Arab ethnoreligious group of the Levant
Factsheet
Total population 800,000–2,000,000
Founder Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad
Regions with significant populations
Total population 800,000–2,000,000
Founder Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad
Regions with significant populations
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Druze
Druze - Wikipedia
4 weeks ago - The Druze, who call themselves al-Muwaḥḥidūn (lit. 'the monotheists' or 'the unitarians'), are an Arab esoteric religious group from West Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and syncretic religion whose main tenets assert the unity of God, reincarnation, and ...
Reddit
reddit.com › r/druze › do the druze actually descend from christians and not muslims?
r/druze on Reddit: Do the Druze actually descend from Christians and not Muslims?
December 27, 2024 -
The Druze despite being considered its own ethno-religion, are often said to be an off-shoot of Ismaili Islam. But how true is that?
According to genetic studies, the Druze are nearly identical to Levantine Christians, and don’t seem to be mixed with Arabs like most Muslims. Does that mean Druze overwhelmingly descend from Levantine Christians who joined the Druze faith when it was allowed to convert, rather than Muslims joining the faith?
Top answer 1 of 2
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You're asking two different questions here. In terms of Tawheed as a theology being an offshoot of Ismaili Islam, it's true, the Ismaili roots of Druzism are very obvious. In terms of our genetic origins and makeup, no one really knows, however genetic testing shows that as a population overall we're the same as the other Levantine populations in Syria and Lebanon AFAIK. The Tanukhids for example were an Arab tribe that migrated from southern Arabia to the Levant in the 2nd century, they were Christianized, then converted to Islam and finally their Emirs of the Chouf mountains converted to Druzism. They were the biggest Arab tribe that joined the Druze call. A big issue with this is that our history wasn't really documented until the 15th-16th century, so no firsthand sources exist about the proto-Druze and the early Druze. Oral traditions differ by agenda, people make a big deal about our fair skin complexion but it's not so different from your average northern Syrian/Lebanese, so God only knows where we really originate from, if I had to bet, I'd just say a mish mash of local Levantine populations.
2 of 2
3
The question is a bit nuanced. Firstly it is an ethnoreligion, which has ethnic heritage as far back as the time of Jethro, Moshe's (Moses) father in law. Secondly, the Druze which again is ethnic AND religious group---is Abrahamic... It is not Christian or Jewish or Muslim; the ethnoreligion element is similar to Judaism, but one key difference. It is a closed religion. There are no conversions in our out of the tribe (about one million worldwide). They are also not open to giving information about their traditions to outsiders. For western people to have a relatable comparison.. think similar to Amish in the sense of the separation from worldly things as much as possible. Not all are as strict, but that is the essence of things and why the religion is closed. The religion itself only became organized around 1100 current era, I want to say in Egypt under the caliphate at the time. Likely why they are so secretive about their faith as well. While it is not Christian, Jewish or Muslim, it does recognize key elements and figures from other Abrahamic religions. I will say, from what I know of them, they have a belief of reincarnation similar to Judaism, no hell or heaven .... Not in the way Christians believe. In Judaism, we call it Gilgulim Neshama "cycle of the soul". They have similar known traditions to all 3 religions, but what I do also know, is that their most central "prophet" seems to be Jesus, if that helps Christians out with an answer... The closest thing I can give anyway lol. He's seen as a Prophet to them, but a highly, HIGHLY regarded one. It's a layered question with an even more layered answer than I can even give without writing a book. I'm half Arab and I'm also half Mizrahi (Persian) Jewish and religiously Jewish. Ethnoreligions are a tricky thing to explain to people, because it's very much nuanced with many variables. When you're dealing with ethnoreligions it gets very complex, especially when the official religion wasn't cemented until so much later than the others. It doesn't make Druze religion an "offshoot" religion either, which I feel is important to say. I've heard Muslims suggest they're an offshoot of Shia, similar to Alawite, which is not correct. Being in a certain culture, which had certain traditions with regards to treatment of other religions and a history of forced conversions, to suggest that because a culture developed under a theocracy, is a direct part of that culture is a bit reductive. There are many people who are often Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and even Greek you who discover that despite being Christian, their DNA suggests Sephardic Jewish lineage in their profile. Same with Arabs who discover Mizrahi Jewish dna. Forced conversion can cause these surprises later on down the road. I think there are CULTURAL influences, but that their religion is unique and being a closed religion does murky things, but I respect it and the Druze people. I will also say, for my Christian friends. An interesting thing I recently read was that, upon studying the samples from the alleged burial shroud along with the alleged remains of John the Baptist, they were found to have DRUZE mitochondrial DNA, which suggests that, in the time of Jesus, on his mother's side... When the conversion in Judaism was not as strict and when Druze didn't disallow conversion, that at some point, his mother's family had married a member of the Druze tribe. He was still obviously Jewish, a Rabbi, but I thought that was really interesting. What we know is that Druze can be found as far away from the Middle East as Venezuela. So, if you have Hispanic lineage... Not only do you have a 25% chance of having Sephardic Jewish DNA , but also Druze is a possibility. Thought that was a pretty neat facto!
Videos
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Who Are the Druze? The Arab Minority That Stands With Israel - YouTube
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Arabs With a Secret Religion? The Origins of the Druze in Syria ...
Who are the Druze?
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Who are the Druze and why is Israel attacking Syria for them? | ...
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The Hidden History and Beliefs of The Druze | Library Chat #27 ...
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Why Does Israel Protect the Druze? - YouTube
Where did the Druze religion come from?
When the Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim ruled Egypt in the 10th and 11th centuries, some missionaries started to teach that he was the divine incarnation of god. He encouraged them to keep teaching this belief along with the teachings of other cultures and philosophies. The majority of the beliefs stem from the sect of Islam known as Isma'ili.
study.com
study.com › history courses › general religious studies
Druze Religion | History, Beliefs & Facts | Study.com
What does the Druze religion believe in?
The Druze are monotheistic and believe the leader al-Hakim from the 10th and 11th century CE is the divine incarnation of god. They believe in a combination of philosophies and beliefs from Christianity, Gnosticism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and other cultures.
study.com
study.com › history courses › general religious studies
Druze Religion | History, Beliefs & Facts | Study.com
What is the origin of the Druze faith?
The Druze faith originated in 11th-century Egypt as an offshoot of Ismaʿīlī Shiʿism during the reign of the sixth Fatimid caliph, al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh. The movement was persecuted under al-Ḥākim’s successor and in Egypt it eventually died out, but the community survived in mountainous areas of Syria and Lebanon.
britannica.com
britannica.com › philosophy & religion › religious movements & organizations
Druze | History, Religion, People, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Community, ...
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Lebanese_Druze
Lebanese Druze - Wikipedia
6 days ago - Under the Lebanese political division (Parliament of Lebanon Seat Allocation), the Druze community is designated as one of the five Lebanese Muslim communities in Lebanon (Sunni, Shia, Druze, Alawi, and Ismaili), although the Druze are no longer considered formally Muslim.
EBSCO
ebsco.com › research-starters › ethnic-and-cultural-studies › druze
Druze | Research Starters | EBSCO Research
The Druze are monotheistic, meaning they believe in one God. They believe that God is the same as the God of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. They also believe that God was incarnated as their founder, al-Hakim, in 1021, shortly before he disappeared.
Encyclopedia Britannica
britannica.com › philosophy & religion › religious movements & organizations
Druze | History, Religion, People, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Community, Arab, & Facts | Britannica
July 20, 1998 - Druze are a small Middle Eastern religious sect characterized by an eclectic system of doctrines and by a cohesion and loyalty among its members (at times politically significant) that have enabled them to maintain for centuries their close-knit ...
Pew Research Center
pewresearch.org › short reads › religion › religion & politics › 5 facts about israeli druze, a unique religious and ethnic group
5 facts about Israeli Druze, a unique religious and ethnic group | Pew Research Center
July 21, 2025 - While 42% of Druze say a way can be found for Israel and an independent Palestinian state to coexist peacefully, 51% of Muslims, 45% of Christians and 43% of Jews also take this view.
Religion Media Centre
religionmediacentre.org.uk › news › explainer-who-are-the-druze-and-why-are-they-at-the-centre-of-tension-in-the-middle-east-today
Explainer: Who are the Druze and why are they at the centre of tension in the Middle East today? - Religion Media Centre
July 21, 2025 - ... The Druze follow an esoteric, monotheistic religion that blends elements of other Abrahamic religions, including Judaism and Christianity, as well as several other philosophies such as Hinduism.
Study.com
study.com › history courses › general religious studies
Druze Religion | History, Beliefs & Facts | Study.com
It is a monotheistic religion with prophets who are recognized by both the Christian and Muslim religions. The Druze are ethnoreligious, meaning they form a common ethnicity and religious group.
Quora
quora.com › Are-Druze-Muslims-or-Jews
Are Druze Muslims or Jews? - Quora
The Druze are Druze. The Druze religion is RELATED to both Judaism and Islam - we think. One thing we do know, is that the Druze religion is gnostic, in the sense that - they don’t talk about it to outsiders.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Christianity_and_Druze
Christianity and Druze - Wikipedia
3 weeks ago - He also defines the Druze as a ... from Judaism". Despite originating from Isma'ilism, a branch of Islam, the Druze do not consider themselves Muslims, and they do not adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam....
IFCJ
ifcj.org › home › resources › who are the druze?
The Druze Religion | The Muwahideen | Who Are the Druze? | IFCJ
January 25, 2023 - Their religion is made up of philosophy, spiritual purity, and a strong connection with God. The Druze religion has its roots in Islam, but although some members consider themselves “Muslim,” they have been recognized as a separate religion.
Islam Question & Answer
islamqa.info › en › answers › 26139 › a-brief-look-at-the-beliefs-of-the-druze
A brief look at the beliefs of the Druze - Islam Question & Answer
May 23, 2003 - It is not permissible to eat the meat they slaughter, or to marry their womenfolk. They do not agree to pay the jizyah, so they are apostates from the religion of Islam and are not Muslims, nor are they Jews or Christians...
DW
dw.com › en › syria-who-are-the-druze › a-73311140
Syria: Who are the Druze?
July 17, 2025 - They practice a unique Abrahamic religion (the Abrahamic group includes Christianity, Islam and Judaism) which developed from a branch of Shia Islam. However the Druze do not identify as Muslim.
Al Jazeera
aljazeera.com › news › explainer
Who are the Druze? A look at the community following a deadly attack | Explainer News | Al Jazeera
The Druze religion grew out of Ismaili Shia Islam in the 11th century but has evolved to include aspects of other religions, including Hinduism, as well as ancient philosophies. The faith believes in reincarnation while recognising traditional ...
Published August 1, 2024
Muslim Hope
muslimhope.com › Druze.html
The Druze Faith
Also called the Druse, Duruz, Duroz, ... themselves Muwahhidun (Unitarians). Though they believe Mohammed was from God, cannot be considered as Muslims any more than they can be Jews or Christians....
Quora
quora.com › Are-the-Druze-Muslims
Are the Druze Muslims? - Quora
Answer (1 of 5): No , Even though the faith originally developed out of Ismaili Islam and many of their customs follow Islam but still Druze people do not define themselves as Muslims.
Hungarian Conservative
hungarianconservative.com › home › a small tribe between jews and muslims: the druze of israel
A Small Tribe Between Jews and Muslims: The Druze of Israel - Hungarian Conservative
January 10, 2024 - While a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion, it is also syncretic, blending elements of Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism, among other faiths. Conversion is prohibited, and so is apostasy, while inter-faith marriages are discouraged.
Ku
druze.ku.edu › druze-sect-islam
Project outcome #3- The Druze as a sect of Islam or separate religion: | Druze Studies
However, in quality, there is a ... themselves and are viewed as a different religion. On the other hand, in other countries, Druze present themselves and are viewed mainly as a sect of Islam....
Joshua Project
joshuaproject.net › people_groups › 11620 › SY
Druze in Syria people group profile | Joshua Project
The religion of the Druze began in the 9th century AD, as a sect of Islam. Darazi, a preacher, and Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad, a Persian mystic, were instrumental in popularizing the religion.
Aish
aish.com › current › issues › who are the druze?: 8 facts
Who are the Druze?: 8 Facts | Aish
July 17, 2025 - Much of the finer points of the Druze religion are secret, even to ordinary Druze people, and are maintained by religious leaders called “uqqal” (“knowers”). Aspects of the Druze religion that are widely known include monotheism, a belief in reincarnation, equality between men and women, and a host of prophets who span Christian, Muslim, and ancient Greek culture.