Editing Druze

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em; width:320px;"
! colspan="2" | Druze
|-
! Family
| Abrahamic / Esoteric
|-
! Origin region
| Fatimid-era Middle East, especially the Levant
|-
! Founding period
| 11th century CE
|-
! Estimated adherents
| A small ethno-religious community concentrated in Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan, and diaspora communities.
|}

'''Druze''' is the Druze religion is an esoteric monotheistic tradition that emerged in the 11th century, with a closed initiatory structure, distinctive scriptures, and strong communal identity.

== Overview ==

The Druze tradition developed from an Ismaili Muslim context in the Fatimid period but became a distinct religious community. It emphasizes divine unity, wisdom, ethical conduct, reincarnation, and guarded esoteric teaching. The community is often divided between initiated religious specialists and non-initiated members.

== Key beliefs ==

* Strict monotheism and divine unity
* Esoteric interpretation and guarded religious knowledge
* Reincarnation or transmigration of souls
* Ethical duties including truthfulness, loyalty, and protection of the community
* Veneration of major wisdom figures in Druze tradition

== Practices ==

* Study by initiated members
* Community gathering and ethical discipline
* Marriage and family traditions within the community
* Respect for shrines and sacred sites
* Preservation of communal identity

== Places of worship ==

* Khalwa or Druze meeting house
* Shrines of revered figures
* Community gathering spaces

== Sacred texts ==

* Epistles of Wisdom
* Druze doctrinal and liturgical writings reserved for initiated members

== Holidays and observances ==

* Eid al-Adha is observed culturally and religiously in many Druze communities
* Local shrine festivals and community observances

== Branches and related traditions ==

* [[Ismaili Islam]] - The historical religious context from which the Druze tradition emerged.
* [[New Religious Movements]] - Druze religion is not new today, but began as a distinct movement in the medieval period.
* [[Abrahamic religions]] - A broad family often used for traditions related to Jewish, Christian, Islamic, or Near Eastern monotheistic contexts.

== See also ==

* [[Religion]]
* [[Theology]]
* [[Philosophy of religion]]
* [[New Religious Movements]]
* [[Indigenous and Traditional Religions]]

[[Category:Religions]]
[[Category:Abrahamic religions]]
[[Category:Ethnoreligious groups]]