The Enigma of the Druze Religion: Centuries of Mystery in the Middle East Essay

Introduction

The Druze religion is an enigmatic system of beliefs, mainly characterized by its relative obscurity to the public eye. It emerged from the Middle East, with its origins tracing back to the propaganda of Shaykh Darazi, who convinced Syrian mountaineers of Fatimid caliph al-Hakim’s divinity.¹ These Syrian mountain folk, who became known as the Duruz or Druze, built up a religion around Darazi’s propaganda and combined it with the beliefs and practices of other Middle Eastern religions.² However, the Druze are considered a distinct religion that combines features of various other faith systems. It remains to be discussed why the Druze society chose to be private despite living among other religions, and there are several questions about the strategies this community has used to remain discreet for ages. Therefore, this research paper seeks to unearth and examine this crucial information about the Druze religion. The main conclusion is that the Druze religion has been practiced for centuries but remains shrouded in secrecy due to its close-knit community, lack of converts, and secretive religious practices.

The Druze: A Closely-Knit Community

It is apparent that the Druze community has a millennia-long history of preserving its unique culture and traditions. The main way in which they have done this is by isolating themselves from the surrounding society and maintaining a sense of autonomy.³ This can be seen in the fact that the majority of Druze people live in rural and mountainous areas, such as Mount Hermon, southern Mount Lebanon, Mount Carmel, Mount Hauran, the Galilean hills, and the Idlib area.⁴ Today, the largest Druze community is in Syria, with smaller communities scattered throughout Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and the Americas, Australia, and West Africa.⁵ While the mountainous terrain may have provided some protection against persecution in the past, the Druze people’s desire to hold on to their traditions and distance themselves from central power has also played a role in their patterns of settlement.⁶ In general, their isolationist tendencies are the main factor that enabled them to preserve their distinct culture and avoid cultural erosion.

Furthermore, the sense of cohesion is largely maintained in the Druze community by its strong system of beliefs and practices that helps to bind the members together. The Druze people’s solidarity for their fellow members of the faith is among the main tenets of this religion.⁷ These beliefs and practices have been preserved for centuries and are passed down from generation to generation within the community.⁸ As a result, the Druze people have developed a strong sense of loyalty to one another and to their community, which has helped to keep them united. This sense of loyalty and cohesion is an important part of Druze culture and has undoubtedly contributed to the community’s ability to maintain its traditions and way of life over time.⁹ On the other hand, this strong sense of community has evidently played a role in the Druze’s ability to remain discrete and maintain their secrecy over the years.

In addition, the unity of the Druze people is bolstered by their communal nature. As per the Druze religion’s tenets, one’s loyalty predominantly lies not towards one’s country but towards one’s community, clan, and family.¹⁰ Therefore, family bonds play a great role in the Druze doctrine. To support this, the Druze community has a number of regular gatherings and meetings that help bring its members together and strengthen the sense of community.¹¹ These events provide an opportunity for the community to come together and can help to strengthen the bonds between the members. These gatherings and meetings are an important part of Druze culture.

For similar reasons, one of the key values of the Druze community is a strong sense of social responsibility and a commitment to looking after the vulnerable members of society. The fact that the Druze community is isolated leads to the fact that most of the Druze people end up related; therefore, the clan becomes one big family.¹² As the Druze people believe in the importance of ensuring that no one is left out or disadvantaged, they work to support and care for those who may be struggling or in need.¹³ By looking after the vulnerable in their society, the Druze people aim to create a more cohesive and supportive community where everyone is able to participate and contribute. This value of social responsibility helps to maintain the Druze community and fosters the closeness among its members.

In general, the above evidence points toward the conclusion that the Druze people are a small, close community with a long history of striving to isolate itself in order to protect its distinctive culture. The Druze people have a number of regular gatherings and meetings, as well as special events for important life occasions, which help to bring the community together and strengthen their bonds. The community values social responsibility and works to support and care for vulnerable members of society. The Druze people’s isolation from surrounding society and pattern of settlement in rural and mountainous areas have also contributed to the preservation of their culture and way of life. All these reasons have led to the Druze people galvanizing into the unique cultural and religious unit that they are today.

The Prohibition of Conversion to the Druze Religion

As the Druze community has a long history of persecution and fear of outsiders, this has led to suspicion of converts. Furthermore, the Druze community has experienced a state of particular chaos and anxiety in recent years, with a decline in the role of traditional and political leaders and increased exposure to regional interference.¹⁴ This state of insecurity has been exacerbated by forms of foreign intervention, including Iranian funding and the creation of pro-Iranian militias.¹⁵ Therefore, the fear of conversion among the Druze people is rooted in the long history of persecution and insecurity, as well as the ongoing struggles and challenges facing the community. The two factors together are the reason why outsiders are frowned upon in the Druze community.

This is further exacerbated by the fact that the Druze people are an ethnoreligious group, meaning that their identity is closely tied to both their ethnicity and their religion. One of the key beliefs of the Druze faith is that an individual can only be a member of the Druze community if they are born into it.¹⁶ This means that the Druze people do not accept converts from other religions and believe that one must be born a Druze in order to fully understand and adhere to the teachings and practices of the faith.¹⁷ This belief allows for the transmission of traditions and beliefs from one generation to the next within the community. It also helps to create a sense of shared identity and belonging among Druze individuals, as most of them are related to one another.

It has been established that the community prefers to keep its beliefs and practices private. In particular, secrecy is considered to be one of the key tenets of the Druze religion.¹⁸ It has been an important part of the Druze community’s ability to survive and maintain its traditions over time. Accepting converts from other religions could potentially interfere with the ability to maintain these secrets, as converts may not have the same level of familiarity with or commitment to the community’s customs and beliefs. Additionally, the process of initiating and educating converts about the Druze religion could itself create opportunities for the secrets of the faith to be exposed to outsiders. Therefore, the Druze people’s decision not to accept converts is likely motivated, at least in part, by a desire to protect the secrecy of the religion.

Most importantly, the Druze people do not allow either conversion into or away from their religion. Another aspect of this is that intermarriages with people of other religions or communities are strictly prohibited. The Druze people who choose to marry outside of their congregation are often forced to leave their village, their families, and their homes.¹⁹ This is because the Druze people view intermarriage as a severe religious offense and a source of disgrace and humiliation, and they believe that it weakens the loyalty and cohesion of the community. As a result, the Druze community has a relatively low rate of intermarriage compared to other Arab groups, such as Muslims or Christians.²⁰ The Druze’s prohibition on conversion and intermarriage ultimately contributes to the secrecy of their beliefs and practices.

For all the reasons listed above, the Druze community remains isolated and closed off to outsiders. It remains to be said, therefore, that the Druze religion’s prohibition of conversion is rather important for the enigmatic status of this faith. The requirement of being born into the Druze community undercuts the number of potential members while ensuring that only those who are related by blood are made aware of the community’s secrets. The prohibition of intermarriage serves the same purpose of further isolating the community. These measures are natural for the Druze people, who are wary of outsiders because of their historical struggles with persecution and the potential of the sacred teachings being shared with others.

The Assimilation of the Druze People

Certain members of the Druze community pretend to belong to other religions if they find this act necessary to protect their sacred traditions from others. A tenet of the Druze religion allows this act in order to maintain its secrecy. Multiple factors make it possible for the Druze to successfully assimilate into other societies. It is believed that the Druze faith emerged as a branch of Islam and that many of its teachings are based on Islamic principles. As a result, the Druze may appear similar to Muslims in certain ways, particularly in terms of their doctrines. However, the Druze are considered to be a distinct religion with a unique set of beliefs that differentiates them from other Islamic groups.²¹ While the Druze have a close connection to Islam, they are not considered to be Muslims by most Muslims.²² The Druze community has a distinct identity and set of traditions that are unique to them. This is understood by all members of the community, who deliberately “construct their identity from multiple components.”²³ However, these surface similarities with Islam allow the Druze people to blend in and conceal their true beliefs.

Additionally, while the Druze religion has its roots in Islam, it also incorporates elements from a variety of other faiths. Namely, it features teachings from Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity.²⁴ Specifically, the Druze recognize and venerate several key figures from the Christian tradition, such as Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus.²⁵ At the same time, despite this recognition of Christian figures, the Druze are not considered to be a Christian community either, as they have their own set of beliefs that differentiates them from other Christians.²⁶ Overall, the Druze’s incorporation of elements from various religions, including Christianity and Islam, is one of the unique features of the Druze faith and helps to distinguish it from other belief systems. This recognition of figures from other religions is one of the features that sets the Druze faith apart from other Islamic groups. The religion’s syncretic nature, which combines elements from a variety of different belief systems, adds to the possible confusion and aids the assimilation efforts of the Druze.

Spurred by their syncretic practices and their secretive traditions, some members of the community may choose to present themselves as Muslims or Christians in certain situations in order to avoid scrutiny or suspicion. By presenting themselves as members of another faith, the Druze may be able to avoid drawing attention to their own beliefs and practices, which could help to protect their community and maintain its secrecy.²⁷ This behavior may be particularly widespread in places where the Druze are a minority.

What is more, pretending to be members of other religions, particularly Islam, is one way in which the Druze have sought to protect themselves from persecution. This practice may be motivated, at least in part, by a fear of oppression, as the Druze have faced significant challenges in the past.²⁸ Druze leaders have faced death as a result of their beliefs and practices, and this has contributed to a sense of fear and vulnerability within the community.²⁹ As a result, some members of the Druze community choose to present themselves as Muslims in order to blend in, which could help to protect the community and maintain its obscurity and safety.

It is therefore evident that the Druze tradition of posing as members of other religions has significantly contributed to the exclusivity of their knowledge and culture. This practice, rooted in the Druze’s fear of oppression, has allowed them to elude and evade any outsiders that may have been interested in the religion. The main factor behind its success appears to be the syncretic nature of the Druze faith: by combining the aspects of other religions, it enables its members to easily pose as either Muslims or Christians.

The Reclusiveness of the Druze Community

As it stands, the Druze community has a long history of keeping its beliefs and practices private. In fact, many aspects of the Druze faith may be kept secret even from members of the community, with only a select few individuals being privy to certain teachings and practices.³⁰ The majority of the Druze are labeled as junhal, meaning “ignorant”; this group does not have the right to access the sacred Druze texts.³¹ This honor is reserved only for the smaller group of uqqal, or “the enlightened”, who have taken the oath to become so.³² The vast majority of the Druze are not able to access the sacred teachings of their religion. From this, it follows that the exclusive nature of the Druze extends even within the community itself. This secrecy serves as a means of protecting the community from outside interference while ensuring the transmission of traditions and beliefs within the community.

On the other hand, the Druze religion places a strong emphasis on preserving its traditions and beliefs. As a result, the religious doctrines, beliefs, and practices of the Druze are passed down within the community through a process of transmission from one generation to the next.³³ The exact process through which the Druze transmit their religious teachings is closely linked to their oral tradition, including religious education, rituals, and daily practices.³⁴ This is an important part of the Druze community’s identity that helps to ensure the continuity and stability of the group. It also allows the Druze to preserve their unique beliefs and practices in the face of external influences and challenges. Overall, the oral transmission of the Druze religion from one generation to the next helps to maintain its sense of cohesion.

As the Druze community is known for its discretion, their rituals, meetings, and gatherings are often not announced to the general public, as is common with other religions. The aim of this is to protect the community’s privacy and maintain the secrecy of their beliefs and practices.³⁵ For instance, it is said that certain rituals traditionally take place on Thursday nights, but they are not available to all Druze members: only the uqqal have the right of entry.³⁶ It is speculated that by keeping their gatherings and activities private, the Druze are able to avoid attracting unwanted attention or scrutiny from outsiders and preserve their sense of community.³⁷. Overall, the Druze’s tendency to hold private ceremonies and rituals is one of the unique features of the community, reflecting their commitment to preserving the secrecy of their beliefs and practices.

In general, the Druze community places a strong emphasis on strict observance of its own religious beliefs, practices, and tenets. As intermarriage is prohibited, those Druze members who have elected to marry outside of the community are alienated and forced to leave, highlighting the community’s lack of tolerance for outsiders.³⁸ This emphasis on adherence to its own traditions is likely in part a result of the community’s desire to preserve its unique identity and maintain its secrecy. As a result, the Druze emphasize following their own practices and beliefs while at the same time negating and rejecting non-Druze ideas and philosophies. In the same vein, this focus on maintaining the distinctiveness of their own traditions is an important aspect of the Druze community’s identity and sense of cohesion. Overall, the Druze’s emphasis on strict adherence to their own beliefs and practices is one of the unique features of the community and reflects their commitment to preserving their traditions and maintaining their sense of identity.

To sum up this section, it can be said that the discreetness of the Druze is another reason why they were able to hide their knowledge from the public eye for so long. This secrecy was accomplished through a combination of factors. The most prominent strategies include keeping the sacred texts and rituals exclusive to a few members of the community, the generational nature of passing knowledge, and the unequivocal rejection of other teachings. In fact, it seems that such reclusiveness may be the main reason behind the phenomenon of Druze secrecy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Druze religion remains a unique and closely-knit community that has a long history of discretion. Part of what makes them unique is that they are an ethnoreligious group, with their identity tied to both their ethnicity and their religion and a long tradition of prohibiting conversion. The community’s close-knit nature is maintained through a variety of practices, such as strict observance of its own beliefs and practices. Among other strategies used are a prohibition on intermarriage and a focus on maintaining the oral transmission of their traditions from one generation to the next. The Druze also maintain their secrecy by isolating themselves from others and presenting themselves as members of other religions when necessary in order to avoid persecution. Despite their secrecy, the Druze are known for their strong sense of community and cohesion, emphasizing family bonds and unity. These unique features of the Druze religion have attracted scholarly interest and have contributed to the community’s ability to remain a mystery. It can be concluded that their emphasis on strict observance and adherence to their beliefs and practices is a crucial aspect of the Druze’s manifold identity.

Bibliography

Abbas, Randa Deborah Khair Court. The Israeli Druze Community in Transition. 1st ed. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2021.

Al-Lababidi, Mahmoud. “The Druze of Sweida: The Return of the Regime Hinges on Regional and Local Conflicts.” European University Institute, 2020. Web.

Amer, Aml, and Nitza Davidovitch. “The Case of Druze Society and Its Integration in Higher Education in Israel.” International Education Studies 13, no. 8 (July 23, 2020): 68. Web.

Falah, Janan Faraj. “‘He Is Alienated’: Intermarriage among Druze Men in Israel.” Sociology Mind 08, no. 01 (2018): 70–82. Web.

Goldschmidt, Arthur Jr., and Lawrence Davidson. A Concise History of the Middle East: Ninth Edition. 9th ed. Westview Press, 2009.

Khaizran, Yusri. “The Syrian Popular Uprising and the Decline of the Druze Political Role.” Al-Durziyya: Druze and Other Minorities in the Middle East 1, no. 2 (2022). Web.

Marshall, Scarlett, Ranajit Das, Mehdi Pirooznia, and Eran Elhaik. “Reconstructing Druze Population History.” Scientific Reports 6 (2016): 35837. Web.

Miles, William F.S. “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel.” Anthropology of the Middle East 17, no. 2 (2022): 140–158. Web.

Natoor, Maha. “Life, Death, and Beyond: The Belief in Reincarnation and the Phenomenon of Notq in the Druze Community.” Al-Durziyya: Druze and Other Minorities in the Middle East 1, no. 1 (2022). Web.

Zeedan, Rami, and Miles Luce. “Druze Women and Gender in Druze Society: A Systematic Literature Review.” Religions 12, no. 12 (2021): 1111. Web.

Footnotes

1. Goldschmidt Arthur Jr. and Lawrence Davidson, A Concise History of the Middle East: Ninth Edition (Westview Press, 2009), 85-86.
2. Goldschmidt and Davidson, A Concise History of the Middle East: Ninth Edition, 86.
3. Yusri Khaizran, “The Syrian Popular Uprising and the Decline of the Druze Political Role,” Al-Durziyya: Druze and Other Minorities in the Middle East 1, no. 2 (2022), Web.
4. Khaizran, “The Syrian Popular Uprising and the Decline of the Druze Political Role.”
5. Scarlett Marshall et al., “Reconstructing Druze Population History,” Scientific Reports 6 (2016): 35837, Web.
6. Khaizran, “The Syrian Popular Uprising and the Decline of the Druze Political Role.”
7. Randa Deborah Khair Court Abbas, The Israeli Druze Community in Transition, 1st ed (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2021), 7.
8. Aml Amer and Nitza Davidovitch, “The Case of Druze Society and Its Integration in Higher Education in Israel,” International Education Studies 13, no. 8 (2020): 68, Web.
9. Khaizran, “The Syrian Popular Uprising and the Decline of the Druze Political Role.”
10. Abbas, The Israeli Druze Community in Transition, 6.
11. Mahmoud Al-Lababidi, “The Druze of Sweida: The Return of the Regime Hinges on Regional and Local Conflicts” (European University Institute, 2020), Web.
12. Abbas, The Israeli Druze Community in Transition, 7.
13. Amer and Davidovitch, “The Case of Druze Society and Its Integration in Higher Education in Israel.” 70.
14. Khaizran, “The Syrian Popular Uprising and the Decline of the Druze Political Role.”
15. Khaizran, “The Syrian Popular Uprising and the Decline of the Druze Political Role.”
16. Janan Faraj Falah, “‘He Is Alienated’: Intermarriage among Druze Men in Israel,” Sociology Mind 08, no. 01 (2018): 70–82, Web.
17. Maha Natoor, “Life, Death, and Beyond: The Belief in Reincarnation and the Phenomenon of Notq in the Druze Community,” Al-Durziyya: Druze and Other Minorities in the Middle East 1, no. 1 (2022), Web.
18. William F.S. Miles, “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel,” Anthropology of the Middle East 17, no. 2 (2022): 140–158, Web.
19. Falah, “‘He Is Alienated’: Intermarriage among Druze Men in Israel.”
20. Falah, “‘He Is Alienated’: Intermarriage among Druze Men in Israel.”
21. Miles, “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel.”
22. Amer and Davidovitch, “The Case of Druze Society and Its Integration in Higher Education in Israel.” 70.
23. Abbas, The Israeli Druze Community in Transition, 20.
24. Natoor, “Life, Death, and Beyond: The Belief in Reincarnation and the Phenomenon of Notq in the Druze Community.”
25. Miles, “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel.”
26. Miles, “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel.”
27. Abbas, The Israeli Druze Community in Transition, 6-7.
28. Abbas, The Israeli Druze Community in Transition, 10.
29. Al-Lababidi, “The Druze of Sweida: The Return of the Regime Hinges on Regional and Local Conflicts.”
30. Abbas, The Israeli Druze Community in Transition, 6.
31. Miles, “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel.”
32. Miles, “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel.”
33. Rami Zeedan and Miles Luce, “Druze Women and Gender in Druze Society: A Systematic Literature Review,” Religions 12, no. 12. Web.
34. Zeedan and Luce, “Druze Women and Gender in Druze Society: A Systematic Literature Review.”
35. Miles, “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel.”
36. Miles, “When Men Become Orthodox in Israel.”
37. Al-Lababidi, “The Druze of Sweida: The Return of the Regime Hinges on Regional and Local Conflicts.”
38. Falah, “‘He Is Alienated’: Intermarriage among Druze Men in Israel.”