Author: Abu Raef
Freemasonry (Part 6)
The Emergence and Historical Stages of Masonry
In this section, we examine and evaluate the emergence of Freemasonry and its historical stages.
The exact date of the emergence of the Masonic fraternity is not precisely known. The reason for this; as previously noted, returns to the ambiguity and secrecy surrounding this organization, to the extent that even the promoters of Masonry themselves acknowledge this fact, although they present contradictory statements on the matter, which reveal the degree of their own ignorance and confusion regarding this issue.
By examining the writings of the supporters of this movement, it becomes clear that their texts and statements on this subject are contradictory, disordered, and unstable. Each of them has presented different claims and mutually opposing assertions. In this discussion, by examining and evaluating each of these statements, we will attempt to determine the most accurate history and the commonly agreed-upon period for the formation and growth of this secretive and mysterious movement, so that the time frame and centuries in which it emerged may be better understood.
Jurji Zaydan, the well-known Masonic writer and one of the supporters and leaders of this movement, points to the divergence of claims made by the followers of this movement regarding the precise time of its formation, origin, and development. He also presents some strange and idealistic assertions in this regard. He says:
Historians have expressed contradictory views concerning the origin of this fraternity. Some have said that it is a modern association, and according to them its history does not go back beyond the eighteenth century CE. Others have traced it to an earlier period and claimed that it originated from the ‘Rosicrucian’ society, which was established in 1616 CE. Some have dated it back to the era of the Crusades, while others have traced it to the time of the Greeks in the eighth century BCE. Some have said that this fraternity arose in the Temple of Solomon. Others have claimed that its origin is far older, attributing it to Egyptian and Indian priests and others besides them. Some have gone to extremes and considered Adam, (PBUH), to be its founder; and more astonishing still, some have claimed that Allah Almighty founded it in the Garden of Eden, that Paradise was the first Masonic lodge, and that Michael, the chief of the angels, was its first Grand Master, along with other statements based purely on illusion. The reason for this divergence and contradiction of views is the darkness and obscurity of Masonic history in past centuries; for Masonry; as is evident, is a secret society. [1]
These statements were also affirmed by two other Masonic writers, Shahin Makarius and Hanna Abu Rashid, although the latter retreated after this admission and stated:
Among the preponderant views on this subject (as many historians have explicitly stated) is that Masonry emerged during the era of ‘Solomon the Wise’ in the year 1015 BCE; for his era coincided with a distinguished civilization whose most prominent feature was construction and architecture, which necessitated that a group of ‘free masons’ establish this order within the very Temple of Solomon. This is a view that may be closer to accuracy and sound investigation regarding the origin of Masonry. [2]
The contradiction in these views becomes clear when, quite astonishingly, the very opinion that Hanna Abu Rashid describes as “preponderant” is considered by Makarius to be “the result of a grave error”; for if this were the case, the “Temple of Sulaiman PBUH” would have to represent a literal reference to the Freemasonic fraternity, whereas, in reality, the Temple in Masonry is merely a symbolic reference, not a literal one. Because of these traditions and symbols, a major error arose whereby historians mistook imagination and illusion for reality and built their statements upon it. [3]
Some researchers and scholars have also strengthened this view, stating:
Ancient operative Masonry has no connection whatsoever with Prophet Solomon, (PBUH), nor with his alleged Temple. Rather, that Temple, like other Masonic spiritual symbols; is a symbol, much of which entered this fraternity through certain Jewish influences. [4]
The Historical Stages of Masonry
Despite this confusion and contradiction in determining the date of the emergence of Masonry, what is agreed upon among the greatest Arab Masonic historians, namely Shahin Makarius, Jurji Zaydan, and Hanna Abu Rashid, is that Masonry consists of two periods:
-
The First Period: The ancient, operative, or literal period
-
The Second Period: The modern, symbolic, or speculative period[5]
A number of opposing researchers who reject the limitation of Masonic history have also accepted this division, although they differ regarding the beginning of the first period. The first two Masonic writers (Makarius and Zaydan) consider its beginning to be 715 BCE, while others have proposed dates such as 926 CE, 1258 CE, or 1330 CE, or have refrained from specifying any date at all.
Hanna Abu Rashid, however, has insisted that ancient Masonry began during the era of Prophet Sulaiman (PBUH), in 1015 BCE.
Those Who Deny the Ancient Period
Another group of researchers has completely denied the existence of this ancient period, maintaining that Masonry did not exist at all prior to 1717 CE, and that only the modern period exists. [7]
However, an important point that must be noted is that this theory can be refuted by certain historical events which these very deniers themselves acknowledge, events that demonstrate the existence of groups of builders or “masons” prior to 1717 CE. What occurred in 1717 CE was a fundamental transformation in the Masonic order: this fraternity was converted into an intellectual organization with a constitution and hidden political objectives, distancing itself from the craft of building. [8]
Thus, it appears that the phase of manifestation, organization, and structuring of this movement took place after the eighteenth century, while its existence prior to that period lacked a specific and organized system.
The conclusion of all these discussions is that, by implicit or explicit agreement, Masonry has two periods:
-
The Ancient Period: Before 1717 CE
-
The Modern Period: After 1717 CE
We, too, rely on this division, and regarding the beginning of the ancient period, we side with Makarius and Zaydan in considering it to be 715 BCE; for accepting this claim causes us no harm, since it is agreed that Masonry during this period, from the very beginning of its emergence, was a labor-based group devoted to construction and similar work, and that only those who were practically engaged in building were admitted into it. [9]
Accordingly, the fundamental and dangerous phase of this movement began after the eighteenth century, while its earlier history was merely associated with building and free labor.
To be continued…
Previous Part/ Next Part
References:
- Tārīkh al-Māsūniyya al-ʿĀmm, p. (13).
- Al-Ādāb al-Māsūniyya, p. (1); and Makarius, Shahin, Al-Ḥaqāʾiq al-Aṣliyya fī Tārīkh al-Māsūniyya al-ʿAmaliyya, p. (35), Hindawi Foundation.
- Al-Ḥaqāʾiq al-Aṣliyya fī Tārīkh al-Māsūniyya al-ʿAmaliyya, p. (36).
- Al-Māsūniyya Bayna Anṣārihā wa Khuṣūmihā, p. (262).
- Al-Ḥaqāʾiq al-Aṣliyya fī Tārīkh al-Māsūniyya al-ʿAmaliyya, pp. (73) and 165; also Al-Ādāb al-Māsūniyya, pp. (3–5).
- Al-Māsūniyya Bayna Anṣārihā wa Khuṣūmihā, p. (263).
- Tabdīd al-Ẓalām aw Aṣl al-Māsūniyya, p. (31).
- , pp. (48–49).
-
Al-Māsūniyya Bayna Anṣārihā wa Khuṣūmihā, p. (264).
