Freemasonry is forbidden in my country

by Kent Joseph
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)

How can I join Freemasonry if I am in a country wherein it is forbidden? I am a Filipino and I have a great interest in joining the oldest fraternity known to man. In childhood, back home to my country, I was once amazed of a certain neighbor who was a Mason. Since then, while growing up, it made me ask a lot of questions of becoming a Mason. I am currently working here in Saudi Arabia and your suggestion is warmly appreciated. Thanks very much.

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Nov 13, 2010
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Freemasonry is more than a fraternal organization
by: Tim

Dear Kent,

Thank you for your most excellent question. I wish I had a simple answer.

Freemasonry teaches freedom: freedom of thought, freedom of inquiry, freedom of speech, and freedom from tyranny. Freemasonry as an organization thrives where these freedoms are possible. Tyrannical regimes can not and will not allow these freedoms and therefore will not allow Freemasonry, as an organization, to exist. It has been thus throughout history.

However, Freemasonry does not exist only as an organization. The Masonic fraternity is simply an organization made of men and women who believe in Masonic teachings and ideals. But, Freemasonry is those teachings and ideals. No membership, of any kind, is required in order to follow the moral teachings of Freemasonry, and those teachings are readily available online and in the many books that have been written by Freemasons.

As you are in a country where the Masonic fraternity is forbidden there is little you can do regarding joining the fraternity. What you can do, though, is seek out like-minded men with whom you can share brotherly fellowship; study Freemasonry; join online forums and interact with Freemasons in other parts of the world. Being a Freemason is not about carrying a membership card. True Freemasonry exists only in the head and in the heart.

Toward that end, here are a few links to some very good Websites:

http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/

http://www.masonicinfo.com/

And, of course, I hope you will return to www.Masonsmart.com

I wish I could have given you a simple answer. Unfortunately, life is not simple. Perhaps someday Saudi Arabia will become a place where Freemasonry will be welcomed and nourished. Until such time, keep the ember of Light burning softly within your heart.

Fraternally yours,

Tim
www.Masonsmart.com

Jan 13, 2011
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where to find the lodge in Riyadh
by: Anonymous

I'm a Filipino civil engineer and currently working in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.A member of DeMolay in Philippines. I'm looking for a masonic lodge in Riyadh to join the freemasonry. Please guide me..

Thanks..

Apr 11, 2011
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Freemasonry in Arabic Countries
by: Anonymous

I know it is hard too be a mason were you are not welcome. But then again Jesus was not welcome in many places but he is with us today in spirit!
History has taught us to take it one day at a time and one brother will help another until we can achive what we set out to do.

Jul 04, 2011
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Interested but unable to find a lodge
by: Speckz

I am an individual seeking enlightenment by joining the brotherhood of the freemasons but unfortunately there is no lodge here in Jeddah. I am very very very much interested to learn more and hopefully become part of the longest living brotherhood. My email is [email protected] hope to hear from you guys....

Jul 28, 2011
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To join mason
by: kwaku

I am boy of 22yeas old and i am into cyber fraud. But things are not going well as it suppose to be and i like to join Freemason so they can help me in life.But i really don't know how to do now so if you can help me to find a way to become a member of Freemason lodge.Thanks you and hope to hear from you.My email is [email protected] .kwaku.

Sep 04, 2012
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Help ..
by: MC Tweety

Plz Help Me To Find Lodge In Saudi Arabia - Jeddah
That's My Email: [email protected]
I Hope That u can Help Me .. Waiting For u Replay

Jul 16, 2013
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Freemasonry is forbidden in my conuntry
by: Anonymous

I am a ledy of 28 years old, and I am into film as an Actres but things are no't going well as it suppose to be and I like to join Freemason so they can help me in life But I really don't know how to do,so if you can help me to find a way to become a member of Freemason lodge I am very very much interested, and hopefully become part of The longest living brotherhood. Thanks you and hope to hear from you. My Email is [email protected] Queen Kwashi.

Aug 20, 2013
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LEDY
by: Tom

If by, "ledy" you mean 'lady', a woman, Freemasonry is a fraternity, a group for men only. Sorry. I do hope your career turns itself around.

Sep 27, 2013
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moving
by: Anonymous

am currently in the united states and i will be moving to saudi arabia i wonder if there is members in saudi that i can gather with them.

Sep 30, 2013
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Freemasonry in Saudi Arabia
by: Tim

There are undoubtedly Freemasons in Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, Freemasonry as an organization is not presently active in Saudi Arabia. Freemasonry flourishes where freedoms exist, and as is currently the case in most Middle East countries such organizations are either not allowed or are simply unable to operate under the existing political regimes.

Here is a link to an article on the Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry Web site discussing the Masonic Craft in Islamic countries. The article was first presented as a paper in 2007, but so far as I know very little has changed since.

I wish you the very best and good luck in your move to Saudi Arabia. And, thank you for visiting Masonsmart.

Fraternally,

Tim

Nov 04, 2013
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I want to join Mason
by: Anonymous

Hi, I'am Filipino and I'm working now in Jeddah. I experienced being scam in looking for ways joining Mason. Last 2010, I was asked by someone in Philippines they said the first step is to donate in charity and I will get my membership form. I sent money to western union then after they received, i dont hear from there on.
But still, I dont lost hope. I know Mason will be the right fraternity for me.
Please do email me: I want to join and embrased the doctrines and teachings of mason.

Fernando
[email protected]

Nov 04, 2013
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Sorry
by: TomAnonymous

Sadly, somebody has led you astray. While charity is a virtue Masons try to practice, donating is not the way to join. You need to contact a Lodge or a Mason directly to start. In any case, obedience to the lawful authority is central to Masonry. As the Craft is to all extents and purposes illegal in Saudi Arabia, you will need to wait until your return to the Philippines. Sorry.

Nov 05, 2013
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1 month vacation only
by: Arvie

If ever I go back to Philippines. How long before I can complete my membership because I only have 1 month vacation and after that I need to go back to Saudi?

Nov 05, 2013
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Still sorry, really
by: TomAnonymous

No regular Mason will ever counsel you to break the laws of the land you are living in. There is, it would seem, no immediate solution to your problem. In short, you are simply going to have to put away your desire to join until - when and if - you are living in a nation which is not afraid of the Craft.

Nov 11, 2013
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Connection with my brothers
by: mirth

Hello brothers,
I'm a Fellow brother still in my first degree but I moved back to Saudi Arabia before I could complete my degrees, and my cypher classes. I was wondering if you could direct me to someone that lives here that would be able to teach me how to read the cypher book which I received.
Thank you

Nov 11, 2013
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Curious
by: atom

Dear Mirth,

Why would you not contact directly the Lodge in which you were made a Mason and ask them?

Oct 12, 2014
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join the freemasonry
by: Anonymous

hi ,

my name is tony i have 28 years old , i m in saudi arabia right know working in jeddah ...
i m looking to joining the freemasonry and to be an active member
this is my cell phone number and you can contact me on it any time : 00966509206909

appreciated your help

best regards .

Oct 12, 2014
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Not Going to Happen
by: Anonymous

Not sure of another way to say what has already been said, but Freemasonry is illegal in Saudi Arabia.

Period.

Masons will not advise you to break the laws of the land you are in, nor will they assist you to do so.

Period.

I hope your time in the kingdom is pleasant and profitable and suggest that you try again when you get to a place where Masonry is legal.

Aug 12, 2015
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I Want to be a Member of Freemason
by: Anonymous

How can i submit my intention to Freemasonry?

I'm from Lipa City Batangas but working in Saudi Arabia.

Oct 23, 2015
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One More Time...
by: Jack

Look, it's simple.

1. Freemasonry exists only where it is legal.

2. No real Freemason would ever advise you to break the law of the land you are living in.

3. Freemasonry is not legal in Saudi Arabia. It's a foolish and silly law, but it is the law there.

4. Last time I looked, Jeddhah was in Saudi Arabia.

5. Ergo, Freemasonry is illegal in Jeddah.

Even if there was a lodge in a place where it was illegal - and to the best of my knowledge there is not - do you really think anybody would tell an anonymous inquirer on a public website?

The lot of you should get real and stop asking silly questions. The answer is going to be the same every time - the same as it was six months ago and the same as it was a year ago - you cannot join Freemasonry in Saudi Arabia. Ask 500 times and you'll get the same answer.

Period.

Aug 21, 2016
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Being a Freemason where it is prohibited.
by: Mason Wayne

Hello,
I am a Freemason and would like to offer a suggestion. If you live in a country where Freemasons are banned, there is an alternative. It is not the best scenario. You would need a group of 7 or more people who desire to be a Freemason. To open lodge as an entered apprentice requires 7 with officers. Fellow craft requires 5 or more with officers. Masters requires 3 or more with officers. The problem is, you need officers. Folks that are already Master Masons. If you find them, you can do this. Do not hold lodge in a place where it would be obvious. To open lodge, you only need the Masons, not a building. You could open lodge in the middle of a field if you wanted to. Do now let anyone here you speaking the words of a Freemason because you'd be identified for sure. Do not speak "Freemason" around non-members. It would be noticed. Do not where emblematic jewelry. You can find all the info you need online as far as how to open lodge under each Mason degree. If you want this bad enough, it can be done. If I was there, I would help. Good luck future brother of Masonry.

Aug 21, 2016
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Wrong!
by: Lant

@Mason Wayne

Absolutely not!

Central to Freemasonry is obedience to the laws of the nation in which a Mason may live. No real Mason could countenance deliberate breaking of those laws and I find it hard to believe that a true Mason would suggest such a thing.

The Saudi laws against the Craft are foolish and based on silly myths, to be sure, but they are the law. If one lives in a land where Masonry is illegal, then one cannot be a Mason.

That's it.

Aug 21, 2016
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Wrong
by: Thane

Further to that, one cannot just pull a selection of ritual off the web, call oneself a Mason and open a 'lodge'. Even if you managed to find the real ritual amongst all the web garbagem to be within world-wide Masonic custom, tradition and law, every lodge must have a charter from a recognized grand lodge and no grand lodge would agree to that.

To be sure, such things have happened, but no real Mason recognizes such phonies as legitimate and no real Mason will meet with such people.

And - critically - no real Mason would ever suggest such a thing.

Aug 23, 2016
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"Mason Wayne" is no Mason...
by: Tim

In addition to the comments by Lant and Thane, I would add that any such conduct as described by "Mason Wayne" would very likely result in those involved being considered clandestine. Any man having once been involved in a clandestine lodge is forever barred from being accepted into a regular lodge as a legitimate member of the Masonic fraternity.

Mr. Wayne's advice is an excellent example of the misinformation and misrepresentation of the fraternity that is so rampant on the Internet. Please take this as a learning opportunity. "Mason Wayne" is not a Freemason. As Thane rightly points out, no real Mason would ever suggest such a thing.

The Masonic fraternity is an organization based on rules. One such rule charges us with obedience to the laws of the land. If you live in a country where Freemasonry is forbidden you may study the craft by reading books written by Freemasons, assuming they are not also forbidden. You may live according to the high ideals of the teachings and tenets of Freemasonry. But, unless and until there is a change in the government of your country you may not become a member of the Masonic fraternity.

Dec 09, 2016
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Join
by: Anonymous

HI I live in Saudi Arabia in Dammam and nationalities of the Syrian Not good at speaking English I want to learn more about Freemasonry Is there join in Bahrain to identify the Masonic site in Arabic
Thank

Dec 09, 2016
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Sorry
by: Thane

I regret to have to say that there is no regular or proper Masonic presence in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Syria.

Dec 19, 2016
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Join
by: Anonymous

Hello
Im from syria lived in Saudi Arabia in Khobar I would like to join the Masons
[email protected]

Dec 20, 2016
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No
by: Tharn

Refer to Jack's reply to this same sort of question 23 October, 2015.

Until the country you are living in changes its laws, you cannot join.

Feb 22, 2017
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On leave from work
by: Three Legged

How long before I can complete my membership because I only have 1 month vacation and after that I need to go back to Saudi Arabia or should I stay more longer in Philippines?

Feb 22, 2017
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Three Legged
by: Thane

If I understand this correctly, you have a one month vacation in the Philippines from your job in Saudi Arabia and you want to become a Mason in the former.

As each Masonic jurisdiction has its own rules on residence, you would have to ask that of our brothers in the Philippines. http://www.grandlodge.ph/

May 07, 2017
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Want to Join Freemason
by: Martin

I am a Filipino, currently based in Jeddah. I am interested to join Freemasonry, I tried to arranged in Philippines with my college fraternity brother who is a freemason but due to my short vacation I was not able to attend the initial meeting. Is there a lodge here in Jeddah where I can knock and approach?

May 07, 2017
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Hard to believe
by: Jack

Have you bothered to read *anything* written above?

I am honored to have A number of Filipino friends and they are *not* stupid, which makes me wonder who you really are and what your real motives are.

May 07, 2017
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Stupidity
by: Martin

Jack, my apologies if I did not bother to read the above thread...I am a busy man, doing a lot of projects around the middle east and also an entrepreneur back home. Instead of going through those lengthy threads, i want a straight forward inquiry and a straight forward answer...my uncles and cousins are freemasons but I don't even bother to ask them...I want to discover freemasonry on my own. if you think an inquiry of an innocent person is stupidity...remember the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.

Who will help the widow's son?

May 07, 2017
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There's a difference
by: Jack

Asking a question in innocence is one thing.

Asking a question when the answer is sitting before one is however something different.

And then there is expecting a perfect stranger to take their own valuable time to spoon-feed somebody who is 'too busy' to invest their own time in it... Congratulations on being an entrepreneur and project manager/developer. No doubt you are busy; oddly enough, those here also have lives that keep them busy.

This site is regularly asked the same question from alleged Filipinos living in Jeddah, all essentially boiling down to, "How can I break the law in Saudi Arabia?" (And you, my busy friend, are the one who chose to post on a thread entitled 'Freemasonry is Illegal in My Country'.) It gets tiresome.

If you are really interested, then I would suggest that you take some of that valuable time of yours and talk to your relatives. If you ever do become a Mason, you'll find that you'll be required to invest a lot of time finding your way in the Craft.

May 07, 2017
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Loslos mo
by: Anonymous

There are two kinds of people in this world jack, those who are fixated to be a slave on their monthly paycheck...and those who are flamboyant to use other people's time and effort by way of leveraging.

Time is the greatest democratizer, if we know how to leverage it we can be more productive.

There are people that they have so much ego and believe in themselves, but the intrinsic value is nothing.

May 07, 2017
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jackul
by: Hussien

An arrogant person considers himself perfect. This is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person's main task in life - becoming a better person.

Freemasonry is a philosophical system that teaches (and demands from its members to demonstrate) moderation and humility.

May 08, 2017
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Indeed
by: Jack

Thank you, Hussein.

Anon, if you feel that your propensity to 'leverage' the work of others somehow entitles you to special respect or that normal hardworking people are somehow fixated in some helot wage-slave mentality, then I sincerely doubt you would be happy in Freemasonry. I would suggest that you find another path.

Meanwhile, back to your original question, the law remains the law.

May 08, 2017
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Bogus or what? no Offense
by: John

I've read the earlier threads and I am surprised!

I once knew a group of expats in Riyadh, mostly westerners and asians they have this so called lodge and they are recruiting expats to be a member. One of my college fraternity brethren told me once that in Freemasonry you don't recruit, correct me if I'm wrong. I have a friend who became a member of a lodge in Riyadh. They have this symbols, signs, pins and apron thing.

they even told me they have royal family members in the lodge. Is this possible? I thought Freemasonry is not allowed in KSA?

May 08, 2017
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John - no offense
by: Foxy

Hi John, same in Al khobar there a groups of expats praticing freemasonry and they rented a flat and they called it lodge. It's a mixed environment but mostly Asians and some are white dudes also.

They have a lot of recruits those days, way back 2006-2010, they even have car stickers.

May 08, 2017
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Legality
by: Tharne

Legality - two types.

First, the law in Saudi Arabia absolutely forbids Freemasonry of any sort. So far as I know, that law is enforced pretty strictly. I as a Mason would not even wear a Masonic ring there, for instance.

Now, let's look at Masonic regulations and jurisprudence.

First, a Mason's oath requires him to obey the law of whatever land he is living in. As SA forbids Masonry, no real Mason is going to get involved in or practice the Craft there, even if it existed. The law is foolish and based on silly rumours, but is still the law.

Moreover, to be considered legitimate under *Masonic* regulations, a lodge must be formally authorized by a legitimate grand lodge. No charter = not authorized = illegal under Masonic rules. And no legitimate grand lodge would charter a lodge in a place where Masonry is illegal. So, even if a bunch of real Masons wanted to, they could not start a lodge in SA.

Put that all together and it means that any group in SA purporting to be Masons could not possibly be legitimate and would not be recognized as such by real Masons. They could smuggle in aprons and go through the motions, but they would have no more validity than somebody buying a police uniform in a costume store and pretending to be a real cop.

Lastly, as John notes, real Freemasons do not recruit.

May 08, 2017
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It seems not followed
by: Erwin

so, despite jack's being assertive of the masonic rule, but what is happening actually in saudi is that there are still existing lodges around without the knowledge of jack? what happened to the rules? to the vows? to the obedience?

i've been in the kingdom since the 70s and i've seen a lot, forbidden laws are meant to be violated here; from gambling, prostitution to drugs, even falsifications of documents.

so maybe jack is right, in his sane mind and orientation as a mason, but in reality here in the kingdom, there are a lot of westerners that are organizing lodges and massive recruitments for the last decades both in central and eastern regions. there is one lodge in al khobar the master is a westerner from saudi aramco in dharahn and he recruited quite a prominent arab businessmen, one of them is the owner of a big hospital in Dammam, a well-respected family in eastern province.

that's why jac,k you cannot blame people of keep inquiring here coz' what you are emphasizing here in the forum is totally different from what they have seen in the field. If you are in riyadh, check the parking area of King Khalid International Airport from the top...masonic symbol is very noticeable.

saudis cannot recognize coz; they have no idea what freemason is, they cannot even spell freemason. but for us who are expats..at the first glance the square and compass are very clear.

May 08, 2017
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Erwin Rommel
by: Eman

Hi Erwin, it's good you also noticed the symbol in KKIA. I saw that also but I thought it was something till you mentioned here.

Yes, in the 80s I met a lot of freemasons here in Riyadh, they have a lodge in Malaz district back side of the old Akariyah Mall.

There's this freemason named David Reynolds, he was into bootlegging, another one Francis that turned out later a swindler and conman.

May 09, 2017
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Tripe...
by: Tim

Good day, FoxyJohnMartin. I don't know which is your real name if any of them are. Nor do I appreciate your use of at least three different identities on this page. I suspect that you are also Eman and Erwin but that's of no real matter. Perhaps you think that using multiple identities appears to lend credence to your statements, or that you can fool people into thinking that your opinions must have weight because others agree with you. In actuality, it only makes your purpose here more suspect. Clearly, it is not a genuine interest in Freemasonry.

At any rate, your purpose here does not trouble me. You have an agenda. Most people do. Fortunately, Freemasonry does not succumb to the agendas of our detractors. We've been dealing with them for centuries. What does trouble me is that you are misleading those who have no way of recognizing your deceit. So, I will put this as simply and directly as I can.

The governance of Saudi Arabia currently prohibits the practice of Freemasonry. Until and unless this position is changed any practice, or claim to practice, of Freemasonry is considered clandestine and would not be recognized as legitimate.

Now, Foxy John Martin Eman Erwin, go peddle your tripe somewhere else.

Sincerely,

Tim

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