Editing Druze (section)

=== Cultural identity ===
[[File:103209 the druze town of beit gan and its surroundings PikiWiki Israel.jpg|thumb|Inside the Maqam Baha al-Din in [[Beit Jann]]]]
Various scholars agree that the Druze community's cultural identity is deeply intertwined with their [[Arab identity|Arab heritage]]. Historian [[Nejla Abu-Izzedin]] and [[Kamal Salibi]] both argue that the Druze are profoundly embedded within the Arab cultural framework, as demonstrated by their common language and social customs.{{sfn|Abu-Izeddin|1993|p=45-67}}<ref>{{cite book |title=A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon Reconsidered |first=K.|last=Salibi|author-link=Kamal Salibi |publisher=University of California Press |date=1988 |isbn=978-0-520-07196-4|pages=25–50}}</ref> They assert that this integration is apparent through the Druze's active participation in regional traditions and their assimilation into Arab society, despite their distinct religious and philosophical beliefs.{{sfn|Abu-Izeddin|1993|p=145}}<ref>{{cite book |title=A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon Reconsidered |first=Kamal |last=Salibi |author-link=Kamal Salibi |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |date=1988 |isbn=978-0-520-07196-4 |pages=85–110}}</ref>

Scholar Robert Brenton Betts explains that the Druze social structure is characterized by a strong sense of community and the leadership of religious elders known as 'sheikhs'. These leaders are pivotal in guiding both the spiritual and social aspects of Druze life, which is crucial for preserving their unique identity.{{sfn|Betts|1990|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Z9nnPg1EDOEC&pg=PA92 92]}} Betts also points to specific Druze practices, such as the annual pilgrimage to the [[Shrine of Shu'ayb]], as examples of how these traditions, along with the role of the sheikhs, are deeply ingrained in Druze social life. He argues that these practices are not just religious rituals but are fundamental to reinforcing Druze unity and continuity.{{sfn|Betts|1990|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Z9nnPg1EDOEC&pg=PA85 85–110]}}

According to some scholars, the Druze cultural identity is shaped by their interactions with both [[Christianity in the Middle East|Christian]] and Muslim communities, reflecting a [[Religious syncretism|synthesis]] of religious and cultural influences. Historians notes that the Druze have historically maintained a [[Christianity and Druze|positive relationship with Christians]], as evidenced by shared traditions and social practices in [[Mount Lebanon]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Lebanon in History: From the Earliest Times to the Present |last=Hitti |first=Philip |year=2010 |isbn=9789004129382 |pages=408–410 |publisher=[[University of Michigan Press]]}}</ref><ref name="Mackey 2009 62">{{cite book |title=Lebanon: A House Divided |last=Mackey |first=Sandra |year=2006 |isbn=9780393352764 |page=62 |publisher=[[W. W. Norton]]}}</ref> This interaction has led to overlapping symbols, customs, mutual veneration of saints and their shrines, and shared terminology for God.<ref name="Beaurepaire 2017 310-314">{{cite book |title=Religious Interactions in Europe and the Mediterranean World: Coexistence and Dialogue from the 12th to the 20th Centuries |first=Pierre-Yves |last=Beaurepaire |year=2017 |isbn=9781351722179 |pages=310–314 |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Munro |first1=Dane |last2=Haddad |first2=Nour Fara |title=Peace Journeys: A New Direction in Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Research |year=2019 |publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing |location=Cambridge |isbn=9781527543133 |pages=7}}</ref> Sites such as the [[Church of Saidet et Tallé]] in [[Deir el Qamar]], historically a popular [[Shrines to Mary, mother of Jesus|Marian pilgrimage site]] among the Druze, exemplify this cultural exchange.<ref>{{cite book |title=Sharing the Sacra: The Politics and Pragmatics of Intercommunal Relations Around Holy Places |first=Glenn |last= Bowman |year=2012 |isbn=9780857454867 |page=17 |publisher=[[Berghahn Books]]}}</ref> The Druze also venerate Christian saints like [[Saint George]] and the [[Prophet Elijah]], admired for their "bravery and warrior-like qualities".<ref name="Beaurepaire 2017 310-314" /> Scholar Pierre-Yves Beaurepaire observes that these [[Military saint|warrior saints]] resonate with the Druze due to their parallels with Druze militarized traditions.<ref name="Beaurepaire 2017 310-314" /> The [[baptism]] of children, in line with Christian tradition, was common among prominent Lebanese Druze families. Historian Aharon Layish notes that there is clear evidence of Druzes in [[History of Lebanon under Ottoman rule|Lebanon during the Ottoman period]] who posed as Christians for practical reasons.<ref>{{cite book |title=Asian and African Studies: Vol. 19, No. 3 |first=Jozef |last=Genzor |year=1990 |isbn=978-0700702268 |page=274 |publisher=[[University of Michigan Press]]}}</ref>

Conversely, despite sharing historical roots with Muslims, the Druze often experience a more complex relationship with Muslim communities due to their distinct religious beliefs and practices.<ref name="Mackey 2009 62"/> Historically, the Druze faced significant persecution from Muslim regimes, which led them to keep their religious beliefs secret.<ref name="Swayd 2015 132">{{harvnb|Swayd|2015|p=132}}: "Some Muslim rulers and jurists have advocated the persecution of members of the Druze Movement beginning with the seventh Fatimi Caliph Al-Zahir, in 1022. Recurring period of persecutions in subsequent centuries ... failure to elucidate their beliefs and practices, have contributed to the ambiguous relationship between Muslims and Druzes"</ref><ref name="K. Zartman 2020 199">{{cite book |title=Conflict in the Modern Middle East: An Encyclopedia of Civil War, Revolutions, and Regime Change |first=Jonathan K. |last=Zartman |year=2020 |isbn=9781440865039 |page=199 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |quote=Historically, Islam classified Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians as protected "People of the Book," a secondary status subject to payment of a poll tax. Nevertheless, Zoroastrians suffered significant persecution. Other religions such as the Alawites, Alevis, and Druze often suffered more.}}</ref><ref name="Layiš 1982 1">{{cite book |title=Marriage, Divorce, and Succession in the Druze Family: A Study Based on Decisions of Druze Arbitrators and Religious Courts in Israel and the Golan Heights |first=Aharôn |last=Layiš |year=1982 |isbn=9789004064126 |page=1 |publisher=[[Brill Publishers|Brill]] |quote=the Druze religion, though originating from the Isma'lliyya, an extreme branch of the Shia, seceded completely from Islam and has, therefore, experienced periods of persecution by the latter.}}</ref> According to Druze narrative, these [[Persecution of Druze|acts of persecution]] were aimed at eradicating the entire community.{{sfn|Zabad|2017|p=}}{{page needed|date=October 2024}} This narrative has shaped the Druze sense of identity and their awareness of survival.{{sfn|Zabad|2017|p=}}{{page needed|date=October 2024}} As a survival strategy, some Druze have historically posed as Muslims, a practice known as ''[[taqiya]]''.<ref name="Incorporated-1996"/> This concealment has led to a [[Religious syncretism|synthesis]] of Druze religious practice and cultural identity with Islamic elements, as noted by scholars.<ref name="Keddie 2002 306">{{cite book |last1=Keddie |first1=Nikki R. |title=Iran and the Surrounding World: Interactions in Culture and Cultural Politics |date=2002 |publisher=[[University of Washington Press]] |isbn=9780295982069 |page=306 |edition=illustrated |first2=Rudolph P. |last2=Matthee}}</ref>