Freemasonry in the Muslim World

After the Pope Clement XII excommunicated Freemasonry in 1738, Sultan Mahmut I outlawed Freemasonry. In 1908 with the declaration of the second constitutional monarchy in the Empire the Islamic traditionalists organized a revolt in Istanbul. This revolt was crashed by the "Action Army"and Sultan Abdullah II has been dethroned. The "Action Army" has been organized and commanded by officers who were freemasons. In the years preceding the Second World War and also during the War, the Nazi propaganda portrayed a Jewish-masonic plot to gover the world, and the actions of Sheriff Hussein in Jerusalem and the creation of the state of Israel have strenghten the muslim anti-masonic sentiment. The arabs regard Freemasonry as a force against Islam and a cause of success of European Imperialism in Arabia. Freemasonry is outlawed, in general, in Arab countries but there is a flourishing Algerian freemasonry since the independence of this coutry from France. Freemasonry is allowed in Lebanon and Morocco but there are indications that American military lodges are working in other parts of the Islamic world. The Grande Lodge of Marroco was consecrated by the Grand Loge Nacional Française in 1999. On the 23rd March 1973, the High Court of Casablanca have given the veredict that Freemasonry is compatible with Islam.
Adaptation from an article of W.Bro, Celil Layktez, editor of TESVYYE, the masonic magazine of the Grand Lodge of Turkey. Via www.freemasonry.com