Samaritanism

Samaritanism (Hebrew: הַדָּת הַשּׁוֹמְרוֹנִית, romanized: Ha-dat Ha-Shomronīt; Arabic: السامرية, romanized: Al-Sāmirīyya) is an Abrahamic monotheistic ethnic religion. It comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Samaritan people (Samaritan Hebrew (Samaritan script): ࠔࠞࠌࠜࠓࠨࠉࠌ , transl.: Shamerim, Šāmerīm, Šamerim), who often prefer to be called Israelite Samaritans. Samaritanism asserts itself as the truly preserved form of the monotheistic faith that the Israelites kept under Moses. Samaritan belief also holds that the Israelites' original holy site was Mount Gerizim, and that Jerusalem only attained importance under Israelite dissenters who had followed Eli to the city of Shiloh; the Israelites who remained at Mount Gerizim would become the Samaritans in the Kingdom of Israel, whereas the Israelites who departed would become the Jews in the Kingdom of Judah. Mount Gerizim is likewise revered by Samaritans as the location where the Binding of Isaac took place; this belief contrasts with the Jewish belief that the Binding occurred at Jerusalem's Temple Mount. As of 2025, there are approximately 900 registered communal Samaritans. Samaritans believe that this small population is a prophecy fulfilled from a scriptural passage that says, "You will be left few in number." Samaritans hope for a future time when a prophet known as the "Taheb" (Restorer) will perform three signs, an era of divine favour will return, the hidden tabernacle of Moses will be miraculously revealed, and Mount Gerizim will be restored to its former glory.