Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

"In 407/1016, an Iranian da'i, named Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin ad-Darazi came in Egypt, who professed the transmigration of souls. He also preached the divinity of Imam al-Hakim. He came from Bukhara to Cairo in 408/1017. Finding no response, he moved to Wadi al-Taymun, at the foot of Mount Hermon in Lebanon and Jabal as-Summaq in Syria. He was first in the public eyes being the founder of the Druze sect. In 410/1019, the Turks soldiers of the Fatimids gathered and moved towards the houses of ad-Darazi and his followers and surrounded them.

In 407/1016, an Iranian dai, named Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin ad-Darazi came in Egypt, who professed the transmigration of souls. He also preached the divinity of al-Hakim. He came from Bukhara to Cairo in 408/1017.

Since long, it was commonly believed that theDruze community possessed an independent religious doctrine which differedtotally from other religions. This belief was the basic reason for thepublic opinion which justified the fact of keeping this religion in totalsecrecy by its members. However, such a belief lacks accuracy, and a deeplook at the Druzes culture may reveal many points in common between thisreligion and other religions. In fact the Druze sheikhs prefer to considertheir Dogma a sect or a Sufi conduct rather than a religion.