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Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, April 2008, pages 62-63 Waging Peace Druze Heritage Symposium at Library of Congress
TEN DRUZE scholars from the United States, Europe and the Middle East gathered at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC for a Feb. 7 symposium entitled “Druze Heritage: Roots, Development and Challenges of Modernity.” The day-long event was sponsored by the American Druze Foundation, the John Kluge Center in the Library of Congress, and the Library’s African and Middle Eastern Division. The speakers detailed the historic and theological background of the Druze faith, which began as an 11th century branch of the Ismaili sect of Shi’i Islam. The faith came to incorporate a unique blend of Gnostic, neo-Platonic and other religious philosophies. Today, the majority of the Druze population resides in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. Expatriate communities can be found in the United States and other countries around the world. A recurring topic of the symposium was the faith’s ongoing pursuit of tawhid, defined as a oneness with God. The Druze approach to tawhid encourages an open approach to other faiths. “The bee doesn’t make honey from one kind of flower, rather from many flowers,” noted Dr. Melhem Salman, chairman of the American Druze Foundation. “Therefore, why freeze out other religions from our thinking? “The Druze don’t have a dogma. We don’t have a ritual,” he continued. “We have the obligation of understanding, the obligation of seeking, and then we have the obligation to not stop thinking. Religion opens the door, but who stops at the door?” Anis Obeid, M.D., author of The Druze and Their Tawhid, addressed the challenges of modern times. Referring to the geographic distance between the Druze communities in America and in the Middle East, he explained, “Translocation is a double-edged sword for us. It severs the provisions of family, culture and established life. However, in the U.S. it promises freedom from the red lines that hold the East in its grip.” Obeid suggested dynamic approaches to present challenges. “Business as usual is equal to no business at all, and a sure recipe for Druze extinction,” he said. The American Druze Foundation provided conference attendees with books on Druze history and culture. The event was complemented by a display of Druze manuscripts from the Library of Congress. For more information, visit <www.druzeheritage.org>. —Joshua Walsh |
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