Final note
This site contains information which will definitely benefit someone who is interested in the religious and ethnic Druze minority. The choice of subjects is the result of field research conducted in Syria. In mountainous regions of the cities of Suwayda and Idlib, as well as at the foot of Jabal al-Sheikh, I noticed visible differences in the physiognomy of the Druze and Arabs which stimulated my curiosity about the origins of the former. The Druze religion remained a mystery to me, although I became interested in the person of the Fatimid Caliph, al-Hakim, who was referred to as a man in whom God dwelt, or even as God himself, and who is the basis of the Druze faith.
The Druze are a minority fully assimilated in the Syrian society, in spite of the fact that they are governed by an internal code of civil law. The text edited by Sheikh al-Akl proves that the Druze are subject to different laws than Muslims in terms of family relationships and inheritance.
During the field research, I was also able me to photograph the original Druze outfit and the places where they reside. It is impossible to overlook the members of the Druze minority in Syria, even though they live in mountainous regions and surround their religion by an aura of mystery. Their significant political activity allowed the Druze to create a strong lobby which upholds their religious and economic independence.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Al-Makrizi. 1971. Ittiaz al-Hunafa. Le Caire
Aronson, Geoffrey. 1995. “Colonisation du Golan, état des lieu”. Revue d`Études Palestiniennes nr 4, Paris.
Bianquis, T. “Al-Hakim bi amr Allah ou la folie de l`unité chez un souverain fatimid”. Les Africains, T XI. Paris.
Bourgey, A. 1990. “Les minorités et l`organisation de l`espace de l`Orient arabe”. Cahiers de la Méditerrranée, n 41,T1.Paris.
Bouron, N. 1930. Les Druzes. Paris
Canard, M. 1965. “al-Hakim bi amr Allah”. Encyclopedie de l`Islam. Paris.
Carbillet, C. 1929. Au Djebel Druzes, choses vues et vécues. Paris.
Casanova, P. 1893. Les derniers Fatimides. Paris.
De Smet, D. 1986. “Le concept de la gayba chez les druzes, à la lumiere de la Risala al-ghayba de Hamza b. Ali”. Orientalia Loveniensia Periodica nr 17. Belgia.
De Sacy, S. 1838. Exposé de la religion des Druzes tiré des Livres Religieux de cette secte. Paris.
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Hichi, S. H. 1973. La communoté druze: son orgine et son histoire. Beyrouth.
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Perillier, L. 1986. Les Druzes. Paris.
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Schaebler, B. 1996. “State Power and the Druzes: Integration and the Struggle for Social Control (1838-1949)”. Berliner Islamstudien.
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Zahr ad-Din, S. 1994. “Tarih al-Muslimin al-Muwahhidin ad-Duruz”. Bayrut.
Abu Turabi Dżamil. 1998. “Man Hum al-Muwahhidun ad-Duruz”. Dimaszk.
Captions to photos in the GALLERY
A Druze married couple from Suwayda.
A visitor’s room at a Druze house.
A street in Suwayda.
Elder women wear light scarves with which they cover their hair, neck and lips.
Young shop keepers from Suwayda.
The owner of a wonderful sweet chop in Suwayda. A light scarf worn by men is called “hatta” or “keffiyeh”.
Ruins in the centre of Suwayda are no surprise to anyone. A traditionally dressed Druze is sitting on a curb waiting for a minibus. Next to him, there is a man wearing standard Arab clothes.
The director of the city's Cultural Centre in Suwayda.
The Druze Communists at a congress in Suwayda.
Sheikh Djarbu serving traditional Arabic kahwa murray.
Sheikh gladly agreed to have our photo taken.
Druze buildings adjacent to the Byzantine church in Kanawat.
A Druze standing in the courtyard of his home in Shahba. Many of the houses in the city are built on the basis of the Roman ruins.
Sheikh of the Hudur village in the Golan region.
With a visit to the Sheikh
Three Druze men from Arna in front of a shop.
A Druze man from Arna.
Orchards in autumn near Arna.
Orchards in autumn near Arna.
A visit in a Druze house in Arna.
A view on some Byzantine ruins in the village of Kalb Luza. A woman wearing the traditional Druze clothes. In the area of Suwayda such dress can no longer be spotted.
Children selling hand embroidered cloths. The village of Kalb Luza. Basilica from the 5th century.
From Kalb Luza I walked to the village of Banabil.
An elderly woman is sitting on a terrace of her house watching the road leading into Banabil.
Main road in Banabil with sheep droppings scattered around.
The traditional outfit of a Druze woman. The village of Banabil.
Visiting the village administrator in Banabil.
The village administrator with his daughter.
Boys from Banabil.
To present the differences in the appearance between the Druze and the Arabs, here is a photo of boys from the region of Sergiopolis.
The Druze youths from Suwayda.
Preparation of sacrifice before Id al-Adha.
Three Druze women in a laundry.
Women preparing a meal.
Women kneading traditional al-Kubba, with minced mutton meat filling. Men and women eat meals separately.
Inside the tomb in the area of Suwayda a lot of space is occupied by emblems showing the colours of the Druze banner.
In Damascus, the al-Umawwi Mosque is a place frequented by the Druze.
The Druze women are easily recognized on the streets of Damascus.
A Druze farmer from the area of Suwayda.
A description of two maps provided on a CD
Names of places in the region of Jabal al-Arab.
Map 1.
As-Suwayda
Szahba
Salhad
Al-Mushannaf
Shakka
Khirbat Awwad
Al-Gharijja
Dibbin
Bakka
Umm ar-Rumman
Anz
Shannira
Al-Anat
Imtan
Samma
Madzdal asz-Szur
Malah
Kajsama
Al-Hawajja
Baham
Tal al-Lawz
Umran
Al-Rafika
Hut
Al-Kurajja
Al-Mujajfir
Ara
Rassas
Kanakir
Ṯaala
Walgha
Atil
Salmim
Al-Mazraa
Rima Hzima
Madzdal
As-Sidżin
At-Tira
Kafr al-Luhf
Rmia al-Luhf
Najran
Taara
Ḳrasa
Jadijja
Arika
Majadil
Sumajd
Damma
Lahisa
Rudaymat al-Liwa
As-Sawra as-Saghira
Ḏakir
Halhala
Umm Hartain
As-Sawra al-Kubra
Al-Halidijja
Al-Hokuf
Al-Busajna
Al-Hayat
Amra
Umm az-Zaytun
As-Suwamira
Al-Mutuna
Nimra
Geneina
Barik
Rudajmat ash-Sharqiyyah
At-Tarba
Umm Rawwak
Al-Ajaylat
Sharihi
Salla
Saaf
Al-Harisa
Majamas
Sahwat al-Hudur
Symbols on Map 1 indicating the influence of particular families in villages in Jabal al-Arab.
The Atrash family: A
The Nasrar family: B
The Nasrar + Kuntar families: C
The Darwish family: D
The Sallam family: E
The Ḳalani family: F
The Sahnawi family: G
The Amir family: H
The Halabi family: K
The Shajin family: L
The Kiwan family: M, T
The Azzam family: N
The Abu Fahr family: O
The Hunajdi family: P
The Abu Assaf family: R
The Halabi family: S
Names of places in the region of Jabal al-Sheikh
Map 1
Ar-Rima
Hudur
Majdal Shams
Ajn Kinja
Masada
Bukaata
Harfa
Banyas
Kalaat Jandal
Bakasim
Arna
Ism al-Fawka
Names of places in the region of Idlib
Map 2
Banabil
Kalbluza
Kafr Kabla
Kafr Haris
Taltita
Hala
Kuku
Ad-Dawir
Kafr Bagha
Kiftin
Al-Bayra
Maarat al-Ihwan