Druze religion | A Definition and Facts and More

Druze Religion Definition and Facts and More

The Druze religion is a unique religious and The Druze are Arabic-speaking citizens of Israel and serve in the Israel Defense Forces, just as most citizens do in Israel. Members of the community have attained top positions in Israeli politics and public service.

There are thought to be around 1m Druze people in the world today, whose secretive religion was developed in 986 AD as a movement within Islam.

What does the Druze religion believe in?

The Druze place heavy emphasis on philosophy and spiritual purity. Nearly all Druze (99%) believe in God, including 84% who say they are certain in their belief. But there are no set holy days, regular liturgy, or obligations for pilgrimage, as Druze are meant to be connected with God at all times.

Who is the God of Druze?

It is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion based on the teachings of Hamza ibn-‘Ali ibn-Ahmad and the sixth Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, and Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, and Zeno of Citium. The Epistles of Wisdom is the foundational text of the Druze faith.

which refers to the belief that God was incarnated in human beings (especially ‘Ali and his descendants, including Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who was the caliph at the time) and 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.

Druze holy book:

The Epistles of Wisdom or Rasa’il al-Hikmah (Arabic: رَسَائِل ٱلْحِكْمَة‎) is a corpus of sacred texts and pastoral letters by teachers of the Druze Faith, which has currently close to a million faithful, mainly in Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Jordan

Druze prayer:

“The Druze follow a lifestyle of isolation where no conversion is allowed, neither out of or into, the religion. When Druze live among people of other religions, they try to blend in, to protect their religion and their safety. They can pray as Muslims, or as Christians, depending on where they are.

Druze marriage:

Traditionally, the Druze have not been allowed to marry outside of their faith. In recent years, however, records identify a few such marriages, but they have been Druze men married to non-Druze women. A Druze woman would rarely if ever, be allowed to marry a non-Druze man.

Druze pants:

the male outfit of both the initiated and uninitiated consisted of black baggy trousers tight around the ankles called a Sherwal and a white skull cap.
Many elderly Druze men sport big mustaches.

Can Druze drink alcohol? what about their food?

As for important rules that the Druze must follow, they are not allowed to drink alcohol, eat pork, or smoke tobacco, similar to the dietary laws in Islam. Polygamy is prohibited, and men and women are viewed as equals.

Druze cuisine is very seasonal since most of the ingredients come from the garden outside. In the spring, people eat stuffed grape leaves. In summer, it’s yogurt with everything: veggies cooked in yogurt, or meat-filled pastries in a yogurt sauce.

Druze religion holidays:

The Druze religion generally only celebrates one holiday, Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice). A time to give thanks to God for His bounty. The Druze community in Israel under the leadership of Sheikh Amin Tarif, however, has endowed this period with a special status, deeming the Ziyara a festive day by law.

World Religions

the reference: 1, 2