Freemasonry in Jordan
Jordan has never possessed many Lodges7. After the National Grand Lodge of Egypt had been closed in
1964 by Abdul Nasser, many lodges in the Middle East working under this Grand Lodge were closed and
the remaining ones lost their recognition by the other Grand Lodges in the world. However, the Jordanian
Freemasons, under the leadership of King Hussein, tried to establish a new Arabic Masonic Authority
working independently in Jordan and Lebanon, but political and religious pressures prevented that.
The many prosperous Lodges in the Kingdom of Jordan came to an abrupt end when the Fundamentalist
members of the Jordanian Parliament, who were normally a minority, found themselves almost alone in the
Parliament building, legislated and promulgated a law banning Freemasonry in the Jordanian Hashemite
Kingdom.8
Freemasonry is still banned in Jordan, despite attempts to amend this Law, because some
Islamists Members of the Parliament, members of the Muslims Brotherhood, insist on keeping the
Prohibition.
Yet the Jordanian laws do not punish individuals if they become Freemasons, but some Government jobs
require that employees must not to join any social, political or other group. Speaking about Freemasonry in
public is reported to be difficult.
The first lodge in Trans-Jordan was Lodge Quraish founded by an Egyptian Freemason in 19239. The lodge
subsequently changed its affiliation and name to Lodge Al-Naser (“Victory”). In 1956 it united with
another four lodges that were working in Palestine prior to 1948 on the West Bank of Jordan, to form Beit
Al-Maqdes (Jerusalem) Lodge. In 1956, a Grand Lodge of Jordan was self-constituted, with all its lodges
on the West Bank. The origin of these lodges is obscure. These lodges (now in the area politically under
the Palestinian National Authority), then numbering five, ceased operation after the annexation of the West
Bank by Israel in 1967. The Palestinian Lodges were subsequently revived, but ceased operation in 1994
in the face of political opposition. In 1995, there were evidently attempts to revive the West Bank lodges,
but the result is unknown, although anecdotal evidence suggests at least some are operating.
Petra Lodge No. 1 is working in Jordan under National Grand Lodge AFAM of Egypt but is not recognized
by UGLE. The only recognized Lodges in Lebanon and Syria are those working under the Grand Lodge of
Scotland and the District Grand lodge of Syria & Lebanon working in Lebanon under the Grand Lodge of
New York. Lodge Jordan No 1339 SC which was chartered by Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1925 at Jaffa
(Tel Aviv) moved to Amman in 1935. It has the distinction of being the only British Warranted Lodge still
working anywhere in the Middle East outside of Israel.Yes, I have read all this information, and I am aware of the situation inside Jordan, and I am aware of what Al-Armouti’s deputy resides in and what he said
I sent a message via e-mail to the Grand Lodge of Scotland about my desire to join, but so far I have not received any respone
