# Establish Lodge  in Iraq



## freemhd (May 22, 2013)

Dears brothers
      What do you think about establishing a lodge or some place to gather Freemasons  in Iraq. And it can be in safe area luke Erbil

And if someone can help me

Thanks

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## dfreybur (May 23, 2013)

freemhd said:


> What do you think about establishing a lodge or some place to gather Freemasons  in Iraq. And it can be in safe area



First phase - There is already at least one military lodge in Iraq sponsored by a PHA grand lodge in the US.  To become a Mason you would go there before one of their meetings, get to know the brothers and ask for a petition.  I don't know how secure the location of their military lodge is so I don't know what would be involved in entering their building.  It's unlikely to be as easy as in the US where we walk up and knock on their door or just walk through an open door.

Second phase - Once a Mason you start bringing friends to attend events.  There are no invitations so they have to ask to join.  With enough Masons you can apply for a charter to form a lodge that has its own local roots.

Third phase - A country that has no grand lodge of its own will have several lodges formed there that are sponsored by other grand lodges.  Once there are enough to function on their own (minimum of 3) they meet to for their own grand lodge and apply for recognition by other grand lodges.  If you follow the process recognition is readily granted.


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## freemhd (May 25, 2013)

Thankbyou bro for your wonderful answer. But there is no US military in Iraq now do know any lodges in Iraq now

FREEMHD LOOKING TO BE A FREEMASON


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## stuntman98 (May 25, 2013)

US Military bases was really the only open place to meet

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## Blake Bowden (Jun 2, 2013)

To the original poster, do you mean a Lodge for military officers or for those who are citizens of Iraq? As far as a military Lodge, most are Prince Hall, but creating something like a Grand Lodge of Iraq would probably be extremely difficult. Hopefully one day.


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## cemab4y (Jun 3, 2013)

I have spent the last nine(9) years, working in Iraq and Afghanistan. No USA lodge (other than Prince Hall) has ever wanted to establish a lodge in the combat zones, for US military and civilian personnel. Check out my blog:

http://www.cemab4y.blogspot.com


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## dfreybur (Jun 4, 2013)

cemab4y said:


> No USA lodge (other than Prince Hall) has ever wanted to establish a lodge in the combat zones, for US military and civilian personnel.



For guys from most states PHA sponsorship is not an issue.  The PHA GLs that sponsor lodges in combat zones are recognized by the UGLE and thus work just fine as the seeds for an Iraqi GL.  That means for Iraqi locals who want to go through the difficult process of founding their own lodges and building their own GL would end up recognized rapidly by they UGLE and progress through the process of getting recognition elsewhere.

I get that as a KY Mason this doesn't work for you but that's an issue internal to the US that's pretty remote across the world in Iraq.

According to your blog you want to go back as a private contractor.  Prayers that will work for you.


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## lil brother (Jul 10, 2013)

hi sir do you know any freemason in iraq i want to be one please help


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## lil brother (Jul 10, 2013)

hi brother do you know any mason in iraq


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## lil brother (Jul 10, 2013)

my dream is become a mason but the dont have mason in iraq if anyone know any mason in iraq please help


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## Mike Martin (Jul 11, 2013)

Sorry to be a stick in the mud here Gents but has the new Iraq Government declared that Freemasonry is no longer an illegal association within its borders? Freemasonry has been an illegal activity in Iraq since 1958.

As I am sure you all know, no regular Grand Lodge will have communications with a Lodge in a country where Freemasonry is an illegal activity. As to Initiate an Iraqi citizen is to make him a criminal.

Many people do seem to forget that those Lodges that have, in recent years, been active in the Middle East have not been Initiating the local populace but have been allowing Freemasons to meet and to Initiate their own Comrades in Arms if they so wish.


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## Bro_Vick (Jul 11, 2013)

freemhd said:


> Dears brothers
> What do you think about establishing a lodge or some place to gather Freemasons  in Iraq. And it can be in safe area luke Erbil
> 
> And if someone can help me
> ...



First sorry for the confusion from some of the respondents, the automatically think that if you are asking about a lodge in a former occupied country, then you must be military.

I have been studying Freemasonry in the middle east and southwest Asia (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan).  If you could PM me I could give you some information regarding Freemasonry in Iraq.

Thank you for searching for light.


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## dfreybur (Jul 11, 2013)

Mike Martin said:


> Sorry to be a stick in the mud here Gents but has the new Iraq Government declared that Freemasonry is no longer an illegal association within its borders? Freemasonry has been an illegal activity in Iraq since 1958.
> 
> As I am sure you all know, no regular Grand Lodge will have communications with a Lodge in a country where Freemasonry is an illegal activity. As to Initiate an Iraqi citizen is to make him a criminal.



This is an important point.  On the one hand most Masons want to encourage masonry across the world.  On the other hand not at the expense of making brothers criminals.

One approach has been to recognize grand lodges "in exile".  New York does this a lot.  California does this a little.  Expat brothers live in other lands waiting for a time when they can move back and (re)establish masonry in their homeland.  They often lobby remotely, fund opposition candidates and such while they wait.  "All things come to he who waits" as long as he works diligently and relentlessly during that wait!  This approach worked very well in former Warsaw Pact countries - After the fall they moved back home and helped rebuild their countries.

Another approach is to found military lodges in the territory and see if the local civilian government drops the ban on Masonry.  This is the approach our vigorous PHA brothers have done recently.  At the same time a gathering place for military brothers and a seed planted in the local country that might grow.

Does anyone know for sure if the 1958 ban in Iraq still applies?  I am dubious that it still applies given the many changes in government there in the last half century.


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## Bro_Vick (Jul 14, 2013)

dfreybur said:


> This is an important point.  On the one hand most Masons want to encourage masonry across the world.  On the other hand not at the expense of making brothers criminals.



It goes far beyond that, when a man in this part of the world decides to become a Mason, they are radically changing their life, and it has ripple impacts on their family, and community.  Even if the country allows Freemasonry, generally the lodges meet in secret for fear of community persecution.  Unless you live there, you have no idea how close everyone is, and the fact is that Freemasonry in Iran soured the region on the concept, and the raise of radical Islam in the 50s and 60s really cements the idea that it is a Jewish conspiracy.

When a national citizen makes the decision to become a Freemason in the middle east and southwest asia, they put far more at risk than any American can possibly fathom, with our fish fries and pancake breakfasts.

So it goes far beyond a rule of law issue.

S&F,
-Bro Vick


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## freemhd (May 17, 2014)

I am so sorry for disappeared but I really want to start the 1st step to create a freemasonry lodges in Iraq
if you can help


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## MBC (May 18, 2014)

freemhd said:


> I am so sorry for disappeared but I really want to start the 1st step to create a freemasonry lodges in Iraq
> if you can help



If you are not a mason, you can't establish lodges with other brethren.
I suggest you go to a lodge and archive all three degrees first.

However you can establish a irregular lodge on your own and naming yourself a Grand Master but you won't be recognised by other just, perfect and regular lodges.

Also I found out on this website
http://www.masonicinfo.com/grandlodges.htm
In the Iraq part, there is no any regular lodges at the moment(I don't know how old or reliable is this information).


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## Joey (May 18, 2014)

Hmm.... Well, don't lose hope. Egypt has just recently revived their Grand Lodge.


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## MBC (May 18, 2014)

Joey said:


> Hmm.... Well, don't lose hope. Egypt has just recently revived their Grand Lodge.


Agree, Bro.Joey.
Be patient, freemhd.


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## Glenn Joseph Tabasa (Apr 4, 2021)

Fraternal greetings Brothers, I am currently working in Erbil, Iraq. does anyone know of a brother or lodge in the Area.

- Bro. Glenn Tabasa
Alpha Military Lodge 195


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