Sultan al-Atrash

Sultan al-Atrash (5 March 1891 – 26 March 1982), known as Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, was a Syrian nationalist revolutionary who led the Great Syrian Revolt against the French colonial administration in Syria (1925–1927). One of the most influential figures in Syrian and Druze history, he played a major role in deciding the destiny of Jabal al-Druze and of Syria in general. ^{1 2}

Sultan al-Atrash was born at al-Qrayya, a village 20 km south of Suwayda, into the famous Druze family of al-Atrash, which had nominally governed the region since 1879. The day and month of his birth, 5 March, agree across the articles, but the year is disputed: the English article, the Arabic article's infobox and Wikidata give 1891, while the Arabic article's body text and the Urdu article's lead give 1888, the Urdu article citing a family website. His father Zuqan led a fierce battle against the Ottomans near al-Kefr in 1910 against the forces of Sami Pasha al-Farouqi; he was captured and executed in 1911. ^{1 2 3 4}

Sultan was an Ottoman army conscript who served in the Balkans before the First World War. When the Arab Revolt began he raised its flag on the citadel of Salkhad and on his own house, sent a thousand men to join it and followed with three hundred more; his forces were the first to enter Damascus and raise the Arab revolt flag on the government house on 29 September 1918. Emir Faisal awarded him the title of Emir and the rank of general in the Syrian army, the equivalent of Pasha. ¹

On 7 July 1922 French soldiers captured Adham Khanjar, a Lebanese Shiite rebel who had sought refuge at Sultan's house, wanted for an attempt on General Gouraud's life. Sultan demanded his release; the French refused, and after Sultan's men attacked a French convoy the French destroyed his house and ordered his arrest. He fled to Jordan, raided French posts, and returned ten months later under a pardon. ¹

On 23 August 1925 Sultan Pasha al-Atrash officially declared revolution against France. The revolt, which had broken out in the Druze Mountain, spread to the whole of Syria and parts of Lebanon; the rebels won early battles at al-Kafr (21 July 1925), al-Mazraa (2 August 1925), Salkhad, al-Musayfirah and Suwayda. France poured in thousands of troops from Morocco and Senegal with modern weapons and retook many cities, though resistance lasted until the spring of 1927. Sentenced to death in his absence, Sultan escaped to Transjordan and was eventually pardoned; he returned to Syria in 1937 after the Franco-Syrian treaty, to a huge public reception. ^{1 2}

Al-Atrash took an active part in the Levant Crisis that led to Syrian independence, and in 1948 called for a unified Arab Liberation Army for Palestine. Under Adib Shishakli he was harassed for his opposition, left the Druze Mountain for Jordan in December 1954, and returned when that regime fell. He supported the union of Egypt and Syria in 1958 and firmly opposed the secession of 1961. President Gamal Abdel Nasser awarded him the highest medal of the United Arab Republic, and in 1970 President Hafez al-Assad honoured him for his historic role in the Syrian Revolution. He refused to accept any political office after independence in 1946. ¹

Among the reasons the Druze hold him a symbol of patriotism, courage and secularism, the English article lists his slogan when leading the revolution, "Religion is for God, the fatherland is for all", the complete absence of religious symbols from his speeches and publications, his firm rejection of the French offer of a separate independence for the Druze Mountain in favour of Syrian national unity, and his simple living and humility. ¹

Sultan Pasha al-Atrash died at al-Qrayya on 26 March 1982 at the age of 91, of a heart attack. His funeral was attended by more than a million people, and President Hafez al-Assad issued a letter mourning him as the General Commander of the Great Syrian Revolt. ^{1 2}

The sources document Sultan al-Atrash's Druze community fully. The English article says he was born into the famous Druze family of al-Atrash, calls him one of the most influential figures in Syrian and Druze history, and files him under "Syrian Druze people"; the Arabic article's lead describes him as a Syrian leader belonging to the Druze ta'ifa (the Unitarians) and its body says he was born into the famous Druze al-Atrash family; the Urdu article mirrors the English. What these attest is his birth into, and leadership of, the Druze community — a communal identity and role — and no source records a personal profession of faith apart from it; Wikidata carries no religion value for him. The museum's faith enum has no druze value, and no mapping is forced, so his record states the community here and leaves the value unknown. ^{1 2 3 4}