The Druzes--Their religion--Their character--Druze and Jew--Recent
history in _Haurân_--Druze and Bedawy--War.
THE Druzes are generally known by a name which is not of their own
choosing, nor, indeed, is it at all to their liking. “Druze” seems to
connect them with Durazy, any close relation with whom they disclaim.
Had they their own way, they would be called _Muwahhedîn_, the Arabic
equivalent for Unitarians. In this fact we have the key to their
distinctive character; for they are essentially a people gathered round
a religious idea. This possessed sufficient force to separate them from
the first from all surrounding peoples, and made necessary a mutual
bond, or alliance, offensive and defensive, among the members of the
new society, in order to secure its existence. In due time the society
grew into a distinct people, of marvellous cohesion and power of united
action against all outsiders. To understand this people, we must know
something of their faith.
The sect took its rise in the early years of the eleventh century,
during the reign of _Caliph el-Hâkim Biamrillah_, in Egypt (996-1020).
A foolish and dissipated prince, his minister, _ed-Durazy_, for
reasons not now obvious, proclaimed him to be an incarnation of Deity,
the last of the long line of incarnations extending from Adam downward.
The people of Cairo, however, would have none of his doctrines.
Escaping the violence of the mob whom his blasphemies had enraged,
he fled to Syria, where, among the mountains of Southern Lebanon, he
found asylum for himself, and disciples to accept his teaching. It is,
indeed, not darkly hinted that his efforts to enlighten the Syrians
were ably seconded by the persuasive powers of Egyptian gold, the
worthy _el-Hâkim_ being no way indisposed to undergo the process of
apotheosis while it was possible for him to enjoy its honours. The
work of _ed-Durazy_ might have proved only transitory in its effects,
had not a learned and able Persian, _Hamzeh_ by name, come to his
assistance. By a skilful combination of _ed-Durazy’s_ new dogma with
ancient superstitions and mystical doctrines, frowned upon by orthodox
Mohammedans, he wrought out a religious system which commanded the
respect and secured the submission of increasing numbers.
The great doctrine of _Islâm_, the unity of the God-head, is almost
violently emphasised in the Druze religion; but this is associated with
a belief in God’s close relation to the world and His eternal love
for men, in so far as it is possible to attribute love to a being of
whom only one thing can be certainly predicated, namely, existence.
This love has resulted in a constant succession of incarnations or
manifestations of Himself since the beginning. Therefore all the great
prophetic line, from Adam to Jesus Christ, are held in reverence. A
place is also accorded to _Mohammed_; and, further, the divine is seen
in _ʿAli_, _Mohammed ibn Ismaʿîl_, _Saʿid el-Mûhdi_, and, last and
greatest, _el-Hâkim_. With regard to this last, death is not to be
thought of as terminating his earthly career; it is only a change, to
test the faith and sincerity of his followers. One day he will return
with invincible might, to bring the whole world into subjection. Of
Jesus Christ it is interesting to observe that the Druze agrees with
the Mohammedan in believing that the divine incarnation was not put to
death; but, while the latter says that His “appearance” was crucified,
the former holds that a second Jesus Christ, son of the carpenter,
endured the dread penalty, while Jesus Christ, the manifestation of
the Divine, passed scathless from the world. In all of this it is not
difficult to trace the influence of early Christian heresy.
The Druzes believe in the transmigration of souls. It has been
erroneously held that they receive this doctrine in a modified form,
not thinking it possible that a human soul should enter one of the
lower animals. This is not so. At the very moment of his mother’s
death, a calf was born in the herd of a Druze, and he firmly believed
that the soul of his mother dwelt in that calf. Along with this, they
believe in a series of human lives for the individual in different
forms. No man knows if in the first youth he meets he may not salute
the spirit of his grandfather. The destination of the soul on parting
from the body is determined by the manner in which it has lived: if
well, it will be born again in happier conditions; if ill, its next
existence will be fraught with pain and sorrow. It is an article of
their faith that births do not increase, deaths do not diminish, the
actual number of Druzes in existence. That number is known to God only,
but it is fixed and unchangeable forever. Birth brings not a new spirit
into being, but only begins a new life for one already existing. Death
does not slay a spirit, but only introduces the living into a new form
of existence. No one born of true Druze parentage can ever become
anything else, and no one born of Christian or other parents can ever
become a Druze.
It would be a mistake to suppose that all Druzes are acquainted
with the whole system of their religion. It would be nearer truth
to say that very many know nothing of religion at all. The deeper
things are high secrets, which only the _ʿAkkâl_--men and women of
understanding--are given to know. Their place of worship is called
_Khalweh_ (“retired spot”), and there the initiated conduct their
secret service. Many years ago, during the troubles that have so often
convulsed this country, the sacred books of the Druzes were seized and
studied by competent scholars; but, like the Freemasons, whom they so
much resemble, the Druzes may very well maintain that there are secrets
among them which no books can ever reveal. Certain it is that round
these repositories of their mysteries the _Juhhâl_, or ignorant ones,
gather with profound veneration. The _ʿAkkâl_ bear themselves with
great circumspection. They live sober and temperate lives, abstaining
from all alcoholic liquors, from tobacco, and even from coffee, the
universal beverage of the Arab.
_Hamzeh_, who systematised their doctrines and gave something like
coherency to their beliefs, they continue to honour as _el-Hâdi_ (“the
guide”). _Durazy_, strangely, they have forgotten, or remember only to
repudiate. _El-Hâdi_ is from the same root, and has the same meaning,
as _el-Mahdi_, the expected “guide” of the Moslems, who is to “lead”
them to the universal triumph for which they yearn.
The Druzes number in all perhaps something over a hundred thousand.
They do not, however, for a moment believe that all real Druzes are
confined to Syria. China, for example, is a land of which they have
some dim knowledge; it figures vague and vast in their untutored
minds. They have heard that there are beliefs common to them and the
Chinese; this is sufficient to create the conviction that the Chinese
are really Druzes too, whatever name they may be called, and that,
when the proper time comes, that mighty empire will pour forth its
millions to do battle in the cause of _el-Hâkim_. The British share, in
this regard, their affection and confidence, an impression prevailing
widely that they too are a nation of Druzes. If this impression did
not come from the kindly treatment of the Druzes by the British, when,
after the massacre, they were in imminent danger, it was certainly
strengthened thereby. If one of them asks how many Druzes there are in
England, and receives the reply that there are none, he is far from
being convinced, and most likely he leaves you with the suspicion that
you are a Druze yourself. He will think nothing the less of you for
your stout denial; for it is permitted to them to assume the outward
form and profession of any religion whatever, if their welfare for
the time may thereby be promoted, the only condition being that they
remain true in heart to the faith of their fathers. In a country where
the people excel in clever deceptions, it is often extremely hard
for the missionary to distinguish between the true and the spurious
convert. There is a well-authenticated case in which a Druze professed
conversion to Christianity, was baptized, received into the Church,
and, having given proof of his fitness, was at length ordained to the
ministry. He continued to exercise his calling with acceptance for
several years; then, throwing off the mask by which he had deceived
everybody, he openly declared that he was a Druze at heart, and had
never been anything else.
The Lebanon for long was the home of the Druzes, but now they are found
as far north as Antioch and as far south as Carmel; while since 1860
they have gone eastward, and settled in such numbers on the mountain,
that the name _Jebel Haurân_, by which it was formerly known, is fast
giving place to that of _Jebel ed-Druze_. Wherever the Druze goes,
he maintains his well-earned reputation for hospitality and kindly
treatment of strangers. This practice is mixed up with the religious
ideas that from hoary antiquity have prevailed from the eastern
shore of the Mediterranean throughout the whole Arabian peninsula.
The guest is in some sense the representative of God, by whose
bounty all men live. The traveller who finds himself belated near a
habitation of Druzes may generally go forward with good heart, assured
that the best of their poor store will be placed ungrudgingly at his
disposal. Alongside of this pleasing feature in their character there
are others not less prominent, but hardly so attractive. They have a
reputation for extreme sensitiveness to insult or injury, excessive
vindictiveness, and perfect fearlessness in the exaction of revenge.
As may be supposed, therefore, the blood feud among them is a stern
reality, and the function of the avenger of blood a solemn obligation.
Should an opportunity not come soon for the achievement of their
purpose, they can wait with grim patience; and it will be found, in
the end, that years have not abated one jot the fury of their desire
for vengeance. With this inflexible resolution to take the life of
an enemy for the life of a friend, there coexists an equally binding
duty to protect a brother Druze who may have shed blood unwittingly or
otherwise--to hide him from pursuers, and defend his life with their
own. If the avenger’s claim can be settled by payment of money--a mode
of settlement not uncommon--the sum to be paid is a tax upon the whole
community.
Comparisons are often instituted between the various peoples in the
country, in respect of their courage and prowess in the field of
battle. By common consent the Druzes and the _Beduw_ receive the
highest places. In simple daring and personal intrepidity in sudden
attack, the _Beduw_ excel; but in determined courage, power of united
action, and stubborn endurance in the face of a powerful foe, they
must yield the palm to the Druzes. While we cannot but admire the wild
bravery of the Bedawy, it is clear that the qualities possessed by the
Druze are more to be desired in the hour of conflict. There is a strain
of true nobility in the character of that people who in the hour of
victory have ever chivalrously protected defenceless women and little
children from all injury and insult.
An interesting parallel might be drawn between the ancient Israelites
and the modern Druzes. The latter cannot indeed trace their descent
from a single _jadd_, or ancestor, as the former did from Abraham. They
are of mixed parentage, the old Syrian element probably predominating.
Passing from this, we find that the impulse separating both from
surrounding peoples was religious; their isolation is preserved
by devotion to the national religious idea. Both are essentially
theocracies; their idea of a “state,” if we may so use the term, would
be that of “the church acting civilly.” The central doctrine with both
is the unity of God. Their national aspirations are strikingly similar.
Israel aspired to universal dominion as the people of God; the Druzes
aspire to nothing less. The hope of Israel was in the coming of the
_Messiah_; that of the Druzes, in the return of _el-Hâkim_. If we take
the Jewish conception of the work of the Messiah prevalent at the time
of Christ, and substitute the name of _el-Hâkim_ for _Messiah_, and
Druzes for Jews, we have very accurately the Druze conception of the
work of _el-Hâkim_, the coming conqueror. In both a marvellous unity
has been preserved through long generations; and each, in feature and
dress, is easily distinguishable from all others.
Although widely scattered, their organisations are perfect. The
community touched at any point feels through all. The sheikhs of the
_ʿAkkâl_, as leaders of the religious commonwealth, perform functions
corresponding in some degree to those of the old Hebrew judges and
prophets. At their word the hosts gather from far and near, place
themselves under the command of chosen chiefs, and go forth to warfare.
They also convene solemn councils for the discussion of weighty matters
of religion or policy. But gatherings for such purposes without other
ostensible object would attract more attention than is desirable.
Advantage is therefore taken of ordinary occasions which call for
the presence of friends, more especially funerals, when men gather
“frae a’ the airts” and transact the necessary business. Doubtless
the company of chiefs we saw at _ʿIry_ was convened to discuss the
special circumstances in which they were then placed, and to arrange
for concerted action in the immediate future. Presenting a united front
to the outside world, had they been equally at one among themselves,
they might ere now have played a distinguished part in the affairs
of the East. But the ambitions of rival families have sundered them;
their attention has been engaged with domestic broils, their energies
frittered away in the quarrels of factions, when they might and ought
to have been preparing themselves to make a broad mark in the military
history of their country. It is precisely in knowing how skilfully to
fan such internal fires, and excite domestic strife that the Turkish
Government has proved its ability to keep such peoples in hand. How
like the case of the Jews, when the bands of iron were closing upon
them!
Until recently the Government has had very little power in the
_Haurân_; and if its power to-day is more than nominal, past history
forbids the belief that it will now prove permanent. The chief
military stations are _Sheikh Saʿad_, the seat of the governor; _Busr
el-Harîry_, on the southern border of _el-Lejâʾ_; and _Suweida_. There
is also a small force in the fortress at _Basra Eski Shâm_. While
fighting has been done, the position was not won by arms in the usual
sense. The old policy has been pursued. The various sections of the
people have been played off against each other with great adroitness,
and, on the whole, with success. The common enemy, ever on the alert
for advantage, calmly appropriated the territory of victor and
vanquished alike.
The Druzes and the _Beduw_ bear each other no love. Nothing was
easier than to breed bad blood between them. They could not have
played into the hands of the Government more thoroughly, had that
been their design, than by weakening each other in internecine
strife. The Government claimed from the Druzes a certain tax; but,
as mentioned above, they were willing to do anything rather than
pay it, and up till recently the Government did not see its way to
enforce payment. Things began to look more hopeful, and the secession
of the _ʿAtrash_ family inspired the belief that taxes and all arrears
might be collected. They had not reckoned with the proud, unbending
spirit of the Druze nation. A Solomon might be submitted to; a band of
Rehoboams, never. The demand for arrears, accompanied by an implied
threat, met with the response one might have expected from these fiery
mountaineers. The sheikhs of the house of _ʿAtrash_ had to seek asylum
under the wing of the Government in Damascus. This was a bold bid of
defiance which no government could afford to ignore. Exact information
as to succeeding events is extremely difficult to obtain, but what
follows may be taken as a fairly accurate account, as far as it goes.
We visited the district in April 1890. There was an evident alertness
in all the bearing of the men. We could descry numerous figures on
walls and roofs long before we reached any place of importance; and,
coming nearer, we saw that our approach was eagerly watched until our
peaceful appearance satisfied the sentinels. The fact was that even
then affairs had taken an unpleasant turn; and only ten days after
we passed the seceding sheikhs had to flee for their lives, and the
Government resorted to arms to quell “the rebellion,” as it was called.
On their part the Druzes, under popular chiefs, cheerfully prepared for
the fray.
The Government troops, under _Memdûh Pasha_, military and civil
governor of _Haurân_, assembled in the neighbourhood of _Busr
el-Harîry_. _Memdûh_ sent to the rebel chiefs, calling upon them to
surrender. In reply, a deputation of the chiefs themselves came to him
by night, made strong protestations of loyalty, and affected not to
understand why they should be classed as rebels; they were true friends
to the sultan, and wished prosperity to his Government. _Memdûh_ was
not deceived. He required that they should come with their friends in
open day and formally make their submission. They could hardly have
expected to persuade the pasha of their loyalty. Probably they hoped
by their visit only to gain knowledge of the strength of the enemy
and the purposes of the leader. In any case, they did not come back,
but sent instead an insulting message, which reminds one of Goliath
of Gath’s challenge to the youthful David. They declared themselves
ready to receive him; and if he had courage to come, they promised to
make mincemeat of him and his soldiers. “Come, O Memdûh,” they said,
“and we will give thy body to be chopped into small pieces!” The pasha
simply replied, “The loyal will receive honour; the rebel must take the
consequences of his conduct.” The soldiers advanced towards _Suweida_,
which they found almost deserted. Several merchants from Damascus were
taken into the market and made prisoners on suspicion of supplying the
rebels with munitions of war. The Druzes meantime had taken up a strong
natural position among their rocky fortresses. The soldiers advancing
upon them were unable to sustain the Druze fire, being completely
exposed, while the latter were as completely covered among the rocks.
One of the first to fall was the son of one of the _ʿAtrash_ sheikhs,
who was recognised and shot by a Druze marksman. Thus early and dearly
did they pay for their defection.
The attack was relinquished until reinforcements came bringing several
light field-pieces. Meantime one of the Druze sheikhs, who had received
some injury, real or imaginary, had taken one of the terrible oaths
in which the history of the East abounds, invoking upon himself the
most awful curses, both in this world and in the next, if he slew not
_Memdûh Pasha_ with the edge of the sword. In renewing the attack the
pasha had recourse to an ancient stratagem of which the Druzes ought to
have been aware. He planted the field-pieces at some distance in the
rear, behind a little eminence. A party with definite instructions was
sent forward. On their approach the Druzes opened fire. The soldiers
wavered, broke, and fled. The defenders, believing this to be a real
defeat, waxed bolder, and left their rocks to pursue, hoping to turn
defeat into a rout. The soldiers simply retired behind the cannon,
and immediately fire was opened on the now unprotected Druzes with
murderous effect. The issue of the battle was not one moment in doubt;
but many were the displays of individual bravery and personal prowess,
which shall be related by children’s children, to fan the flame of
patriotism in the bosom of youth; to beguile the tedium of the winter
days, and enliven the hours of rest from toil among the mountains. One
Druze who rode a fine horse charged literally past the cannon’s mouth,
slew the gunner with his sword, captured the musket of the fallen
soldier, and dashed back, amid a rain of bullets, like one bearing a
charmed life. This exploit he repeated three times, inspiring his foes
with dread. Yet a fourth time he spurred his charger to the attack.
This time he came in the line of fire; but a soldier who had followed
him was now between him and the cannon, and the gunner hesitated. “It
matters not! Fire!” roared the officer in command, quaking for his own
safety. The piece was fired: soldier and Druze hero entered eternity
together.
The sheikh who had sworn to slay the pasha saw where the commander
stood, and, turning thither, rushed forward wildly, brandishing his
sword and hoarsely shouting, “_Il yaum yaumak, ya Memdûh; ya Memdûh,
il yaum tamût!_”--“This is thy day, O Memdûh! O Memdûh, to-day thou
shalt die!” Thus threatened, the ranks closed around the general, but
the dauntless chief cared not; he would hew down all opposition until
the object of his wrath was reached. Nor was his an idle boast. In his
fierce onslaught six stalwart soldiers fell beneath his keen blade, and
he had even penetrated to the very inmost ring of the pasha’s guard ere
he was arrested by sheer weight of wounds piled upon him from every
side. He would have died cheerfully had the pasha’s blood mingled with
his own. He had almost touched his enemy when the waters of the river
of death rose over him and he sank forever. One who stood by severed
his head from the trunk with a blow of his sword, and, casting the
bleeding horror at the pasha’s feet, exclaimed, “Thus perish all thine
enemies, O thine excellency, and those of our glorious sultan!”
Of the numbers who fell on either side we shall probably never obtain
complete information. Suffice it to say that the Druzes suffered so
heavily as to be practically at the mercy of their conquerors. The
latter showed a disposition to take full advantage of their success and
exact “the last farthing” of their claims. The Druzes were in despair.
It seemed, indeed, as if only ruin were before them. Through the kindly
mediation of European consular agents, an arrangement was come to which
saved the vanquished from the worst consequences of defeat. Compromise
was all the Druzes could now hope for, and they gained more than the
most sanguine could have anticipated. Arrears were not to be demanded,
and they agreed to pay a tax of about half the amount originally
imposed. They were, however, required to receive again the sheikhs of
the house of _ʿAtrash_. On these conditions they might return and dwell
in safety, all prisoners taken in war being restored to them. One other
condition it must have been hard to accept. They were to be prohibited
from carrying arms, save by special licence obtained from the Turkish
officials. But they could not well reject terms proposed to them by
their mediators and accepted by their conquerors. Thus it happened
that where every man one met was loaded with instruments of death,
soon almost the only weapon to be seen, save in the hands of soldiers,
was the shepherd’s “club,” or _naboot_, with which the very poor all
over the land are wont to defend themselves and attack their foes; and
a formidable weapon it is in practised hands.
The Government naturally sought to secure the advantage thus gained.
The importance attaching to _Suweida_ as the key to _Jebel ed-Druze_
became apparent. Preparations were immediately begun for the erection
of a _kalʿat_, or fortress, there, by means of which the turbulent
spirits might be overawed. Thus another step is taken towards the
subjugation of all that district to Ottoman rule. There is no need to
suppose that the Druzes acquiesce calmly and finally in this condition
of things. It is as certain as anything mundane can be that they
simply “bide their time,” and when that time comes, their old, proud,
freedom-loving spirit will assert itself again, undimmed and unbroken.