The Druzes:

The Druze (or Druzes) are a Middle Eastern minority group, whose faith began as an Islamic reform movement in the 11th century. Most Druzes who number, according to reliable sources, around one million people, live today in mountainous regions in Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Jordan. About 500.000 (i.e. 50 %) live in Syria, 300.000 in Lebanon, 90.000 in Israel, 20.000 in Jordan. The rest are immigrants communities.

1000 years of history:

Historians trace the origins of the Druze (or Tawhid) faith to 11th century Cairo. The establishment of this “Tawhid” (meaning “Unitarianism”) reform movement and doctrine revolves mainly around several individuals, two of whom are Al-Hakim and Hamza Ibn Ali. A third individual, named Nushtagin Al-Darazi Al-Hakim (full title “Al-Hakim bi Amr-illlah”, meaning the Ruler at God’s Command) was the 6th Fatimid Caliph who became the head of the Islamic Fatimid state in 996 at the age of eleven.

The connection between Al-Hakim and the Druzes is best substantiated through the religious writings of Hamza, the second person associated with the Druze faith, who was appointed as a religious leader by Al-Hakim. He is considered the main author behind most of the original Druze manuscripts.

The resistance of the medieval populace to such interpretation, however, posed a grave danger for Hamza and his associates. One of Hamza’s subordinates, Al-Darazi, seized the opportunity to take political control of the movement and proclaimed himself “Guide of guides” which was meant to elevate him over Hamza.

Ironically, a few medieval chroniclers of the time not only failed to make the distinction between Druzes and Darazis but attributed Al-Darazi’s doctrine to the followers of Hamza and still others have referred to Hamza and Al-Darazi as the same person: Hamza al-Darazi. As a consequence, the name “Druze” became synonymous with the reform movement.

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