What religion is the Syrian government?

Despite being prevalent in the constitution, Syria is seen as a secular state without having its laws based on Islam. The religion of the President of the Republic is Islam; Islamic jurisprudence shall be a major source of legislation;…

What is the difference between Alawite and Shia?

Alawites identify as Shiite Muslims, but the sect carried over older beliefs that predate Islam. Although most Muslims have five pillars of faith, the Alawites have seven. They believe in the divinity of Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad; other Shiites revere Ali but do not believe he was divine.

How many Druze are there in the world?

Druze star and Druze flag Syria 600,000 Lebanon 250,000 Israel 143,000 Venezuela 60,000

Are the Druze a sect of Islam?

Most recently, the Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011, saw persecution of the Druze at the hands of Islamic extremists. Since Druze either emerged from Islam and share certain beliefs with Islam, its position of whether it is a separate religion or a sect of Islam is sometimes controversial among Muslim scholars.

Why did Israel separate the Druze from other Arab communities?

Some scholars maintain that Israel has tried to separate the Druze from other Arab communities, and that the effort has influenced the way Israel’s Druze perceive their modern identity. In 1957, the Israeli government designated the Druze a distinct ethnic community at the request of its communal leaders.

Was the Maronite-Druze conflict a religious war?

The Maronite-Druze conflict in 1840–60 was an outgrowth of the Maronite Christian independence movement, directed against the Druze, Druze feudalism, and the Ottoman-Turks. The civil war was not therefore a religious war, except in Damascus, where it spread and where the vastly non-Druze population was anti-Christian.