamic radicalism. ", "Lebanon's Zoroastrians want a civil state", "Are the Druze People Arabs or Muslims? ", "South American 'mate' tea a long-time Lebanese hit", Syria Druze back Sunnis' revolt with words but not arms, "Are the Druze People Arabs or Muslims? [133] The second largest political party supported by Druze is the Lebanese Democratic Party led by Prince Talal Arslan, the son of Lebanese independence hero Emir Majid Arslan. In the Hebrew Bible, Jethro was Moses' father-in-law, a Kenite shepherd and priest of Midian. Population In South Lebanon, Oregon (Community Demographics) - Dwellics Lebanon is bounded on the north and east by Syria, on the west by the Mediterranean, and on the south by Israel. Dr. Said Hany: Druze Trilogy 1- Philosophy. These concepts superseded all ritual, law and dogma and requirements for pilgrimage, fasting, holy days, prayer, charity, devotion, creed and particular worship of any prophet or person was downplayed. [8] This attitude led to disputes between Ad-Darazi and Hamza ibn Ali, who disliked his behavior and his arrogance. 2020. There is neither "how", "when", nor "where" about him; he is incomprehensible. [194], Both faiths give a prominent place to Jesus:[160][161] In Christianity, Jesus is the central figure, seen as the messiah. In the Epistles of Wisdom, Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad warns al-Darazi, saying, "Faith does not need a sword to aid it", but al-Darazi ignored Hamza's warnings and continued to challenge the Imam. This arrangement was to provide the cornerstone for the privileged status which ultimately came to be enjoyed by the whole of Mount Lebanon, Druze and Christian areas alike. During this stage a dispute occurred between ad-Darazi and Hamza bin Ali mainly concerning ad-Darazi's ghuluww ("exaggeration"), which refers to the belief that God was incarnated in human beings to ad-Darazi naming himself "The Sword of the Faith", which led Hamza to write an epistle refuting the need for the sword to spread the faith and several epistles refuting the beliefs of the ghulat. The remaining population adheres to the Druze religion or other religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, the Baha'i faith, etc. In terms of religious comparison, Islamic schools and branches do not believe in reincarnation,[39] a paramount tenet of the Druze faith. They are found primarily in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, with small communities in Jordan. Unlike the Mu'tazila, and similar to some branches of Sufism, the Druze believe in the concept of Tajalli (meaning "theophany"). In the Druze scriptural view, Tajalli takes a central stage. The Ma'ans chose for their abode the Chouf District in south-western Lebanon (southern Mount Lebanon Governorate), overlooking the maritime plain between Beirut and Sidon, and made their headquarters in Baaqlin, which is still a leading Druze village.
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