The Druze religion is an Arabic-speaking monotheistic religion that began as a movement in Shiite Islam in the 11th century and was formed in Egypt during the reign of the sixth Fatimid caliph, al-Hakam Bamer Allah (the governor in the commandment of God, الحاكم بأمر الله).
The Druze people believe that human history is divided into seven periods, during which a unique prophet received wisdom that was passed on to worthy individuals. The words of each of the prophets complement their predecessors, and together they join into one faith.
According to the Druze belief, in the time of al-Hakim Bamer Allah, four different heralds appeared, the last of which, Hamza ben Ali (حمزة بن عليّ), was the most significant and was proclaimed the imam of religion.
The Druze are also called “Bnei Maruf” and “Almwahdon” (الموحـّدون – “members of the faith of uniqueness” – the monotheists).
The name “Druze” was given to the community by their non-Druze neighbors, first appearing in the writings of an Arab-Christian historian, Yahya bin Said al-Antaqi.
According to the Druze tradition, one of the newcomers to the Mukhdun religion was Nashchin a-Darzi, who first acted in coordination with the other promoters of the Druze religion, but later saw himself as the incarnation of God and decided to establish another religion. Eventually, a-Darzi was defeated in war by Hamza Ben Ali.
There are other versions as to the origin of the name, and the Druze themselves are also not unanimous on this matter. According to one version, a-Darzi spread a false religion and the Druze were named after him to humiliate them and show their inferiority to the Muslims. According to another version, a-Darzi actually spread the Muhammadan religion with devotion, which is why the Druze are named after him.
The name “Bnei Maruf” came to indicate the positive qualities that characterized the Druze in their relations with their neighbors, who gave them this name. The qualities included hospitality, dedication, loyalty, patience, and providing help and refuge to the persecuted.
The origin of the name in religious books is different and is derived from the nickname “Araf” given to the members of the community, and the nickname “Arfan” (Gnostics) given to the unique religion.
The last name – “Muwhadon” – was the first chosen by the founders of the religion for themselves and their members. The name embodies the central idea of their doctrine, which is the absolute and abstract uniqueness of God.
This name, like many other concepts associated with the Druze religion, has been kept secret for a long time. The name itself is derived from the name of the religion Ben El Tuhid (the religion of uniqueness).
