Do you know the origins of the word “Druze”? 
It is derived from the name of Muhammad al Darazi, who is actually… the first heretic of the community!! 💁

Here’s the story, or at least what we know of it: 
In the 10th century, the Levant region was ruled by the Fatimids of the Shia Ismai’ili cult. One day, the Caliph Al-Hakim (who was the political leader of Muslims), proclaimed himself to be the incarnation of God. 
Sources don’t agree on who was at the origin of the idea, Al Hakim himself or another group of people who convinced him, one of them being .. a prominent political and religious person, Muhammed al Darazi. 
Most Muslims were shocked by this sudden declaration, calling it a blasphemy. However, a minority believed Al-Hakim and became his disciples. 

Some time after al Darazi died (most probably assassinated), his principles were deemed to be too far fetched, and he was banned from the community. 
His name stuck though, and today druzes are called druzes by everyone, except by themselves: they use the word Muwahhidoun (aka Unitarians)

Today, the number of Druzes is estimated between 800,000 and a million. They live mainly in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. 

Fun Fact: Amal Alamuddin, attorney at law and wife of George Clooney is Druze!!

Text : Morgan Hamdan

Sources : 
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Druze
https://www.la-croix.com/Religion/Islam/sont-druzes-2018-08-14-1200961705
https://www.universalis.fr/encyclopedie/druzes/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druze