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There's a lot of chance most of you interested in the Middle East saw this 5-pointed 5-colored star at some time during your (real-life/online) travels. There's also a lot of chance most of you don't exactly know what is symbolizes or represents. A thread on this #Druze symbol.
The #Druze ( #Arabic sg. darzī - pl. durūz) are an esoteric ethno-religious community concentrated in #Syria's al-Suwaydāʾ, the Golan Heights and #Lebanon's al-Shūf Mountains. They count around a million adherents, forming a substantial minority in the Levant.
The Druze religion is as syncretic as it is esoteric, mixing elements of Isma'ilism, #Hinduism, Neoplatonism and Gnosticism together in a monotheistic setting. Without going too much into detail, we'll explore some key elements of their creed in order to understand their symbol.
The Druze faith traces its origins back to the eccentric 11th c. Egyptian Fatimid caliph al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh (r. 996–1021 AD). Some theologians around al-Ḥākim proclaimed him to be of a divine nature, a claim contested by the religious establishment in #Cairo.
Proclaimed to be heretics, the movement soon died out in #Egypt, but continued to flourish in the Levant as a result of intense proselytism up until 1043, after which the Druze closed the gates of conversion and withdrew into isolation up till this day.
An important figure in the religious development of the #Druze faith was Ḥamzah ibn ʿAlī, a contemporary of al-Ḥākim who systematized the movement's ideas. Since al-Ḥākim was considered the embodiment of the One, ibn ʿAlī presented himself as the direct human link to the One.
He established a set of #metaphysical principles, or ḥudūd, that would span the distance between the One and the community of Druze believers. Each of these cosmic principles was represented by a contemporary of his [Encyclopedia of World #Religions - Merriam Webster's (1999)]
![He established a set of #metaphysical principles, or ḥudūd, that would span the distance between the One and the community of Druze believers. Each of these cosmic principles was represented by a contemporary of his [Encyclopedia of World #Religions - Merriam Webster's (1999)]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EQH4VKmWAAEqUAy.jpg "He established a set of #metaphysical principles, or ḥudūd, that would span the distance between the One and the community of Druze believers. Each of these cosmic principles was represented by a contemporary of his [Encyclopedia of World #Religions - Merriam Webster's (1999)]")
Interesting for us, each of these neoplatonic concepts was also represented by a specific #color, totaling an amount of five (green, red, yellow, white and blue), equally divided within a five-pointed star. [Samy Swayd, "Historical Dictionary of the Druzes" (2015)]
![Interesting for us, each of these neoplatonic concepts was also represented by a specific #color, totaling an amount of five (green, red, yellow, white and blue), equally divided within a five-pointed star. [Samy Swayd, "Historical Dictionary of the Druzes" (2015)]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EQH4Vj5XUAgLYyJ.jpg "Interesting for us, each of these neoplatonic concepts was also represented by a specific #color, totaling an amount of five (green, red, yellow, white and blue), equally divided within a five-pointed star. [Samy Swayd, \"Historical Dictionary of the Druzes\" (2015)]")
Each of the above-mentioned principles bears a single color. Al-ʿAql (nous) is green and faces upward. Al-Nafs (anima mundi) is red. Al-Kalima (logos) is yellow. Al-Sābiq (precedent) is blue and is the star's right wing. Al-Tālī (immanence) is white and is the star's left wing.
[Eric B. Shiraev and David A. Levy, "Cross-Cultural Psychology: Critical Thinking and Contemporary Applications" (2013)].
Hence, the 5-pointed and 5-colored star represents the combination of each these cosmic principles into one religious symbol representative of the Druze faith and community, like on the Shrine/Tomb of Job (Ayyūb) in #Lebanon's al-Shūf district.
Iconography is frowned upon within the #Druze community, making this star and the corresponding flag the two most distinct, exoteric (ẓāhir) symbols of this esoteric (bāṭin) community.
Jaysh al-Muwaḥḥidīn (Army of Monotheists) is a #Syrian Druze militia centered in the Jabal al-ʿArab area of Syria's al-Suwaydā’ Governorate. Despite the focus on self-defense, the group sides with the Syrian regime, the strongest local actor to guarantee their preservation.
Their logo shows five five-pointed stars each colored in one of the cosmic colors of the metaphysical principles so defining to their religion. The name Muwaḥḥidīn (monotheists/unitarians) is a self-identified name the #Druze call themselves with.
Bayraq al-Niḍāl (the Banner of al-Niḍāl) is a pro-regime #Syrian Druze militia operating in the southern al-Suwaydāʾ Governorate. The group is named after SAA brigadier general from the Druze Nuʿaym family, Niḍāl Muʿadha Nuʿaym, killed in #Aleppo Province in July 2013.
Their military patches consist of a #Druze star and the inscription Bayraq Āl Nuʿaym (Banner of the House of Nuʿaym), a reference to the above mentioned family.
Linked to this militia is Bayraq al-Ḥaqq (Banner of Truth), established with the same objective of pushing back all possible #IS and Opposition incursions into the Druze territory of Jabal al-ʿArab and its surroundings. However, these groups are merely local "brigades".
Just like others of these local "brigades" with similar flags and names, like Bayraq al-Miqdād, Bayraq al-Haram and Bayraq al-Bāshā, the above mentioned #militias pay allegiance to an umbrella movement called Rijāl al-Karāma (Men of Dignity), formerly headed by Waḥīd al-Balʿūs.
Less intense in his support for the #Syrian regime than others of his brethren, al-Balʿūs focused on the ethno-religious integrity and political security of the Druze homeland, in part by pursuing a greater autonomy for the al-Suwaydāʾ Province. He was assassinated in 2015.
This objective, although self-identified as self-defense, currently entails siding with the strongest side on the ground, which is in reality the #Syrian regime and its allies. Reluctantly, however, resulting in current tensions (and sporadic clashes) with the #SAA in the area.
The existence of communities brings about the need for a certain public visibility, often characterized by symbolism. As far as symbols go, the esoteric #Druze community has lift the veil on one of its major credal beliefs, embodied by a 5-colored star. https://menasymbolism.com/2020/02/17/druze-star/
