Druze

The Druze, who refer to themselves al-Muwaḥḥidūn (the monotheists or the unitarians), are an Arab and Arabic-speaking ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who are adherants of the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion whose main tenets are the unity of God, belief in reincarnation, and the eternal existence of the soul. Most Druze religious practices are kept secret. They do not allow outsiders to convert to their religion. Marriage of Druze outside of their faith is rare and strongly discouraged. The Epistles of Wisdom is the foundational and central text of the Druze religion. It incorporates elements of Isma'ili Shia, Christianity, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Pythagoreanism, and other philosophies and beliefs that have melded into a distinct and secretive theology based on an esoteric interpretations of scripture that emphasizes the role of the mind and of honesty. Druze believe in theophany, or the visible apperance of god to human beings, and in reincarnation. Druze believe that at the termination of many cycles of rebirth, that are achieved through successive reincarnations, the soul will ultimately become united with the universal intellect. They particularly reverence Shuaib, who they believe is identical to biblical Jethro (father in-law of Moses) and further believe that Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and Imam Muhammad ibn Isma'il (seventh Imam in Isma'ili Shia Islam) were prophets. Druze tradition also honors Salman the Persian (religious scholar and companion of Muhammad), al-Khidr (a servant of God not mentioned in the Quran who had a notable conversation with  Moses whom they identify with Elijah reborn as John the Baptist and Saint George), Job, Luke the Gentile chronicler of early Christianity, and others as  mentors and prophets. The 800,000 to 1,000,000 Druze who currently live in the Levant (rcorresponding to modern-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria) are not considered to be Muslims, but continue to play an important role in shaping the destiny of this region. The Druze, for the sake of self-preservation,  have traditionally honored the cultural and political institutions of whichever Levant nation they may happen to reside in and have a contributed to armed  resistance of any power that threatens to invade and occupy the territory of their landlords. In consequence, Druze are typically permitted more freedom than most other minority groups that occupy the Levant.