Sheikh Dr. Sami Abu Al-Muna, the spiritual leader of the Druze community, emphasized the importance of "upholding the known and national values," calling for a connection to the land to preserve the homeland for which sacrifices have been made, where we have established coexistence and affirmed our identity. Abu Al-Muna's remarks came during an evening visit to the town of Bteater (Jurd Aley), where he received a large and warm welcome in the public hall of the Ghrayzi family from the town's sheikhs, spiritual and social figures, institutions, and both the municipal and chieftain councils, as well as the townspeople, led by Sheikh Abu Fawzi Fadlallah Ghrayzi, the Progressive Socialist Party’s representative in Jurd, Janblat Ghrayzi, and the town’s mayor, Fadi Ghrayzi. He was accompanied by a delegation of sheikhs, members of the religious council, and villagers from Shaniyeh.
After welcoming words from Mayor Fadi Ghrayzi and Najib Merhi, the head of the Merhi family association, as well as poems recited by previous sheikhs Salih Abu Mujahid, Farid Badih Ghrayzi, and Hisham Farouk Ghrayzi, who expressed the great trust the community has in Sheikh Abu Al-Muna due to his previous unity, educational, and dialogue efforts and his current role in leading the community, Sheikh Abu Al-Muna delivered a speech of gratitude for the reception. He began with a poetic line:
"Bteater of love, for it is the symbol and the example,
The fortress of the Jurd recounts its glory,
For determination is a pillar, and for valor a school,
How many have addressed it, and how many answered its call,
A hero..."
He added: "It is the truth we were raised on, that Bteater is the fortress of heroes and men, and when we visit today, we visit our families, loved ones, and the heroes of our clan. As we visit our second town, Bteater, it is because we are close to you, near in heart and sight. Bteater, with its strength and masculinity, positions of dignity, honor, resilience, and nobility, is how we have known it and how it continues with all its families."
He continued: "When we gather in the hall of Al-Ghrayzi, we meet all the families of the town that remain one family in love, brotherhood, unity, and strength, representing a general image of our proud Jurd and our towering mountain. We come visiting in solidarity with the loss of some of our loved ones whom we have missed together for some time, asking the Almighty for mercy upon them, upon their families, and for you all to remain well. We have delayed our visit in returning greetings, and you have never failed to stand by us, whether in Shaniyeh or in our previous location, and today in the Mind of Sheikh, where we are strengthened by you when we connect our hands to be a single voice in carrying the message of unity, patriotism, Arabism, values, and ethics on which we were raised. Those known virtues that we carry together are the title of our existence in facing all challenges. The first cornerstone is the adherence to the unifying doctrine and faith, which is the fundamental pillar in this confrontation, embodying noble meanings, and in ascending the levels of thought and honorable conduct to purify our souls and elevate our humanity, achieving this human existence, alongside our adherence to the known values we all grew up on in love, courage, ethics, nobility, integrity, and true brotherhood, which remain our support in this mountain. The other pillar is nationalism and rooting in the land, due to its value in our connection to our history and our national, Arab, Islamic, and Lebanese identity, which fundamentally builds on a shared living to preserve our homeland for which we have made sacrifices and to maintain it as we maintain our self-identity."
He concluded: "The current stage is difficult, and the economic and living conditions are pressing, but we face it with cooperation and mutual support always, with conviction at times, and by returning to the land and the spiritual simplicity through which we instill tranquility in our homes and families." After that, Sheikh Abu Al-Muna and the accompanying delegation visited Sheikh Abu Fawzi Fadlallah Ghrayzi and Druze Council member Dr. Rabi Ghrayzi at their homes.
