23 www.twtmag.com A Fable “Once upon a time, a ring-dove and its companions got entangled in the net of a hunter seeking birds. Individual effort was not good enough to help the ring-doves free themselves, but together, they were able to lift themselves and the ensnaring net and fly to a nearby rat, who was gracious enough to gnaw the birds free of the net. Impressed by the rat’s noble deed, a crow becomes the rat’s friend. Soon a tortoise and gazelle also join the company of animals. After some time, the gazelle is trapped by another net set up by the same hunter; with the aid of the others and the good rat, the gazelle was soon freed, but the tortoise fails to leave swiftly enough and was himself captured by the hunter. In the final turn of events, the gazelle paid-back the tortoise by serving as a decoy and distracting the hunter while the rat and the others free the tortoise. This series of selfless events, and the sense of a mystic tie that bonded these animals together urged them to stick together and form a brotherhood that they named “The brethren of Purity” – From the Panchatantra (the Five Principles) composed in the 3 rd century BC 1 PART 1: THE ORIGINS OF FREEMASONRY Despite the breadth and width of books and manuscripts available to the public, a precise explanation about where or how Freemasonry originated remains elusive. It’s been written on numerous occasions that Freemasonry is the oldest and largest fraternity in the world. A number of historians have tracked our fraternity, in its current form, to the late 16 th century in Europe linking it to the operative stone masons who were gifted in erecting monuments, castles, and cathedrals. It is well known that the first Grand Lodge of Freemasons was founded in England on June 24, 1717 which united four London Lodges that had existed for some time, but the available historical data gives limited insight about the origins of those four particular lodges. From another perspective, our ritual in Symbolic Lodge degrees centers around the building of King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem which was erected circa 1000 BC, yet some historians make claim that Freemasonry dates back even further to the time of ancient Egypt and the building of the pyramids circa 2800 BC. Despite the collection of information and the assertions of various historians, the reality appears to be that the origin of ancient Freemasonry remains debatable. In order for us to better understand Freemasonry, we should divide its known history into Ancient Freemasonry and Modern Freemasonry as we know it today. In this regard, we may be better able to understand the link between various mystical and esoteric influences which, over time, may have evolved into what we now recognize as Modern Freemasonry. The Regius Poem (also known as the Halliwell Manuscript) is the first known genuine Masonic text. It is estimated to have been written around 1390, and it points to the existence of an even older related manuscript that was evidently recognized at that time but for which there is no record of today. The earliest Masonic lodge minutes that historians were able to unearth date back to January 6, 1598, and belong to Aitchison's Haven Lodge in Scotland. However, in his 1859 book History of Freemasonry, the author Alex Laurie argues that traveling operative Masons arrived in Scotland during the 12 th century, or 500 years before the Scottish lodge records. Historians researching ancient Freemasonry have found similarities between the practices of our modern fraternity’s teachings, symbolism and ritual with that of ancient mystic organizations such as the secret Order of Isis from ancient Egypt, the Order of Pythagoreans, the Essenes, the Rosicrucians, the Illuminati, the Kabbalah, the various Hermetic orders, and alchemy. There are some historians who believe Freemasonry was founded for the purpose of preserving “ancient secrets,” essentially rituals to pass down certain information to qualified enlightened men that would be capable of perpetuating the legacy. These “secrets” included the mystic teachings that pertained to the physical sciences and astronomy and ranged to philosophy and the social sciences. In other instances, some historians have focused on what we might label as fantasy, making claims that Freemasons are in possession of treasures supposedly accumulated by the Knights Templar. However, as noted earlier in this paper, we are unable to offer any strong proof that Freemasonry is a descendent of any of such ancient world’s secret societies. Accepting the prospect that the origin of Freemasonry remains elusive, it seems critical to note that one cannot deny the fact that the degrees Masons are initiated in, passed through and raised up by, embody and reflect knowledge and wisdom with ancient footprints. When studying today’s ritual, we readily find elements of alchemy, arithmetic, astronomy, and philosophy all of which help reveal the various hidden wisdoms of our fraternity, and while Freemasonry espouses its members to bring light where there is darkness, it has been observed more than once that many fellow brothers do not expend much effort to fully understand our rituals. With respect to the ancient anchoring of our current Masonic rituals, we think it is also instructive to make note about the symbolism and practices we employ today and their strong similarity to ancient rituals that historians have written about occurring in disparate parts of the world. More simply put, given that our teachings and symbolism were commonly used by mystic schools during different centuries in different parts of the world suggest that Freemasonry’s links extend further back than medieval Europe. As a point of information, let us examine the reference to a working tool used by both operative and speculative Masons which dates back roughly to 2,500 years ago. Confucius (551BC- 479 BC) wrote that “the ruler has a principle with which, as with a measuring square, he may regulate his conduct.” 2 This statement sounds very much like the Masonic phrase “square your actions by the square of virtue and morality.” Further to this point, early philosophical writings out of China dating back to 1000 BC refer not only to the square and compasses when talking about human behavior and conduct, but also to other “Masonic working tools” such as the plumb and the level! 3 Mencius (371BC-289BC) said, “a (Continued on page 24 ) “FREEMASONRY AND THE MYSTIC SCHOOLS OF THE EAST” By Bro. Mohamad A. Yatim
Transcript
23 www.twtmag.com
A Fable
“Once upon a time, a ring-dove and its companions got entangledin the net of a hunter seeking birds. Individual effort was not goodenough to help the ring-doves free themselves, but together, theywere able to lift themselves and the ensnaring net and fly to anearby rat, who was gracious enough to gnaw the birds free ofthe net. Impressed by the rat’s noble deed, a crow becomes therat’s friend. Soon a tortoise and gazelle also join the company ofanimals. After some time, the gazelle is trapped by another net setup by the same hunter; with the aid of the others and the good rat,the gazelle was soon freed, but the tortoise fails to leave swiftlyenough and was himself captured by the hunter. In the final turnof events, the gazelle paid-back the tortoise by serving as a decoyand distracting the hunter while the rat and the others free thetortoise. This series of selfless events, and the sense of a mystic tiethat bonded these animals together urged them to stick togetherand form a brotherhood that they named “The brethren ofPurity” – From the Panchatantra (the Five Principles) composedin the 3rd century BC1
PART 1: THE ORIGINS OF FREEMASONRY
Despite the breadth and width of books and manuscripts availableto the public, a precise explanation about where or howFreemasonry originated remains elusive. It’s been written onnumerous occasions that Freemasonry is the oldest and largestfraternity in the world. A number of historians have tracked ourfraternity, in its current form, to the late 16th century in Europelinking it to the operative stone masons who were gifted inerecting monuments, castles, and cathedrals. It is well known thatthe first Grand Lodge of Freemasons was founded in England onJune 24, 1717 which united four London Lodges that had existedfor some time, but the available historical data gives limitedinsight about the origins of those four particular lodges. Fromanother perspective, our ritual in Symbolic Lodge degrees centersaround the building of King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalemwhich was erected circa 1000 BC, yet some historians make claimthat Freemasonry dates back even further to the time of ancientEgypt and the building of the pyramids circa 2800 BC. Despitethe collection of information and the assertions of varioushistorians, the reality appears to be that the origin of ancientFreemasonry remains debatable. In order for us to betterunderstand Freemasonry, we should divide its known history intoAncient Freemasonry and Modern Freemasonry as we know ittoday. In this regard, we may be better able to understand the linkbetween various mystical and esoteric influences which, overtime, may have evolved into what we now recognize as ModernFreemasonry.
The Regius Poem (also known as the Halliwell Manuscript) is thefirst known genuine Masonic text. It is estimated to have beenwritten around 1390, and it points to the existence of an evenolder related manuscript that was evidently recognized at thattime but for which there is no record of today. The earliestMasonic lodge minutes that historians were able to unearth dateback to January 6, 1598, and belong to Aitchison's Haven Lodgein Scotland. However, in his 1859 book History of Freemasonry,the author Alex Laurie argues that traveling operative Masons
arrived in Scotland during the 12th century, or500 years before the Scottish lodge records.
Historians researching ancient Freemasonryhave found similarities between the practicesof our modern fraternity’s teachings,symbolism and ritual with that of ancientmystic organizations such as the secret Orderof Isis from ancient Egypt, the Order of Pythagoreans, theEssenes, the Rosicrucians, the Illuminati, the Kabbalah, thevarious Hermetic orders, and alchemy. There are some historianswho believe Freemasonry was founded for the purpose ofpreserving “ancient secrets,” essentially rituals to pass downcertain information to qualified enlightened men that would becapable of perpetuating the legacy. These “secrets” included themystic teachings that pertained to the physical sciences andastronomy and ranged to philosophy and the social sciences. Inother instances, some historians have focused on what we mightlabel as fantasy, making claims that Freemasons are in possessionof treasures supposedly accumulated by the Knights Templar.However, as noted earlier in this paper, we are unable to offer anystrong proof that Freemasonry is a descendent of any of suchancient world’s secret societies.
Accepting the prospect that the origin of Freemasonry remainselusive, it seems critical to note that one cannot deny the fact thatthe degrees Masons are initiated in, passed through and raised upby, embody and reflect knowledge and wisdom with ancientfootprints. When studying today’s ritual, we readily find elementsof alchemy, arithmetic, astronomy, and philosophy all of whichhelp reveal the various hidden wisdoms of our fraternity, andwhile Freemasonry espouses its members to bring light wherethere is darkness, it has been observed more than once that manyfellow brothers do not expend much effort to fully understand ourrituals.
With respect to the ancient anchoring of our current Masonicrituals, we think it is also instructive to make note about thesymbolism and practices we employ today and their strongsimilarity to ancient rituals that historians have written aboutoccurring in disparate parts of the world. More simply put, giventhat our teachings and symbolism were commonly used by mysticschools during different centuries in different parts of the worldsuggest that Freemasonry’s links extend further back thanmedieval Europe.
As a point of information, let us examine the reference to aworking tool used by both operative and speculative Masonswhich dates back roughly to 2,500 years ago. Confucius (551BC-479 BC) wrote that “the ruler has a principle with which, as witha measuring square, he may regulate his conduct.” 2 Thisstatement sounds very much like the Masonic phrase “squareyour actions by the square of virtue and morality.” Further tothis point, early philosophical writings out of China dating backto 1000 BC refer not only to the square and compasses whentalking about human behavior and conduct, but also to other“Masonic working tools” such as the plumb and the level! 3
Mencius (371BC-289BC) said, “a (Continued on page 24)
“FREEMASONRY AND THE MYSTIC SCHOOLS OF THE EAST”By Bro. Mohamad A. Yatim
Master Mason, in teachingapprentices, makes use of the
compasses and the square. We who are engaged in the pursuit ofWisdom must also make use of the compasses and the square.” 4
These, of course, are just a couple of examples about theinteresting similarity between Freemasonry and the ancienteastern mystic schools, with another example being ancient Egyptwhere individual initiates who became members of the mysticOrder of Isis were referred to as “the widow’s son”5, a descriptionthat is now known to clearly reference the Freemasons.
PART 2: MYSTIC ISLAM
A. Background
Many books and research papers have been written aboutFreemasonry and link it to alchemy and the Kabbalah, however,there is a dearth of writings about Freemasonry and the esotericbranches of Islam. While, it is not the intention of this paper toclaim a possibility that Freemasonry is a descendent of ancientArabic and Islamic mystic schools, or even link it to them for thatmatter, there is little doubt, in my opinion, however, that “seekersof enlightenment” from the Western world were influenced by theteachings of the science that flowed from medieval Islam. Manyhistorians have made note of the knowledge exchanged betweenMuslims who ruled Spain for almost 800 years6 (sometimesreferred to as the Moors) and the western world. It was duringthat time that the study of the esoteric side of Islam flourished andwhen various secret societies prospered. During that period,Europe was in the throes of its “age of darkness” while Muslimswere living in what’s been termed as their golden era. Manyadvances during that period were made in architecture, astrology,astronomy, mathematics, physics and medicine.7 A great deal ofthe knowledge acquired during that time by those who traveledEast was brought back to the western world.
In his book, The Golden Builders: Alchemists, Rosicrucians, FirstFreemasons, Tobias Churton noted that the:
Remarkable Arab contribution to our culture is oftenunderestimated, and yet it was this that made the fillflowering of the Middle Ages possible. Without it, theRenaissance could barely have developed … and at thevery heart of the Arab contribution were the HermeticSebians of Baghdad8.
Famous author and fellow Freemason Dr. Tim Wallace-Murphy,in his book Hidden Wisdom: Secrets of the Western EsotericTraditions noted that seekers of Light, as part of their initiationprocess into mystic schools, performed pilgrimage not only toEgypt, Iraq, and Persia, but also to Spain and Portugal whereArabic and Islamic mystic schools were established.
Some of the most well noted Muslim scientists of that golden ageera, included Jabir Ibn Hayyan (circa. 8th – 9th centuries), alsoknown as Geber, who is considered to be the proverbial father ofalchemy. Western scholars, in point of fact, gave him the nickname “The Alchemist”. Other notable figures were Al-Khawarizmi (who was a mathematician, geographer andastronomer), Al Razi (who excelled in the field of medicine andwas the first person to use animal intestines in stitching), Ibn
Haytham (an Egyptian scientist who is known primarily for hisachievements in astronomy and optics), and Al Farabi (who was aphilosopher, mathematician and architect/builder who wrote abook entitled Spiritual Crafts and Natural Secrets in the Detailsof Geometrical Figures).9 During this golden age era, we havealso found that Indian, Persian and Greek teachings weretranslated into Arabic. Famous and large libraries wereestablished in the Middle East, North Africa, Sicily, and Spainand were made available to any person seeking enlightenment.The Sufiya library in Aleppo for example was one of the mostfamous libraries and contained 10,000 books. The Arabs inEurope were not only famous for their knowledge in science,philosophy, and mysticism, but they also excelled in architectingand building secular and religious monuments, mosques,cathedrals, palaces, and fortresses. 10
B. Sufism
Sufism is currently considered as the inner, mystical, dimensionof Islam. Classical Sufi scholars defined it as a practice of ascience that teaches the reparation of the heart, essentiallydivesting oneself from all viciousness and negativity. The nameSufism appears to have many various roots. One source claimsthat the word is derived from “Tasawwof” -- the act of meditationin an excluded place for the purpose ofattaining a deeper level of subconscious.Another group claims that the word Sufi isa derivative from the Arabic word “Safa”which means purity. Some say the namewas derived from suf (the Arabic word forwool), and was originally applied to thoseMoslem ascetics who clad themselves incoarse woolen garb as a sign of penitenceand renunciation of worldly vanities. Finally, another group refersthe origin of the name to the Greek word “Sofia” which meanswisdom.
The practice of Sufism appears to be a mix of the exoteric aspectsof Islam that incorporates the esoteric aspects of that religion (i.e.its hidden wisdom). Through certain practices such as meditation,music, or “Thikr” (a practice of repeating the name of God), andthrough asceticism, a Sufi hopes to attain the presence of God inhis life.
The notion of love stands at the center of the Sufi tradition. Invery simple terms, it is believed that an initiate’s goal is to purifyhis inner soul and that through love he will “find God” in hisheart. Sufism’s process of cleansing and purifying the soul isaimed at preparing the initiate to be rewarded with the esotericknowledge of God which would allow him to fully embrace theDivine’s presence in this daily life. During the initiation process,a candidate for the Sufi tradition is generally taught to “knowthyself” and that he is first made a Sufi “in his heart” beforeactually starting to practice it. He is taught the importance ofknowing his limits and keeping his passions within due boundswith all mankind. Any Freemason today can relate to theseteachings through our Ritual. The Sufi master also explains to theinitiate that love is the key to understanding God and toappreciate the beauty of His creations. When the candidate learnsto empty his soul from everything except the love of God, byemploying certain meditations (Continued on page 25)
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practices, he will feel atransformation in his heart, brain,
and even his cells which will lead him to achieve a deeperdimension of consciousness allowing him to feel the presence ofGod and appreciate His blessing in the candidate’s daily life. Sufimasters go on to teach that enlightenment must come in degrees,otherwise it would overwhelm the candidate. Sufi masters notonly study the esoteric aspect of Islam, but in certain instancesthey study esoteric aspects of all three Abrahamic religions andtheir Prophets from Abraham, to Moses, to Jesus, to Idris, who isidentified in Islam as Hermes Trismegistus 11&12.
John Porter Brown, a Freemason and an American diplomat inTurkey during the mid 1800s, wrote sympathetically of the Sufipath. In The Darvishes, he admits finding it “rather strange thatthe Dervishes of the Bektashi Order consider themselves quite thesame as the Freemasons, and are disposed to fraternize withthem.”13
With regard to symbolism, it is interesting to note that the point-within-a-circle is a common symbol found in Sufism andFreemasonry. Sufism teaches that the candidate and religiontogether represent the circumference of the circle, and that thepoint in the center represents God. The Sufi student, throughspiritual circumambulation and his travels searching forenlightenment, is essentially traveling in an inward circulardirection with the hope of ultimately connecting with God at thecenter. This spiritual path is referred to as “the path of the rose”.
C. The Path of the Rose: Sufism, Rosicrucians andFreemasonry
The “path of the rose” was not only traveled by Sufis, but also bymany students of mysticism that journeyed from the westernworld in search of enlightenment. According to Rosicrucianteachings, Christian Rosenkreuz (born 1378) discovered thisesoteric wisdom on a pilgrimage to the East (Egypt, Morocco,Damascus) during which he was instructed at the hands of Sufimasters. According to The Confessio Fraternitatis, Rosenkreuzlearned Arabic, physics, and mathematics. He was also introducedto The Book M, which according to the legend contained thesecrets of the universe, and which he translated into Latin. Uponthe completion of his journey, Rosenkreuz returned to Germanywhere he founded a secret fraternity that he named the Order ofthe Rosy Cross. Rosenkreuz had seven disciples whom he passedhis knowledge to, and who traveled in different directions(literally), with the plan to meet again once a year in Germany.Thousands of books have been written on Freemasonry and theRosicrucians, some of which claim Freemasonry was a directdescendant of the Rosicrucians, with other books discussing thesimilarities between the two orders without the claim that onecame from the other14.
D. Sufi Master Idries Shah on the Sufis, Templars, andFreemasonry
Idries Shah (1924-1996) is one of the well-known teachers of theSufi tradition. He authored more than three dozen books in whichhe discussed Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that pre-datesIslam. Shah talks about an Egyptian Sufi Scholar Dhul-Nun al-Misri (796-859) who traveled the East studying alchemical
hieroglyphs covering the temples and obelisks of Egypt. Dhul-Nun al-Misri is believed to be the founder of a secret Sufiorganization composed of operative and speculative builders thatwas called Al-Banna or Al-Banna’een an Arabic word thatliterally translates into “the Masons”. Shah argues in his writingthat some Templars learned the art of building and alchemy at thehands of “Al Banna – the Arab Masons” and eventuallytransported that knowledge back to Europe. In his book The Sufiswritten in 1971, Shah writes:
That the Templars were thinking in terms of the Sufi,and not the Solomonic, Temple in Jerusalem, and itsbuilding, is strongly suggested by one important fact.Temple churches which they erected, such as the one inLondon, were modeled upon the Temple as found bythe Crusaders, as opposed to some earlier building.This Temple was none other than the octagonal Domeof the Rock (a mosque), built in the seventh century ona Sufi mathematical design, and restored in 913. TheSufi legend of the building of the Temple appears to fitin with the alleged Masonic version. As an example wemay note that the "Solomon" of the Sufi Builders is notKing Solomon but the Sufi "King" Maaruf Karkhi (died815), disciple of David (Daud of Tai, died 781) andhence by extension considered the son of David, andreferenced cryptically as Solomon - who was also theson of David. The Great Murder commemorated by theSufi builders is not that of the person (Hiram)supposed by the Masonic tradition to have been killed.The martyr of the Sufi Builders is Mansur el-Hallaj(858-922), judicially murdered because of the Sufisecret, which he spoke in a manner which could not beunderstood, and thus was dismembered as a heretic.15
Mansur el-Hallaj is one of the most famous Sufi figures whohappen to be executed at the orders of the Muslim Abbasid CaliphAl-Muqtadir after the former exclaimed “Ana Al Haqq - I am theTruth”, and the latter seeing in this statement a heresy committedby Al Hallaj by claiming himself to be God. Al Hallaj apparentlywas attempting, in a poetic manner, to explain to his students thathe was finally able to reach that point in the circle, bysuccessfully emptying his soul from everything except Godwhom he found inside of him – in his heart.
E. The Master Mason’s Substitute Word
The ancient Masonic charges were used in making a “Mason – amember of the fraternity” in the old operative stonemason days.They are also known by other names such as the Old Manuscripts,Ancient Manuscripts, Old Constitution, etc. These manuscriptswere eventually used to form the basis of the modern MasonicConstitution. According to the Sloan Manuscripts (which dateback to 1646), the third Masonic password was “Mahabyn”. In hisbook The Origins of Freemasonry: Scotland's Century, 1590-1710, David Stevenson writes:
The Sloane catechism gives the third word as`Mahabyn'. The Irish 1711 catechism converts this to`Matchpin'. Other rather later catechisms give'Maughbin', `Magboe and Boe', 'marrow in this bone'and 'Machbenah'. All that is clear from this, is that noneof the authors of these (Continued on page 26)
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“FREEMASONRY AND THE MYSTIC SCHOOLS OF THE EAST”- Bro. Yatim
catechisms had any idea ofwhat the word meant. Some
of these forms appear simply gibberish. Others probablyare distortions arising from attempts to make anunknown word meaningful.
Eventually, the word kept on changing until it became what wenow know as the Master Mason’s substitute word which manyclaim to mean, among many different explanations, “the BoneMarrow” or a translation from the Hebrew language to mean“What! The Builder?”
Interesting enough, the word” Mahabyn” could be referring to theArabic word Muhabyn which means “the loving نيبحملا(people)”. Actually Muhabyn or Muhaboon both mean the samething but are written and pronounced differently (a word endingwith “-yn” versus “-oon”) depending on the grammatical positionof the word16. Al-Muhabyn (or the loving people) was the namethat the Sufis were referred to, since Love was a key element intheir teachings. In his book The Golden Builders: Alchemists,Rosicrucians, First Freemasons, Tobias Churton writes:
It is curious that in the earliest extant copies ScottishMasonic catechisms, the master mason’s secret wasgiven as Mahabyn, in association with the teachingsof points of masonic fellowship. The origin of thisword has always been a mystery to Freemasons. Inthe context of this paper, it is not unreasonable tosuppose that the word is derived from “Mahabba” theArabic word for “Love” which was also used by Sufibrethren in greeting17.
F. Early Masonic Catechism
In “The early Masonic Catechisms” book, transcribed and editedby Douglas Knoops, M.A., Hon. A.R.I.B.A., etal. and edited byHarry Carr secretary of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076,London (the premier Masonic research Lodge in the world),second edition published in 1963, we read the followingcatechism from the 17th century on page 97:
Who is the Grand Master of all Lodges in the world?INRI. What is the meaning of that name? Each distinctletter stands for a whole word and is very mysterious.Who is your Founder? God and the Square. What isGod called? Laylah illa Allah.
Interesting enough, the sentence laylah illa Allah is the famousArabic and Islamic Shahada (or the witnessing statement) whichtranslates in English to “There is no God but God/Allah”. Theliteral translation of the Arabic word Allah is the word “God” inEnglish. One of the requirements to become of the Muslim faith isto bear witness that there is no god but God, by saying La ylahilla Allah. This testimony is the Muslim declaration of belief inthe oneness of God.
In the book Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation byHenrik Bogdan , the author refers to ancient Masonic Catechismdating back to the 1720’s, where, once again we find the Islamicwitnessing statement of “There is no god but God”:
Why do you hold the Holy Bible at your Breast? forthe Enjoyning Secrecy, and because in it is containedthe Grand Secret of Masonry. Who was the firstMason? Laylah Illallah. Who invented the secretWord? Checchehabeddin Jatmouny. What is it? It is aCabalistical Word composed of a Letter out of each ofthe Names of Laylah Illallah as mentioned in the HolyBible.
As for who Checchehabeddin Jatmouny could be, we are unableto verify without doubt at this time as to his identity, however, itmay be a reference to the Yemeni Sufi Master ChekhChehabeddin.
G. The Brethren of Purity (Ikhwan Al Safa)
The Brethren of Purity19 (sometimes known as the Brethren ofSincerity) was a secret society of Muslim scholars founded inBasra, Iraq around the year 983. Its membership indicates that itwas secretive, and with few exceptions, identities of memberswere never disclosed. The Brethren of Purity met in clandestinelocations during which members exchanged and studied esotericteachings and philosophy. Despite their secretive status, theypublished papers and epistolary letters which were eventuallycombined into what became the first Islamic scientific andesoteric encyclopedia. This encyclopedia covered a range oftopics which included mathematics, music, logic, astronomy, andthe physical and natural sciences. This encyclopedia also includeddissertations about the exploration of the nature of man’s soul,and the investigation of associated matters in ethics, revelation,and spirituality. Their work was translated into various languagesand transmitted throughout Arab regimes reaching, in one case,Al Andalusia, Spain. The work of the Brethren of Purity wasstudied by students of various esoteric schools including theRosicrucians, Isma’ili, and Mu’tazali. Their name “Brethren ofPurity” was chosen from one of the stories written in the Indianfables the Panchatantra that was composed in the 3rd century BCand translated to Arabic (as Kalila wa Dimna) by Ibn al Mukaffa’.That story is about a group of different animals that learned theinestimable value of working unselfishly together by employingtheir individuals and varied skills. Put another way, bycooperating with one another they achieved an even larger benefitfor the greater good and, in the case of the fable, they allsuccessfully escaped a hunter.
The brethren of purity believed that:In this Brotherhood, self is forgotten; all act by thehelp of each, all rely upon each for succor and advice,and if a Brother sees it will be good for another that heshould sacrifice his life for him, he willingly gives it20
The brethren regularly met three times per month during whichthey discussed and researched various esoteric and science topics.Moreover, the brethren divided themselves into 3 attainabledegrees: the 1st was called Craftsmen (the pious andcompassionate), the 2nd was labeled Political Leader (good andexcellent), the 3rd was called Kings (excellent and nobles), andthere was a 4th degree called the Rank of the Angels which wasrestricted to those who attained a status of Prophet.
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“FREEMASONRY AND THE MYSTIC SCHOOLS OF THE EAST”- Bro. Yatim
One of the identified members ofthe Brethren of Purity was Abu
Kasem ben Maslama ibn Ahmad Al-Majriti (also known as Al-Majriti). Al Majriti was known as an astronomer, chemist,mathematician and economist. He was born in Islamic Spain, andwrote various books with his most famous being about magic andastrology. That book was entitled Ghayat Al Hakeem or inEnglish The Goal of the Wise. The book was translated in the 13th
century from Arabic to Spanish and then to Latin and thenwesterners dubbed it The Picatrix. This book is said to have“significantly influenced West European magical thinking fromMarsilio Ficino in the 15th century, to Thomas Campanella in the17th century”. One person that historians note was especiallyinfluenced by this book was Elias Ashmole (1617-1692) who isbelieved to be the first speculative Freemason to join the lodgesof operative Freemasons21.
H. The Arabic Order of the Khidr and the Order of theGarter
Part of the 18th chapter of the Qur’an (The Cave Sura) talks aboutthe Prophet Moses traveling alongside another servant of God thatis never mentioned by name, but from other sources is identifiedas Al-Khidr (The Green One) for the purpose of learning wisdom.It is interesting to note that in Sufism, Al Khidr was believed tohave possessed mystic knowledge and initiation powers. TheSufis gave Al Khidr the title “Saint of the Divine Mystery” (AlGhayb) and, in fact, a Sufi order was founded to commemoratehim which is known as The Arabic Order of the Khidr.Another interesting link to explore ties into an observation madeby numerous historians and students of esoteric western traditionsis that Al-Khidr and England’s Saint George are believed to beone and the same person22. The list includes Peter L. Wilson,Idries Shah and Dr. Tim Wallace-Murphy. Idries Shah has writtenspecifically about the connection between the Arabic Order of theKhidr and a prestigious group founded in 1348 in England calledthe Order of the Garter – which is mentioned in our Masonicritual. The early records of the Order of the Garter have been lostto time, but its patron saint was St. George, who is equated inSyria where his cult originates, with the mysterious Khidr -figurefrom the Sufis. Further to this link, the Order of the Garter wasreferred to as the Order of St. George, its patron, and to whomthis order was dedicated. The name would translate directly intoSufi phraseology as Tarika-i-Hadrat-i-Khidr or the Order of St.Khidr. The word “garter” in Arabic is the same as the word forthe Sufi bond (or tie)23.
I. Saladin and Richard the Lion Heart – A Mystic Tie?
Salahuddine Al Ayyoubi (also known asSaladin, 1138-1193) was the first Sultan ofwhat is now Egypt and Syria and the founderof the Ayyubid Dynasty. He is known in theWest for defeating the crusaders at the Battleof Hattin which, in turn, allowed him to re-capture the city of Jerusalem after an 88 yearreign by the Fatimid Egyptians and thecrusaders. Historians have generally agreedthat part of Saladin fame stemmed from his
noble character and chivalrous behavior which earned him therespect of his allies and his enemies.
Upon the loss of governing Jerusalem, King Richard of Englandled a third crusader campaign to re-claim the city. Despite variousdeadly battles between the Muslim armyand the crusaders, historians agree that therelationship between Saladin and Richardwas awkwardly unique. When Richard’shorse was killed at the Arsuf battle,Saladin is said to have sent two fineArabian horses as a present for his rival,King Richard. On another occasion, whenKing Richard was said to have been sickwith fever, Saladin sent in foodstuffs suchas fruits and vegetables as a gift. It hasbeen documented that King Richardproposed that his sister, Joan of England (also known as Queen ofSicily) be offered in marriage to Saladin's brother which wouldallow the city of Jerusalem to be a wedding gift24. One cannothelp but wonder whether there was some sort of mystic tiebetween these two leaders. According to Arabic Masonic tales,when King Richard was injured by a poisonous arrow, Saladinand some of his men traveled in disguise to Richard’s tent to helpcure him. The tales suggest that Saladin and King Richard “shookhands” by the strong grip. To honor Richard the Lion heart, it wasfrom this occasion that this particular hand shake became knownas the Lion’s grip. The tales we have researched claim that bothmen were decedents of similar secret esoteric schools24.
J. Famous Sufis and Freemasons
Prince Abd Al-Qadir Al-Jaza’iri (1809-1883) was an AlgerianIslamic Sufi Scholar and political leader who led a struggleagainst the French invasion of Algeria which helped earn him thetitle of a national hero. France, however, ultimately prevailed inthe conflict and Prince Abd Al-Qadir was exiled. The princedevoted his life to theology and philosophy and is believed tohave contributed greatly to the spread of Islam in Syria. In 1860, aconflict between the Druze and the Christians of Mount Lebanonarose and, according to history, the local Druze attacked theChristian quarter, killing over 3,000 persons. Abd al-Qadir andhis personal guards saved large numbers of Christians, bringingthem to safety in his house and in the citadel. It’s been writtenthat Al-Qadir was able to put an end to the aggression and theconflict. In token of appreciation for his actions, the impressedFrench government bestowed on Abd Al-Qadir the Grand Crossof the Légion d'honneur, and history tells us that AbrahamLincoln honored him with several gifts in gratitude for his nobleactions. His behavior immediately drew the attention of ArabFreemasons, and Abdl Qadir was initiated into Freemasonry onJune 18, 1864 in Alexandria Egypt in The Lodge of thePyramids26. Prince Abd Al Qadir was very open with hismembership in the Craft and upon his return to Damascus, hesupported the founding of new Masonic lodges whilesimultaneously continuing his mission as a Sufi and Muslimreligious leader. In discussing the Masonic order with his SufiBrethren, Abd Al Qadir once stated that Masonry was “the mostadmirable institution on earth, in the tariqa (Initiatic Path) of theEuropean in an outframe (framework) to bring closer the East andthe West.”27 (Continued on page 28)
(Continued from page 26)
Saladin
King Richard
“FREEMASONRY AND THE MYSTIC SCHOOLS OF THE EAST”- Bro. Yatim
Jamaluddin Al Afghani (1838-1897) isanother Arab celebrity to make the FamousFreemasons list, and who was known to beclosely tied to Sufism28. Al Afghani was apolitical activist in the 19th century and wasone of the founders of the Islamicmodernism and an advocate of pan-Islamicunity. Jamal Al Afghani became WorshipfulMaster of Eastern Star lodge in Egypt whenit had about 300 members.29&30
K. Sufism Today and Other Branches of Mystic Islam
Sufi orders today are divided into various schools (calledtariqah); however all trace their origins through its top leader tothe Prophet Muhammad, most passing through Al-Imam Ali, the4th Caliph in Islam and the cousin of the Prophet.31 That link ofheritage they call Silsila or the chain of union, a practiceemployed in today’s Masonic lodges.
It is unfortunate that certain groups today claim to be followingthe Sufi way, but have ended up causing significant damage to theimage of true Sufism. This corruption of practice has led to majormisconceptions about who Sufis are and what they espouse. Thelarge number of “clandestine Sufis” that we are aware of todayappears to have led many mainstream Islamic sheikhs to doubtthat these groups have a relationship with Islam. In this regard, itis important to note that one should be careful not to confusethese kinds of organizations with true Sufi teachings. There arepresent day Sufi orders that are active in preserving its trueteachings. Some current day Sufi groups admit non-Muslims intotheir ranks as they regard Sufism as a way of life, as opposed to areligion.
There exist many other groups under the Islamic umbrella thatwere founded on separate but evidently related mystical beliefs.These groups include Druze, Alaouites, Ismailism, Bahai’, AlMu’tazala and Al Fatimides.
PART 3: FREEMASONRY TODAY
If we think of the general population’s interest in Freemasonry ashaving some sort of cyclical characteristics, one is likely to agreethat recent history has seen an updraft of interest in our fraternity.It is my opinion that this interest has been aided by a handful ofpopular authors that have written well received books whichexpounded on some of our Masonic principals. Popular moviesabout these same books helped generate even greater interest, andthe advent of readily available information via the World WideWeb contributed, as well. My own experience has been that thenewer members of the Fraternity show a much greater interest inlearning about the history of Freemasonry, its esoteric teachingsand symbolism. Fortunately, even when popular interest inFreemasonry may have waned, the ancient rituals and thepreservation of certain ancient landmarks prevented the demiseevidenced for other organizations. In this regard, I hope the topicsdiscussed throughout this essay help stimulate other researchprojects among the Brethren.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that this research paper isnot an attempt to prove that Freemasonry is a descendant ofeastern mystical schools of some sort. Rather, I wanted to explorethe links between the history of our Fraternity and possibleinfluences that stemmed from various esoteric organizations fromthe near and mid East. I would also note that one conclusion Idrew from this research was that all of these various mystical andesoteric schools have the same basic underlying aim as modernFreemasonry, which is the exemplification of the basic truths thatwe help instill by our degrees and rituals. It is interesting to notethat despite all our technology and broadly elevated learning,many brethren find it difficult to offer a definition ofFreemasonry. Is it a secret society? Is it a social club? Is it acharitable organization? Is it a secret organization that preservesancient teachings? Is it a combination of all the above? Inreality, the definition does not seem to matter, but rather it is themystic tie that binds us together, and our strong belief that we areall Sons of Light, people of good and strong moral character, whowant to work together to help build our inner temple and helpbenefit the communities in which we live. As for the similaritiesand the connections that appear to link various mystic schoolsfrom various parts of the world that have spanned the millennia, Icouldn’t agree more with the famous mystic and philosopher Bro.
Manly P. Hall who wrote:My years of research among the records of oldenpeoples available in libraries, museums, and shrinesof ancient cultures, has convinced me that there existsin the world today, and has existed for thousands ofyears, a body of enlightened humans united in whatmight be termed, an Order of the Quest. It iscomposed of those whose intellectual and spiritualperceptions have revealed to them that civilizationhas a Secret Destiny--secret, I say, because this highpurpose is not realized by the many; the great massesof peoples still live along without any knowledgewhatsoever that they are part of a Universal Motionin time and space.
As for me, I would like to simply think of all these mystic schoolsas waves belonging to the same ocean, that collectively help thesailing ships reach new horizons and discover new lands.
* Special Thanks to Bro. Michael S. Rothman for his help in editingthis paper.
END NOTES:
(Continued from page 27)
1.Indian animal fables believed to be written in the 3rd century BC and eventuallytranslated to Arabic by Ibn Al Muqaffa’ and renamed “Kalilah wa Dimnah”around 750CE 2.Sayings of Confucius: The Great Learning3.For example, the Royal Ch'i-lin (c. 2900 BCE), Shu ching (c. 1,000 BCE), Shuching (c. 1,000 BCE)4. “Mencius”, Translated by James Legge. Chinese Classics, vol. ii (1895),Chapter 135. As mentioned in “Hidden Wisdom” by Dr. Tim Wallace Murphy and in“Moses” by Emile Bloch6. The moors were dominant in Spain and Portugal from 711-14927. See Dr. and Bro. Tim Wallace Murphy’s book entitled “What Islam Did for Us-Understanding Islam's Contribution to Western Civilization”, 2006 London, Wat-kins
Prince Abd Al-Qadir Al-Jaza’iri
“FREEMASONRY AND THE MYSTIC SCHOOLS OF THE EAST”- Bro. Yatim
Let’s face it….it’s cool to be a knight. Iwanted to be a Jedi Knight when I wasa kid. Whether or not our origins arewith the Knights Templar are foranother article. I am focusing on thehere and now. Freemasonry REALLYtook off in the 1700’s for severalreasons. It was opened to men of allfaiths, it gave the promise of gaining
ancient wisdom and it was a way to achieve knighthood.Knighthood! And when you make a man knight, he starts towalk around like he is a knight and by God…he IS a knight.This empowered men all over Europe and the colonies and itdoes to this day.
No matter what rite of Freemasonry you find inthe world, it all follows a similar path: the Craftdegrees, the Royal Arch and the KnightsTemplar. In the United States and Canada, wehave the York Rite and the Scottish Rite. Theyhave differences, but both systems follow thesame basic structure. They go from an OldTestament basis to a New Testament basis. Inthe York Rite, the Knights Templar degrees areopen only to Christians. This is true of theentire Masonic system in Scandinavia (the Swedish Rite).Many Masons find the idea that certain degrees are open onlyto one religion to be decidedly un-Masonic.
I would suggest they are both wrong and right. Freemasonrywas a Christian fraternity until the English made it non-sectarian in the 1700’s. Then the knighthood degrees werecreated which only allowed Christians, including the ScottishRite. Years later, the Scottish Rite became completely non-sectarian thanks to Albert Pike. If I am wrong on that, please letme know, but I do not think I am. Depending on where you goin the world the Scottish Rite may be non-sectarian or sectarian.
The most famous branch of the Scottish Rite is the SouthernJurisdiction which follows the writings of Albert Pike.
While I love the Scottish Rite and I am glad it opens up a wayto become a Knight Templar while still remaining non-sectarian, I think the York Rite, the Swedish Rite and theScottish Rite jurisdictions that are Christian only are FULLYin line with Masonic tradition. They may not be your Masonictradition, but they are very, VERY old and serve a very noblepurpose. What is that? I believe they help Christianity tobecome better. I have seen my religion torn apart byextremists on the left and the right and to think there is a placethat encourages Masons to pursue their Christian faith in a
sane and thoughtful way as only Masons know howto do, is a very GOOD thing. That may not have beenthe original intent, but it is certainly needed today.The Masonic Christian brings balance and dignity tohis religion where many times it might be lacking.
So think about that the next time you blast the YorkRite Knight Templars or Swedish Rite. They makethe world a better place. And at least in NorthAmerica, you can still become a Knight Templar inthe Scottish Rite without having to be a Christian. Ihave heard our Australian Scottish Rite brothers are
creating chapters that are for Christians and others that areuniversal like we have here in the U.S. I think that is anexcellent idea.
Whatever path you take to knighthood as a Mason, I pray itmakes you a better man and what you learn you take withyou back to make your Symbolic lodge a stronger place. Somote it be.
(The preceding article is an excerpt from "TheFreemason Conspiracy" E-Book available only atTwtmag.com)
8. The Golden Builders: Alchemists, Rosicrucians, First Freemasons”, by TobiasChurton9. Science in Medieval Islam:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_in_medieval_Islam10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_architecture11. The Eternal Hermes (1995) by Antoine Faivre 12.Bahá'u'lláh (1994) [1873–92]. Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (The Bahai religion)13. Mehmet Saheheddine, New Dawn 86 (Sept-Oct 2004).14.Some believe that birth of the Rosicrucians is linked to John Valentine Andrea,a German monk who who published a fictional book called "The Chemical Mar-riage" and attributed it to an allegorical figure called “Christian Rosenkreuz15. “The Sufis” by Idries Shah, 197116. . "نوبحم" وأ "نيبحم"
22. Peter L. Wilson, “The Green Man: The Trickster Figure in Sufism”, in GnosisMagazine 1991
23.“Cannabis: The Philosopher’s Stone from Green Gold: the Tree of Life, Mari-juana in Magic and Religion” by Chris Bennett, Lynn Osburn, and Judy Osburn
24. “The Middle Ages” by Morris Bishop (2001) page 102 25. No strong evidence is found of such occurrence despite the commonly knownstory among Masonic Arabic circles
26. “The life of Abdel Kader, ex-sultan of the Arabs of Algeria written from hisown dictation, and comp. from other authentic sources”, Published 1867 byChapman and Hall in London ., page 32827. Rashied K. Sharrieff-Al-Bey in “The Illustrious Brother Abd-al-Qadir:Outstanding Muslim & worthy Master Mason”28. “Jamal al-Din al-afghani: a Muslim intellectual by Anvar Moazzam in 198929.“Da’irat al-ma’arif al-Masoniyya “(Beirut: 1961), p. 197 by Hanna Abi Rashed 30.“Sayyid Jamal ad-Din Al-Afghani", by Nikki R. Keddie, Berkeley: 1972, p. 9231. One notable exception is the Naqshbandi method that traces its origins throughthe first Muslim Caliph Abu Bakr.Al Saddiq
TWT
“ Mystic Sschools”- Bro. Yatim/ “The Path to Knighthood”- Bro. Johnson
