The Druze have suffered a history of persecu- tion and repression for their beliefs, which may partially explain the group's refusal to discuss its religion. The late 1600s was a period of prosperity, however, and under Emir Fakhir al-Din the Druze kingdom extended from Lebanon to Gaza to the Golan Heights. Sixteen villages were built from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jezreel Valley to guard the two major roads on which goods were transported. In 1830, a Druze revolt against the Egyptian pasha was crushed, along with all but two of the 14 Druze villages in the Carmel . In the 1860s, the Ottomans encouraged the Druze to return to the Carmel. Because the Druze will not discuss their reUgion, most of what Westerners know about them comes from British "explorers" who fought their way into vil- lages and stole holy books. Many of the Druze themselves are not completely informed. As far as outsiders know, Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, is their most revered prophet. The most important holiday falls in late April. In Israel, Druze gather in the holy village of Hittim, near Tiberias. Devout Druze are forbidden to smoke, drink alcohol, or eat pork, but many young Druze do not adhere strictly to these prohibitions. Some Druze believe in reincarnation and speak of their past lives. Gabriel Ben-Dor's The Druze in Israel: A Political Study, details their ide- ology, lifestyle, and political situation. THE BAHA'I The Baha'i religion was born in Teheran in 1863, when Mirza Hussein Ali turned 46, renamed himself Baha'uliah , and began preaching non-violence and the unity of all religions. Baha'u'llah's arrival had been foretold in 1844 by the Persian Siyyid Ali Muhammad , the first prophet of the Baha'i reUgion, who heralded the coming of a new divine teacher and messenger. Baha'uliah was imprisoned and then exiled to Palestine, where he taught in Acre . He is buried near the city. Al-Bab is buried in Haifa, which is now home to a large Baha'i population. Baha'ullah's teachings fill over 100 volumes; his religion incorporates elements of major Eastern and Western religions. Baha'i believe in a Supreme Being, accept- ing Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, and Baha'uliah as divine prophets. The scripture includes the Bible, the Qur'an, and the Bhagavad Gita. A central doctrine of the faith regards the Baha'i vision of the future. Instead of warning of a final Judge- ment Day or an end of the world , Baha'uliah prophe- sied a "flowering of humanity," an era of peace and enlightenment to come. Before this new age can arrive, however, the world must undergo dreadful events to give civilization the impetus to reform itself. The Baha'i espouse trans-racial unity, sex- ual equality, global disarmament, and the creation of a world community. The rap- idly growing Baha'i faith currently boasts more than six million adherents, with two million converts world-wide in the last decade.