The Druze | Between Israel and Islamists

The Druze faith emerged out of Ismailism, which is an off-shoot of Shia Islam, in eleventh century Egypt. 
| Photograph Credit score: AFP

Clashes first broke out within the southern outskirts of Damascus, Syria’s capital, after an audio clip emerged on social media of a person criticising Prophet Mohammed. The audio was attributed to a Druze cleric (who later denied any function). Indignant Sunni Islamists, aligned with the present authorities in Syria, began attacking Druze neighborhood members and armed Druze fighters fought again. Violence unfold throughout Jaramana and Sahnaya close to Damascus, and to Sweida, in southern Syria, the heartland of the Druze. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the chief of Syria’s Druze, denounced “the genocidal marketing campaign” towards his neighborhood.

When Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell in December, and the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham established its rule in Damascus, the Druze, like different minority communities within the nation, referred to as for his or her non secular and political rights to be protected. Syria’s new rulers promised that minority rights can be revered. However these assurances did little in stopping the outbreak of sectarian clashes. As violence unfold, Israel carried out a number of air strikes towards pro-government teams in Syria “to guard the Druze”.

The Druze faith emerged out of Ismailism, which is an off-shoot of Shia Islam, in eleventh century Egypt. However the Druze, a intently knit neighborhood for whom Arabic language and tradition make the core of their id, are usually not thought-about as Muslims. They recognise the key Abrahamic prophets, from Adam to Jesus and Mohammed, but additionally imagine in reincarnation. The Koran is a sacred e book, however the non secular textual content for the Druze is Kitab Al Hikma (The E book Of Knowledge), which is a group of books. The identify Druze comes from one of many early preachers of Druze theology — Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin ad-Darazi.

Additionally learn | Israeli army strikes close to Syria’s presidential palace after warning over sectarian assaults

Religion in reincarnation

The roots of Druze theology could be traced again to al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the eleventh century Fatimid Caliph, who dominated from Cairo. A piece of al-Hakim’s followers, together with ad-Darazi, cut up away from Shia Ismailism, and began referring to al-Hakim as “a manifestation of God in His unity”. Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad, who is taken into account the founding father of the Druze sect, and the first creator of the Druze scriptures, proclaimed that God reincarnated as man in al-Hakim. The Caliph, who mysteriously disappeared in February 1021, is a central determine in Druze beliefs. He’s addressed as “Our Lord” in Druze prayers.

The Druze don’t permit conversion, and marriages exterior the neighborhood are uncommon. However over time, the tenets of the Druze had been formed by the affect of different jap religions — from Abrahamic Prophet to the thought of reincarnation and rebirth derived from Hinduism — in addition to Greek philosophy. After the cycle of reincarnations, the Druze imagine, the soul reunites with ‘al- aaqal al kulli’, the Cosmic Thoughts (or God’s Will).

Hardcore Islamists see them as heretics, and the neighborhood has survived persecution throughout the late medieval period. However over time, they’ve additionally emerged as an influential sect within the Levant area.

Right now, roughly 1 million Druze persons are scattered throughout Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. In Syria, the Druze are concentrated within the southern suburbs of Damascus, the southern Sweida province and within the Golan Heights. When Israel captured many of the Golan Heights in 1967 and annexed it in 1981, the Druze neighborhood within the occupied area continued to reside of their villages. Right now, about 25,000 Druze reside in Golan — roughly 25% of them are estimated to be Israeli residents. In whole, there are about 1,50,000 Druze dwelling in Israel.

Throughout Syria’s civil conflict, Israel had reportedly helped the Druze teams in Syria’s south. After Islamists captured energy in Syria, Israel has been extra vocal concerning the safety of the Druze. Israel has additionally grabbed extra Syrian territory within the Golan. By finishing up airstrikes in central Syria, Israel, whose ongoing conflict on Gaza has killed over 50,000 Palestinians — most of them ladies and youngsters — are attempting to place themselves as a protector of the Druze within the clashes-hit Syria.

For the Druze, the selection is between home Islamists and a overseas pressure that occupies components of Syria. For now, they appear to lean in direction of the latter.