ISRAEL: Druze in Israel mourn loss of the highest spiritual authority within their community, Sheikh Abu Mohammed Jawad Walieddine, in Nabi Shuaib site

Record ID: 397389

  • Title: ISRAEL: Druze in Israel mourn loss of the highest spiritual authority within their community, Sheikh Abu Mohammed Jawad Walieddine, in Nabi Shuaib site
  • Date: 28th April 2012
  • Summary: NABI SHUAIB, ISRAEL (APRIL 28, 2012) (REUTERS) WIDE OF AREA WHERE NABI SHUAIB SITE- THE HOLIEST PLACE FOR THE DRUZE FAITH LOCATES SIGN READING IN ARABIC, ENGLISH AND HEBREW 'NABI SHUAIB'/ PEOPLE WALKING TOWARD SITE ISRAELI AND DRUZE FLAGS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ARRIVING TO NABI SHUAIB SITE CLOSE OF PICTURE OF LATE HIGHEST SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY FOR THE DRUZE COMMUNITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, SHEIKH ABU MOHAMMED JAWAD WALIEDDINE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DRUZE RESIDENT OF ISRAEL, SAID SINTAWI, SAYING: "The Sheikh had pure character. We can not find people have similar character. He is a unique Sheikh." VARIOUS OF DRUZE AT NABI SHUAIB SITE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DRUZE CLERIC, FADEL MANSOUR, SAYING: "The Sheikh was a religious and social symbol for the Druze in the whole world. He helped to unit the Druze people. Also he had honourable positions in all the occasions and he was religious and spiritual reference for all the Druze." MAN CARRYING PICTURE OF LATE HIGHEST SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY CLOSE OF PICTURE OF LATE HIGHEST SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY FOR THE DRUZE COMMUNITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, SHEIKH ABU MOHAMMED JAWAD WALIEDDINE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED FOR MOURNING PRAYER
  • Embargoed: 13th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel, Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Obituaries,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA8CSYCVYBYSYY8GEYSIEY01P8S
  • Story Text: Druze clerics and citizens gathered for the mourning prayer at Nabi Shuaib site, the holiest place for the Druze faith. Some of the men rubbed their eyes while singing hymns, at the dim light that candles shed over a picture of the late Sheikh Abu Mohammed Jawad Walieddine.
    "The Sheikh had pure character. We can not find people have similar character. He is a unique Sheikh," Druze Resident of Israel, Said Sintawi told Reuters Television.
    The highest spiritual authority for the Druze community in the Middle East, Sheikh Abu Mohammed Jawad Walieddine, died on Friday (April 27) in his village in Lebanon's Chouf mountains, where a large Lebanese Druze community lives.
    Walieddine was highly respected in the region.
    "The Sheikh was a religious and social symbol for the Druze in the whole world. He helped to unit the Druze people. Also he had honourable positions in all the occasions and he was religious and spiritual reference for all the Druze," Druze Cleric, Fadel Mansour, said.
    Walieddine was born in 1916 in Baaqline where he lived his entire life. He did not have a political role but was a highly-regarded religious authority for the Druze.
    The funeral was held on Saturday (April 28) in his hometown village in Lebanon's Chouf mountains.
    Walieddine's body was put in a glass coffin in his house where mourners gathered to pay respects.
    The Druze are an offshoot of Islam, comprising less than 10 per cent of Lebanon's population, around 110,000 population living in Israel and 450,000 population living in Syria.
    ENDS.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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