Are the Druze an independent religion or a sect of a specified religion?

Are the Druze an independent religion or a sect of a specified religion?

Wikipedia can answer this one for you, but.... The Druze emerged during the 11Th century from Ismailism and incorporated several elements of Gnosticism, Neoplatonism and other philosophies. The Druze call themselves Ahl AL-Tawhid "People of Unitarianism or Monotheism" or AL-Muwa??id?n "Unitarians, Monotheists."

Background:
The Druze refer to themselves as Ahl AL-Tawh?d or "Al-mujaheddin" which means "The People of Monotheism." However, the rest of the world tends to refer to them as "Druze" or "Druse", a name which some believe was derived from an early preacher Muhammad AL-Darazi.

The Druze are a fiercely independent religious group mainly concentrated in Lebanon around the base of Mount Hermon, and in the mountains behind Beirut and Sidon. Other Druze are located just inside the Northern border of Israel, in Jordan, on the Golan Heights in Syria, in Turkey and in smaller numbers throughout North American and Europe.

Estimates of their total numbers range from a half million to one million.

Wow how many weird and wonderful people there are - all worshiping the One true G-d in their own way and their own understanding. Each group understanding a little of the divine mystery. That is just humility - not to claim an exclusive understanding.

Thank you for your question - else I would have never known about them!