- Metawali
Metawali refers to the Shia Muslim community with a significant presence in North
Lebanon (Kesrawan andBatroun ) and in the south, in the Beqaa and the coastal towns south ofBeirut .cite web|title=Lebanon (From Semitic laban", to be...|publisher=Online Encyclopedia|accessdate=2007-12-03|url=http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/LAP_LEO/LEBANON_from_Semitic_laban_to_b.html ]According to Sir Richard Francis Burton, the Metawali are of
Persia n descent and generally follow the tenets of the Shia faith; however, their worship practices include pilgrimage to the ruins of a temple honouringIshtar (Ashtaroth) atApheca where they address their vows to the "Sayyidat al-Kabirah", ("the Great Lady").cite web|title="Terminal Essay" (In his translation of "The Arabian Nights"|author=Sir Richard Francis Burton|publisher=People with a History|date=1885|accessdate=2007-12-03|url=http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/index.html] As such, they are sometimes accused by Orthodox Muslims ofheresy .History
The jurisdiction of the
Ottoman Empire was merely nominal in the Lebanon.Baalbek in the 18th century was really under the control of the Metawali.cite web|title=About Baalbek|publisher=Trip Atlas|accessdate=2007-12-03|url=http://tripatlas.com/Baalbek]Seven Metawali villages that were included within the boundaries of the
British Mandate of Palestine were depopulated during the1948 Arab-Israeli War and repopulated with EuropeanJew s.cite web|title=The Seven Lost Villages|author=Danny Rubinstein |publisher=Haaretz |date=06/08/2006|accessdate=2007-12-03|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=746274]ee also
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