A Hidden and Mysterious Order

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They gather in remote valleys and mountain strongholds, and only a handful of initiates are permitted to know their mystic rites or to read their "Six Books of Wisdom." Their faith is a baffling hybrid of Greek philosophy and Muslim mysticism; they revere Jesus, Moses and Muhammad equally. Though their sect is technically an offshoot of the Isma'ili Muslim sect, it shares ideas with Chinese and Indian religions. Such are the shadowy outlines of the mysterious Druze, a self-enclosed feudal group famous for its autonomy and military prowess.

Of Lebanon's dozen or more sects, the Druze are said to be the fourth largest, with a membership of 250,000 (there are roughly 260,000 in Syria, as well as some 40,000 in Israel). Yet the Druze's solidarity and fierce sense of loyalty have given them clout disproportionate to their numbers. Ever since 1975 the leader of the Druze has served as the head of the Lebanese left.

After its founding in Cairo in 1017, the enigmatic movement gradually spread to the Levant. Eventually it entrenched itself in particular in the heart of the Chouf, overlooking Beirut. During the 17th century an aristocratic Kurdish warrior clan, the Jumblatts (the name means heart of steel), joined the Druze and eventually became one of the group's two dominant families. At about the same time, the Druze formed an alliance with the Maronite Christians under the leadership of a Druze emir. In the 19th century, the aggressively ascendant Maronites sought to consolidate their power over Lebanon. Alarmed, the Druze rose against them. In a still vivid 1860 incident, the Druze set fire to mountain villages and slaughtered thousands of Christians. The present unrest is a reminder of that longstanding and sometimes bloody friction.

Accustomed to being a minority sect, the Druze have always clung to habits of secrecy. But some aspects of their doctrine are publicly known: affirming "the essential unity of all things and beings," the Druze hold that God is a single entity and that men pass through a series of lives, constantly moving toward perfection. They also believe that only a fixed number of places are reserved for them in paradise. Upon death, therefore, every worthy Druze is said to be reborn as another Druze; for the same reason, converts are not accepted and intermarriage is not encouraged. The Druze neither drink nor smoke nor swear. They steadfastly observe complete submission to God, mutual support, repudiation of all other religions and strict truthfulness. Yet the faith remains eminently pragmatic: when abroad or in trouble, a Druze is permitted to dissemble to unbelievers and even to feign adherence to another belief.