He—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—was asked about the “Druze” and the “Nusayrīs”: What is the ruling concerning them?

He replied:

These “Druze” and “Nusayrīs” are disbelievers by the consensus of the Muslims. It is unlawful to eat animals they slaughter or to marry their women. Indeed, they may not even be granted protected status upon payment of the jizyah tax, for they are apostates from Islam: they are neither Muslims, Jews, nor Christians. They do not acknowledge the obligation of the five daily prayers, fasting Ramadan, or Hajj, nor do they acknowledge the prohibition of what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, such as carrion, wine, and other things. Even if they outwardly profess the two testimonies of faith while holding these beliefs, they are disbelievers by the consensus of the Muslims.

As for the “Nusayrīs,” they are the followers of Abū Shuʿayb Muhammad ibn Nusayr. He was one of the extremists who say that ʿAlī is a god. They recite:

“I bear witness that there is no god but … Haydarah, with receding hair and ample belly;
No veil before him but … Muhammad, the truthful and trustworthy;
No path to him but … Salmān, mighty and steadfast.”

As for the “Druze,” they are the followers of Hashtakīn al-Durzī, who was one of al-Hākim’s retainers. Al-Hākim sent him to the people of Wādī Taym Allāh ibn Thaʿlabah, and he called them to believe in al-Hākim’s divinity, and they call him