Ziyarat al-Nabi Shu'ayb is a Druze religious festival and pilgrimage celebrated every year between 25 and 28 April in

Nabi Shu'ayb Nabi Shuʿayb (also transliterated Neby Shoaib, Nabi Shuaib, or Nebi Shu'eib, meaning "the Prophet Shuaib"), known in English as Jethro's tomb, is a religious shrine west of Tiberias, in the Lower Galilee, containing the purported tomb of prophet ...

, the shrine that contains the purported tomb of prophet

Shuayb Shuaib, Shoaib, Shuayb or Shuʿayb ( ar, شعيب, ; meaning: "who shows the right path") is an ancient Midianite '' Nabi'' (Prophet) in Islam, and the most revered prophet in the Druze faith. Shuayb is traditionally identified with the Biblica ...

. It is officially recognized as a public holiday in

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

Holiday

The Druze generally only celebrate one holiday,

Eid al-Adha Eid al-Adha () is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah's com ...

. The

Druze community in Israel Israeli Druze or Druze Israelis ( ar, الدروز الإسرائيليون; he, דְּרוּזִים יִשְׂרְאֵלִים) are an ethnoreligious minority among the Arab citizens of Israel. In 2019, there were 143,000 Druze people livin ...

under the leadership of Sheikh Amin Tarif, however, has endowed this period with a special status, deeming the

ziyara In Islam, ''ziyara(h)'' ( ar, زِيَارَة ''ziyārah'', "visit") or ''ziyarat'' ( fa, , ''ziyārat'', "pilgrimage") is a form of pilgrimage to sites associated with Muhammad, his family members and descendants (including the Shī'ī Imā ...

a festive day by law. Workers are allowed to take a break from work without infringing their workers' rights. Schools operating under the Druze education system are closed for the period, while Druze soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces are also given the period as a vacation. The whole community, not just religious Druze in Israel, celebrates this Ziyara.

Celebrations

The celebration starts on 25 April and concludes on 28 April, with many religious leaders from all the religions in

, and also political leaders (occasionally also the PM), coming to congratulate the Israeli Druze community during their festivities at the Maqam al-

. Religious leaders or sheikhs from Mount Carmel, the Galilee and the

Golan Heights The Golan Heights ( ar, هَضْبَةُ الْجَوْلَانِ, Haḍbatu l-Jawlān or ; he, רמת הגולן, ), or simply the Golan, is a region in the Levant spanning about . The region defined as the Golan Heights differs between di ...

take the opportunity to discuss religious issues.

Visits of Druze from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan during Ziyaras

* Since 1968, Druze from the

can freely visit the shrine and they are also involved in the feast. * Other Syrian Druze outside the Golan never used to be involved at the celebrations. * Lebanese Druze rarely visited the shrine, but in 1982 a group from Lebanon, during the Israeli occupation of the south, answered the call of Sheikh Amin Tarif to visit. * Following the

Israel–Jordan peace treaty The Israel–Jordan peace treaty (formally the "Treaty of Peace Between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan"), he, הסכם השלום בין ישראל לירדן; transliterated: ''Heskem Ha-Shalom beyn Yisra'el Le-Yarden'' ...

in 1994, Jordanian Druze are permitted to visit the shrine throughout the year, and their visits are not restricted to the festive period.

References

{{Reflist Druze culture Druze community in Israel Druze festivals and holy days Public holidays in Israel Spring (season) events in Israel April observances

Holiday

Celebrations

Visits of Druze from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan during Ziyaras

See also

References