by Julie Mullin Makarem

Since their inception, the Druzes have enveloped their religious beliefs, and it remains the same today.  "The Druzes," says Dr. Najla Abu Izzidinne, in The Druzes, E.J. Brill, 1984, "have robust qualities.  They are a self-confident people; they have dignity of bearing, and refinement of manners.  These qualities are found in Druze societies, high and low. The Druzes are found everywhere around the world. They have maintained their beliefs, and at the same time, their dignity and fidelity to the land in which they live. In the United states, the Druzes are respected and admired for their good breeding and manners."

The 'americandruzeheritage' documentary gives a presentation of the important aspects of the Druze Faith:

The 'Druze Community' from its founding in the early 11th Century AD to the present day;

The 'Migration of the Druze and Impact on the History of the Druze in America;'

The 'Creation of the Druze sect' as derived from its Islamic roots, and

A 'View of the Druze Faith' as perceived by Christian, Moslem, as well as, Druze scholars.

“Their origin, the Druzes claim , is from the southern Arabs, the Yeminites.  A tradition persistently held by the Druzes trace their origin to Arab tribes settled in Syria, some before Islam, others coming with the Moslem conquest,” says Dr. Najla Abu Izzidinne.  In a succinct account of the Druzes, Najla M. Abu-Izzeddin,  in The Druzes, captures the history, faith and society of the Druze community since it was formed in the fifth century of the Higra, the eleventh century,  A.D.

Dr. Abu-Izzeddin claims that she has two purposes in mind when she wrote her masterpiece on the history of the Druzes.  The first was to place the beliefs of the Druzes on the context of the development Shi’ism in its Isma’ili form, and the second was to describe the role of the Druze community in the history of Lebanon and Syria.

My purpose for writing the History of the Druzes in America is to describe the role of the Druze community in the United States, as well as to relate to the North American Druze community the beliefs of the Druzes in the context of their development and the role the Druzes played in the affairs of Lebanon during many centuries.

Dr. Najla M. Abu-Izzeddin’s THE DRUZES, was a rich source for my information, as well as  were the many other Druze scholars’ writings which I have cited in the Bibliography. To them all, I owe a deep sense of gratitude.  I made it a point to use as many Druze writers as possible on the issues to give the readers a wide perspective from which to understand each issue.

To my family, especially Nassib  and Samir Makarem, and my daughters, Sahar Kadi and Rand Kaidbey,  and to my friends who have been in my life so long and to Dr. Najla M. Abu-Izzeddin from Lebanon,  Ms. Sally Howell from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Attorney Abdeen Jabara from New York, Mr. Ken Scheffeld and Mr. Len Coombs from the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and to the many other Druze scholars whose writings I used, and especially, to Mr. Asaad Saleh from Kfarkatra, Lebanon who designed and made this wonderful web site, I thank you for ‘materializing this dream that I have always had.’ I thank you all for your love and for your support.

Julie Mullin Makarem, May 6, 2007 (5-6-07).