In 1829, Sultan Mahmud II of the Ottoman Empire made a big change. He ordered all civil officials to wear the plain fez and banned turbans. This was a key moment in the history of the Shriners hat, also known as the fez hat.

How it Became Associated with Shriners

Shriners International started using the fez in 1872. It was inspired by an Arabian-themed party. Today, nearly 500,000 Shriners wear it, showing their tradition and values.

SHRINER, MASON CONNECTION

Back in the 7th century, there was a Christian city in Morocco named Fez. The Muhammedans attacked it, and after a lengthy siege, captured the city. The invaders gathered the 20,000 Christian defenders into the city square, made them dig a ditch, and put them to the sword there. When the blood of those Christian martyrs filled the ditch, the Muslims dipped their conical white hats in the blood. The Muslims then named their red hats (which incidentally carried the Islamic star and crescent emblem), the Red Fez, and that same Red Fez is worn by Shriners today.

The Muslim immigrants to this country are now joining the Masonic order by the droves, seeing the order as an extension of the Allah in whom they already believe. Since the Masonic oath demands that a member place his loyalty to a fellow Mason above his loyalty to anything else, so-called Masonic "Christians" are the sworn allies of the murderers of our brethren worldwide -- past, present and future.

The Muslim Koran teaches of having personal slaves and is still practiced in 2000.

Who was Prince Hall?

Prince Hall (c. 1735–1807) was a free Black man in colonial America who became a leader in the fight for civil rights for African Americans.

He is best known for founding Prince Hall Freemasonry, a branch of Freemasonry established for Black men who were denied admission to mainstream (predominantly white) Masonic lodges in the 18th and 19th centuries.

What is Prince Hall Freemasonry?

Prince Hall Freemasonry started in 1784 when Hall and 14 other Black men were initiated into Masonry through a lodge attached to the Grand Lodge of England.

This branch became a powerful fraternal organization that provided mutual aid, community service, and leadership for Black communities across the U.S.

What is the Prince Hall Shriner?

The Prince Hall Shriners are the African American branch of the Shriners fraternity.

Officially called The Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine of North and South America and Its Jurisdictions, Inc. (AEAONMS), founded in 1893.

Like the original Shriners (A.A.O.N.M.S.), Prince Hall Shriners blend Masonic traditions with colorful Middle Eastern-inspired imagery (fez hats, crescent emblems, scimitars) and a strong focus on charity.

Their mission emphasizes community service, particularly helping children, the elderly, and underserved communities.

Key characteristics of Prince Hall Shriners

They parallel the goals of the mainstream Shriners: fraternity, fellowship, and charity (with a focus on helping children, scholarships, and community health).

The fez worn by Prince Hall Shriners often features distinct lodge names or specific regional insignia but uses similar symbols (crescent, star, scimitar).

Prince Hall Shriner temples are active across the U.S., especially in African American communities.

Why are Prince Hall Shriners significant?

They represent resilience and self-determination in the face of racial exclusion.
They provide essential social and charitable support within Black communities.
They preserve both Masonic and African American cultural heritage.

What is Islam?

Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion founded in the 7th century CE by the Prophet Muhammad in present-day Saudi Arabia.
The core belief is in one God (Allah in Arabic).
Followers follow the Qur’an (holy book) and the teachings of Muhammad.
The Five Pillars of Islam (faith, prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage) guide Muslims’ religious practices.

Who are Muslims?

Muslims are the people who follow Islam.
There are about 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide, making Islam the second-largest religion after Christianity.
Muslims come from many different ethnicities and cultures around the world.

What are Islamic Countries?

An Islamic country is generally defined as a country where Islam is the official state religion or where Islamic law influences government laws and policies.
Examples include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and others.
These countries often have governments influenced by Islamic principles, but the degree of religious governance varies.

Are Islamic Countries and Muslim Countries the Same?

Not exactly.
A Muslim-majority country is one where most of the population identifies as Muslim.
Examples: Indonesia (largest Muslim population in the world), Egypt, Turkey.
A Muslim-majority country is not necessarily governed by Islamic law or officially Islamic.
Some Muslim-majority countries are secular or have mixed systems (e.g., Turkey, Tunisia).

Sword in Islam

The scimitar (curved sword) is often associated with Islamic warriors historically — especially during the time of the Islamic caliphates (Umayyad, Abbasid, Ottoman).

The sword was a symbol of power, defense, and justice in many cultures, including Islamic ones.

In Islam as a religion: The sword itself is not a religious symbol. While swords are mentioned in the Qur'an in the context of battle or defense, Islam does not prescribe or promote any particular weapon as a symbol of faith.
The idea of Islam being symbolized by a sword mostly comes from Western depictions or certain dynasties (e.g., Ottomans) that emphasized military strength.

Crescent and Star in Islam

The crescent moon and star are widely associated with Muslim countries today because they appear on flags like Turkey, Pakistan, and others.

The crescent and star were not originally Islamic symbols. They were used in the ancient Byzantine Empire and other pre-Islamic civilizations.

The Ottoman Empire adopted the crescent and star, and through their long rule over much of the Muslim world, this symbol became linked to Islamic nations culturally.

In Islam as a religion: There is no official religious symbol of Islam in the Qur’an or authentic Hadith. The crescent and star are not mentioned as holy symbols.

Shriner use of these symbols

The Shriners’ sword, crescent, and star were borrowed to give their order a “mystic Eastern” or “Arabian” theme, reflecting 19th-century fascination with the Orient.

They do not have true Islamic religious meaning in Shriner usage.

The Shriners combined these elements into a fraternal emblem, often topped with a sphinx head — another non-Islamic, exotic symbol.

The Crescent and Star: From Pagan Symbols to Ottoman Emblem

Overview The crescent and star symbols predate Islam by many centuries. They originated in ancient civilizations such as those in Mesopotamia, Central Asia, and Anatolia. In these cultures, the crescent moon often represented lunar deities, while the star had various symbolic meanings. These symbols were widely used in classical antiquity and later appeared in the iconography of the Byzantine Empire. Eventually, they were adopted by the Ottoman Empire and became associated with Muslim-majority nations. However, their origins are pagan and imperial, not Islamic in nature.

Ancient Mesopotamia and Anatolia

The crescent moon was associated with lunar deities such as Sin (also known as Nanna), especially in the cities of Ur and Harran.

The star symbol often represented the goddess Ishtar (Inanna), associated with fertility, love, and war. Ishtar was commonly shown with an eight-pointed star.

These symbols were part of a sacred astral triad:

Moon: Sin/Nanna

Star: Ishtar/Inanna

Sun: Shamash/Utu

Babylonia and earlier Sumerian cultures are among the earliest confirmed users of the crescent and star symbols together, using them as representations of divine or celestial power.

Classical Greece and Rome

In Greek and Roman religion, the crescent was associated with Artemis and Diana, respectively, both goddesses of the moon.

Roman and Hellenistic coinage and civic banners sometimes featured the crescent and star, not as religious icons, but as symbols of divine favor, protection, and heavenly order.

The use of these symbols continued into the Byzantine period.

Byzantium (Eastern Roman Empire)

The city of Byzantium, which later became Constantinople and is now Istanbul, used the crescent moon on its civic emblems long before the rise of Islam.

A local legend claims that a crescent moon saved the city from a surprise attack, leading to its adoption as a symbol of divine protection.

The use of the crescent in this context had no connection to Islam.

Scythians, Central Asia, and Thrace

The crescent and star also appeared among steppe cultures, such as the Scythians, and nomadic societies in Central Asia.

These symbols may have been used in totemic or shamanistic traditions, serving roles in spiritual and warrior iconography.

Ottoman Empire and Later Islamic Association

The Ottoman Empire, founded in 1299 CE, adopted the crescent and star as imperial symbols.

These emblems were used on flags and military insignia, and over time, became associated with the broader Islamic world.

Importantly, the Qur’an and early Islamic texts do not mention the crescent or star as religious symbols. Their adoption was political and imperial, not theological.

Conclusion

The earliest known use of the crescent moon and star together traces back to ancient Mesopotamia, where they symbolized powerful astral deities like Sin and Ishtar. Over time, the symbols spread across various civilizations—including Greek, Roman, and Byzantine cultures—before being adopted by the Ottoman Empire. Their modern association with Islam is a result of Ottoman political symbolism, not Islamic doctrine or origin.

Sin / Nanna: Ancient Moon God of Mesopotamia

Names & Locations:

Sumerian name: Nanna

Akkadian/Babylonian name: Sin

Worship centered in Ur (southern Mesopotamia) and Harran (northern Mesopotamia, near modern-day Turkey/Syria border).

Symbolism:

Represented by the crescent moon.

Father of Shamash (sun god) and Ishtar (goddess of love, war, fertility).

Associated with:

Wisdom and measurement of time (calendars were lunar).

Protection during the night.

Royal power and divine legitimacy.

Temples:

Ziggurat of Ur was one of the most important temples dedicated to Nanna.

In Harran, Sin was still being worshiped even in late antiquity (some say into early Islamic times).

Decline of Worship:

Gradually faded as Babylonian and Assyrian empires declined.

Many symbols (like the crescent) were absorbed by later civilizations — including Greek and Roman religion.

Post-Sabbatai Zevi Era: Redrawing of the Middle East and Rise of National Symbols

Context: 1666–1800s

After Sabbatai Zevi's conversion to Islam in 1666, the Ottoman Empire (which ruled much of the Middle East) entered a phase of increasing internal unrest and external pressure. Over the next 150–200 years, several key events laid the groundwork for modern national identities:

Decline of Ottoman Central Power

The Ottomans lost influence over Arab provinces, Balkans, and North Africa.

Provinces like Egypt, Iraq, Arabia began asserting autonomy.

European Interference and Mapping

French and British explorers, Jesuit scholars, and cartographers started redrawing maps and classifying peoples.

The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca (1774) granted Russia protection over Ottoman Christians and allowed them to interfere in the empire's internal affairs.

Western imperial powers introduced national flags, symbols, and even redesigned alphabets in the 19th century.

Flags with Crescent and Star

The Ottoman Empire used a red flag with a white crescent as early as the late 1700s.

The five-pointed star was added officially in 1844 during the Tanzimat Reforms, aiming to modernize the empire.

New flags emerged later across Muslim-majority regions:

Tunisia (1831) – red flag with crescent and star

Libya, Algeria, Pakistan, Malaysia – all adopted variants in the 20th century

Many of these flags used the crescent and star as a symbolic link to Ottoman identity or Islamic heritage, though neither is a religious requirement.

Why It Matters

The crescent moon of Sin/Nanna was a symbol of cosmic order, divine kingship, and night-time protection, deeply embedded in ancient Semitic and Mesopotamian consciousness.

By the 1700s–1800s, as the Ottoman Empire weakened and European colonialists redrew maps, new national identities were forged — and the crescent and star were revived as symbols of Islamic power and continuity.

However, their true origin is pagan and imperial, not Islamic or Qur’anic.

711 AD Moors (Muslim Berbers and Arabs) invade the Iberian Peninsula

8th–15th centuries Moors rule parts of Iberia, including the Caliphate of Córdoba

1273 Beginning of the Habsburg Dynasty with Rudolf I elected King of Germany

1299 Ottoman Empire founded by Osman I

Late 1400s Christian Reconquista of Moorish Iberia

Late 1400s–early 1500s Roma (Gypsies) migrate into Spain and Europe

It wasn't until the Ottoman Empire that the crescent moon and star became affiliated with the Muslim world. When the Turks conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453, they adopted the city's existing flag and symbol. Legend holds that the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman, had a dream in which the crescent moon stretched from one end of the earth to the other.

Taking this as a good omen, he chose to keep the crescent and make it the symbol of his dynasty. There is speculation that the five points on the star represent the five pillars of Islam, but this is pure conjecture.

1492

Fall of Granada ends Moorish rule in Spain
Alhambra Decree expels Jews from Spain
Columbus departs Spain and lands in the New World

1516 Charles I becomes King of Spain, starting Habsburg rule

1519 Charles I elected Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, uniting Habsburg dominions

1534 Founding of the Jesuits (Ignatius of Loyola and companions)

1540 Jesuits officially approved by Pope Paul III

1583 Brownists leave England for Amsterdam

1613 Beginning of Romanov Dynasty in Russia with Tsar Michael I

1620 (November) Mayflower lands at Plymouth Rock

1665–1676 Sabbatai Zevi messianic movement and conversion to Islam

Sabbatai Zevi (1626–1676)

Sabbatai Zevi was a Jewish rabbi and mystic from the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) who claimed to be the long-awaited Jewish Messiah in the 17th century.

His movement began around 1665 and spread rapidly through Jewish communities across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Thousands of Jews believed he would lead them back to the Holy Land, rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and usher in a golden age.

His Conversion to Islam

In 1666, Sabbatai Zevi was arrested by Ottoman authorities, who saw him as a potential political threat because his messianic claims were causing unrest.

Faced with execution, Sabbatai shocked his followers by converting to Islam, adopting the name Mehmed Aziz.

Many of his followers were devastated, but some justified or spiritualized his conversion as part of a hidden divine plan.

A small sect, the Dönmeh, secretly continued to follow him while outwardly living as Muslims

Why this matters.

The event shattered Jewish hopes at the time and had long-lasting effects on Jewish thought, including skepticism about future messianic claimants.
His conversion influenced relations between Jews and the Ottoman state.
The Dönmeh group persisted in the Ottoman Empire for generations, blending Jewish mysticism and outward Islamic practice.

Sabbatai Zevi and the Role of Sin

Sabbatai Zevi, influenced by Lurianic Kabbalah (a branch of Jewish mysticism), and his followers, especially his "prophet" Nathan of Gaza, developed radical ideas about redemption and sin.
They taught that:
- The Messiah’s role was to descend into the depths of impurity and sin to redeem the sparks of holiness trapped there since creation (a mystical concept in Kabbalah).

Sometimes, to complete this process, the Messiah must break conventional religious law or engage in forbidden acts (a notion called holy sin or redemption through sin).

In their view, Sabbatai Zevi’s bizarre behavior — including his eventual conversion to Islam — was part of a secret divine plan to bring ultimate redemption.

What this looked like

Sabbatai and some of his followers engaged in rituals that reversed norms:
Declaring fast days as feast days.
Reciting blessings over forbidden foods.
Performing acts traditionally seen as sinful — believing they were hastening redemption.

Why this was so shocking

These ideas directly challenged traditional Jewish law (Halakha).
Many rabbis and communities rejected his teachings as heretical.

His fall into apostasy (conversion to Islam) was seen as a tragic and embarrassing event in Jewish history.

1666 Great Fire of London, symbolic “666” associations

1773 Jesuits suppressed by Pope Clement XIV; first U.S. mental hospital opens

1775–1783 American War of Independence

Circa 1810 Debated claims of U.S. as a corporate entity

1812–1815 War of 1812; Burning of Washington

1814 Jesuits restored

1812–1861 Antebellum Era in U.S.: growth, slavery debates, industrialization, westward expansion

In 1829, Sultan Mahmud II of the Ottoman Empire made a big change. He ordered all civil officials to wear the plain fez and banned turbans. This was a key moment in the history of the Shriners hat, also known as the fez hat.

1830–1838 Trail of Tears: Forced removal of Native Americans

1839–1842 & 1856–1860 First and Second Opium Wars

1854–1929 Orphan Trains in the U.S.

1861–1865 U.S. Civil War

1864 Circassians expelled from Russia after Caucasus conquest

1865 13th Amendment abolishes slavery in the U.S.

1866 The first oceanic cables ever installed were telegraphic lines laid across the Atlantic Ocean in.

1867 Alfred Nobel invents dynamite

1870–1918 Habsburg (Austro-Hungarian) Empire’s rise and collapse

1870s–1900 Gilded Age in the U.S.

1872 Shriners International started using the fez in It was inspired by an Arabian-themed party. Today, nearly 500,000 Shriners wear it, showing their tradition and values.

Shriners International started using the fez in 1872. It was inspired by an Arabian-themed party. Today, nearly 500,000 Shriners wear it, showing their tradition and values.

1881–1914 Partition of Africa by European powers

1882 First U.S. commercial electricity power station (Pearl Street, NYC)

1893 Thermite reaction discovered by Hans Goldschmidt

September 8, 1900 Galveston Hurricane destroys Texas financial center

April 18, 1906 San Francisco earthquake devastation

April 15, 1912 Titanic sinks

1913 Federal Reserve founded

July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918 World War I

1918 Austro-Hungarian Empire collapses after WWI defeat

1915–1917 Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Empire

March 1917 Romanov Dynasty ends; Tsar Nicholas II abdicates

November 2, 1917 Balfour Declaration supports Jewish national home in Palestine

July 17, 1918 Execution of Romanov family

1916–1920s Partition of Middle East by Britain and France

January 10, 1920 League of Nations founded

1920–1933 Prohibition in the U.S.

May 31 – June 1, 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre (Black Wall Street)

1922 Ottoman Empire ends; first Shriners Hospital for Children opens

October 2, 1928 Opus Dei founded in Madrid

February 11, 1929 Vatican City established via Lateran Treaty

October 29, 1929 Wall Street Crash begins Great Depression

1930s Great Depression impacts global economies

1939 Plutonium synthesized by Glenn T. Seaborg and team

1939–1975 Francisco Franco’s dictatorship in Spain; approx. 300,000 children disappeared

1939–1945 World War II

December 7, 1941 Bombing of Pearl Harbor

1942 Office of Strategic Services (OSS) founded

August 6 & 9, 1945 U.S. drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending WWII

October 24, 1945 United Nations established

1947 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) founded

1950s–1990 (revealed 1990) Operation Gladio: NATO “stay-behind” units in Europe

1954 First nuclear power plant in USSR

1956 First nuclear power plant in UK

1958 First U.S. commercial nuclear power plant

Shriner’s Traveling Card

The Shriner’s traveling card reads: “In the Name of Allah, Merciful, and Compassionate. I desire to visit a Temple or Shrine in many cities. He is a good man, patient, cultural of sterling worth. There is no conqueror but Allah. Authorized with power by the Imperial Council Ancient Arabic Order Lodges of The Mystic Shrine. Witness the deputy and representative of temples in the East. Mohammed traveled from Mecca in the South to the North in Medina. Please Allah, we shall travel everywhere in safety. Small things influence great. Do not travel in the heat of the day. Travel with your eyes and ears open. By the grace of Allah, we have found repentance. Politeness is small solver. Action is power. Everything is from Allah. There is no deity, but Allah”. [The Pyramid: A horn of the Price Hall Family of Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of North and South America and its Jurisdiction, Inc. (Fourth Quarter Vol. Number 52-Issue No. 196, 1993), p. 6.]

The organization is best-known for the Shriners Hospitals for Children they administer & the red fezzes that members wear. There are at least 350,000 members from 191 Islamic temples (charters) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Republic of Panama & Europe. To join the Shiners or any other organization of Freemasonry, you must swear alliance to Allah (the Islamic moon god) & you must do so on the Koran which says that Christians & Jews must be killed.

The Shiners' symbols on their cars/trucks include the Islamic sword in the shape of a crescent moon with a star which are very clearly Islamic symbols. Another symbol on their vehicles is the "Eastern Star" which is the symbol of the satanic goat god called by different names such as "Pan, Yah, Baphomet, Allah, Mendez". You can very clearly see that it's the same symbol of a 2 horned star worn by admitted satanists.

The Shriners & other Freemasons believe in all religions as a path to Allah. So, although they may at first embrace anyone of any religion, they will always ultimately point that person to Allah & to Islam. They place a great deal of importance on secret knowledge which they refuse to share with the little people of the world. They believe that only "the better, more intelligent" people have a right to the truth. There are a lot of Baptist preachers who are Freemasons & Shriners.

Many members do not reveal that they are secretly Freemasons. They swear allegiance to help all other Freemasons over and above non-members even if it's not the right thing to do. For example, a judge in a courtroom is required to give the favor in the verdict to the fellow Freemason even if that Freemason has committed a crime. The only exception is in a murder trial, but I believe that many Freemasons would give that special favor even in that case.

Shriners are taught that Lucifer is the true God and is not evil. They are therefore Luciferians, a class of satanists. Their symbols are the same as the Church of Satan. The first 94 pages of the Freemason bible are quotes from Albert Pike. All Masons are encouraged to read the writings of Albert Pike. He was a Luciferian & said "Lucifer is the True god of Good and Light".

Candidates for induction into the Shriners are greeted by a High Priest, who says: “By the existence of Allah and the creed of Mohammed; by the legendary sanctity of our Tabernacle at Mecca, we greet you.” The inductees then swear on the Bible and the Koran, in the name of Mohammed, and invoke Masonry's usual gruesome penalties upon themselves:

“I do hereby, upon this Bible, and on the mysterious legend of the Koran, and its dedication to the Mohammedan faith, promise and swear and vow … that I will never reveal any secret part or portion whatsoever of the ceremonies … and now upon this sacred book, by the sincerity of a Moslem's oath I here register this irrevocable vow … in willful violation whereof may I incur the fearful penalty of having my eyeballs pierced to the center with a three-edged blade, my feet flayed and I be forced to walk the hot sands upon the sterile shores of the Red Sea until the flaming sun shall strike me with livid plague, and may Allah, the god of Arab, Moslem and Mohammedan, the god of our fathers, support me to the entire fulfillment of the same. Amen. Amen. Amen."

The following are quotations from a book: A.-.A.-.O.-.N.-.M.-.S.- THE PARENT TEMPLE. THE FOUNDERS OF THE SHRINE IN AMERICA, AND FIRST OFFICIALS OF THE ORDER. MECCA TEMPLE.INC IE ARABIC ORDER OF THE NOBLES OF THE MYSTIC SHRINE ITS HISTORY AND PLEASURES TOGETHER WITH THE Origin and History of the Order New York, N". Y. : PRESS OF ANDREW H. KELLOGG 1894 SECOND COPY, COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY ANDREW H. KELLOGG.

"The Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine was instituted by the Mohammedan Kalif Alee (whose name be praised!), the cousin-german and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad (God favor and preserve him !), in the year of the Hegira 25 (a. d. 644), at Mecca, in Arabia, as an Inquisition, or Vigilance Committee, to dispense justice and execute punishment upon criminals who escaped their just deserts through the tardiness of the courts, and also to promote religious toleration among cultured men of all nations. The original intention was to form a band of men of sterling worth, who would, without fear or favor, upon a valid accusation, try, judge, and execute, if need be, within the hour, having taken precautions as to secrecy and security.

The "Nobles " perfected their organization and did such prompt and efficient work that they excited alarm and even consternation in the hearts of the evil doers in all countries under the Star and Crescent. The Order is yet one of the most highly favored among the many secret societies which abound in Oriental countries and gathers around its shrines a select few of the best educated and cultured classes. Their ostensible object is to increase the faith and fidelity of all true believers in Allah (whose name be exalted!). The secret and real purpose can only be made known to those who have encircled the Mystic Shrine according to the instructions in "The Book of the Constitution and the Regulations of the Imperial Council."

In the year A.D. 804, during a warlike expedition against the Byzantine emperor Nikephorus, the most famous Arabian Kalif, Haroon al-Rasheed, deputed a renowned scholar, Abd el-Kader el-Bagdadee, to proceed to Aleppo, Syria, and found a college there for the propagation of the religion of the Prophet Mohammed (God favor and preserve him!). The work and college arose, and the Order of Nobles was revived there as a part of the means of civilization.

Nearly three centuries after the death of the great Kalif and patron of learning, the Order of Nobles was revived at Baghdad by Abd el-Kader Ghilanee, a noted Persian, an eminent doctor of the Soofi sect, A. H. 555 (A.D. 1160).

The famous Arab known as Bektash, from a peculiar high white hat or cap which he made from a sleeve of his gown, the founder of the sect named in his honor, was an imam in the army of the Sultan Amurath I., the first Mohammedan who led an army into Europe, a. d. 1360 (in the year of the Hegira, 761). This Sultan was the founder of the military order of the Janizaries (so called because they were freed captives who were adopted into the faith and the army), although his father, Orkhan, began the work. Bektash adopted a white robe and cap, and instituted the ceremony of kissing the sleeve.

The Bektash Dervishes are numbered by many hundred thousands, and they have several branches or offshoots, which are named after the founder of each. Among the most noted are those which have their headquarters in Cairo, in Egypt; Damascus and Jerusalem, in Palestine; Smyrna and Broosa, in Asia Minor; Constantinople and Adrianople, in Turkey in Europe; Teheran and Shiraz, in Persia; Benares and many other cities in India; Tangier, in Morocco; Oran, in Algeria, and at Mecca, in Arabia, at which latter city all branches and sects of Dervishes are represented at the annual meeting, which is held during the month of pilgrimage.

The Bektasheeyeh's representative at Mecca is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, is the chief officer of the Alee Temple of Nobles, and in 1877 was the Chief of the Order in Arabia. The Chief must reside either at Mecca or Medinah, and in either case must be present in person or by deputy at Mecca during the month of pilgrimage.

The Egyptian Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine has been independent of the Arabian, excepting the yearly presence of the Deputy in Mecca, since the expedition of Ibraheem Pasha, the son of Mohammed Alee, the great Pasha of Egypt in 1818, when the Wahabees were conquered.

The "Wahabees were a fanatical sect who threatened to override all other power in Arabia. Since Ibraheem's conquest they have continued only as a religious sect, without direct interference with the government. They are haters and persecutors of all other sects, and are especially bitter against all dervishes, whom they denounce as heretics and the very essence ot heresy and abomination. In this conduct they violate a strict and oft- repeated saying of the Prophet Mohammed (God favor and protect him!), which is, " He who casts on a believer the slur of infidelity is himself an infidel."

All Mohammedans respect everyone who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and who will repeat the formula of the creed, "There is no Deity but Allah," without reference to what his private belief may be, for they have a maxim, " The interior belongs to God alone."

The Nobles of the Mystic Shrine are eminent for their broad and Catholic toleration.

Among the modern promoters of the principles of the Order in Europe, one of the most noted was Herr Adam Weishaupt, a Rosicrucian (Rosy Cross Mystic), and professor of law in the University of Ingolstadt, in Bavaria, who revived the Order in that city on May i, 1776. Its members exercised a profound influence before and during the French Revolution, when they were known as the Illuminati, and they professed to be teachers of philosophy ; to ray forth from their secret society the light of science over all mankind without fear or favor ; to diffuse the purest principles of virtue ; in short, restating the teachings of Aristotle, Pythagoras, Plato, Confucius, and other philosophers. From the central society at Ingolstadt branches spread out through all Europe.

The Ritual now in use is a translation from the original Arabic, found preserved in the archives of the Order at Aleppo, Syria, whence it was brought, in 1860, to London, England, by Rizk Allah Hassoon Effendee, who was the author of several important works in Arabic, one of which was a metrical version of the Book of Job. His "History of Islam" offended the Turkish government because of its humanitarian principles, and he was forced to leave his native country. He was a ripe scholar in Arabic poetry and the general literature of the age, and his improvements in the diction of certain parts of the ritual of the Shrine are of great beauty and value.

The crescent has been a favorite religious emblem in all ages in the Orient, and also a political ensign in some countries, such* as in modern Turkey and Persia. The ancient Greeks used the crescent as an emblem of the universal Mother of all living things, the Virgin Mother of all souls, who was known as Diana, Artemis, Phoebe, Cynthia, and other names, varying with the character of her attributes in different localities. The chief seat of the Diana cult and worship was at Ephesus, and the great temple built in her honor at that city was the pride and glory of the Greeks.

On June 6, 1876, "The Imperial Council for North America" was formed, and the first officers were elected, as in Arabia, for the term of three years. 111. \ Walter M. Fleming became Imperial Potentate, and 111.*. W. S. Paterson, Imperial Recorder. (For particulars see "The Constitution of the Imperial Council " and the Annual Proceedings.)

The prerequisite for membership in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America jsthe32° A.-. A.'. S. \ Rite (18 in England), or a Knight Templar, in good standing.

The generous proposition to make the Order of Nobles an organization for the exercise of charity, the improvement of the mind, and an ally of the Fraternity of Freemasonry in the United States, was primarily adopted by the Imperial Council.

Subordinate Temples have been chartered in nearly every State of the Union, by dispensation or in other constitutional manner, under the authority of the Imperial Council."

End quotation from book.

Back in the 7th century, there was a Christian city in Morocco named Fez. The Muhammedans attacked it, and after a lengthy siege, captured the city. The invaders gathered the 20,000-50,000 Christian defenders into the city square, made them dig a ditch, and put them to the sword there. When the blood of those Christian martyrs filled the ditch, the Muslims dipped their conical white hats in the blood. The Muslims then named their red hats (which includes the Islamic star & crescent emblem), the Red Fez, & that same Red Fez is worn by Shriners today.

The first meeting of Mecca Shriners, the first temple (chapter) established in the United States, was held September 26, 1872. However the Shriners actually stated in 644 A.D. in Mecca, Saudi Arabic. But their parent organization of Freemasonry actually started even thousands of years before that by Nimrod, Asshur and their family, the founders of ancient Assyria and the Tower of Babel which was in Syria.

According to the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry: The legend of the Craft in the Old Constitutions refers to Nimrod as one of the founders of Masonry. Thus, in the York MS., No. 1, we read: "At ye making of ye tower of Babel there was a Mason, first much esteemed of, and the King of Babylon called Nimrod was a Mason himself and loved well Masons." In some forms of Freemasonry, new perspective members are required to take the "Oath of Nimrod". (Source: The Spring 2006 issue of Freemasonry Today).

The following is a quote from the Masonic website http://www.lafayettemason123.org/pages/education.htm "The universal sentiment of the Freemasons of the present day is to confer upon Solomon, the King of Israel, the honor of being their first Grand Master. But the legend of the Craft had long before, though there was a tradition of the Temple in existence, given, at least by suggestion, that title to Nimrod, the King of Babylonia and Assyria. It had credited the first organization of the fraternity of craftsmen to him, in saying that he gave a charge to the workmen whom he sent to assist the King of Nineveh in building his cities.

That is to say, he framed for them a constitution, and, in the words of the legend, this was the first time that ever Masons had any charge of his science. It was the first time that the Craft was organized into a fraternity working under a constitution of body of laws. As Nimrod was the autocratic maker of these laws, it necessarily resulted that their first legislator, creating laws with his unlimited and absolute governing power, was also their first Grand Master." End quote.

The Muslim immigrants to this country are now joining the Masonic order by the droves, seeing the order as an extension of the Allah in whom they already believe. Since the Masonic oath demands that a member place his loyalty to a fellow Mason above his loyalty to anything else, so-called Masonic "Christians" are the sworn allies of the murderers of our brethren worldwide -- past, present and future.

Freemasonry Symbols:

These are just a very few of their symbols. There are many more and some of them are very demonic & are easily discerned as demonic at first glance but I'm having trouble finding a copy on the internet of what I see on their local cars. It's an emblem of a sword & a female demon. It's very clearly a demon. If I ever find a copy of it on the internet, I will post it.

Sphinx: Ancient Egyptian & Babylonian guardian of sacred places, an idol with human head and a lion's body. The Greek sphinx would devour travelers who failed to answer her riddle. According to A New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (by Arthur Waite, xii) the masonic sphinx "is the guardian of the Mysteries and is the Mysteries summarized in a symbol. Their secret is the answer to her question. The initiate must know it or lose the life of the Mysteries. If he can and does answer, the Sphinx dies for him, because in his respect the Mysteries have given up their meaning." (An occult, counterfeit view of redemption)

The Letter "G"

Ex-33-degree Mason Jim Shaw says; "The Blue Lodge Mason is taught that the "G" in the basic Masonic symbol represents God. Later on, he is told that it represents "deity". Later still, he is told that it represents "geometry". In reality, this letter represents the "generative principle," the Sun god and, thus, the worshipped phallus, the male "generative principle..." In its position (along with the square and compass) on the east wall over the chair (throne) of the "Worshipful Master", it is the representation of the Sun, thus of the Sun-god, Osiris. Its earthly meaning, then, is of the sacred phallus; its cosmic meaning is of the Sun, worshipped since antiquity by pagans while facing the East." Reference, book: The Deadly Deception", page 144.

The fatal demonic two horned star, Pentagram The same demonic star as used by the "Church of Satan"

A Freemason/Shriners Symbol of Islamic Jihad.

Objection: "But the Shriners do a lot of good. They have the children's hospitals."

Answer: Even the devil can do good things. Wicked, lost people can give you a car ride, a job, money, a relationship, a smile or a laugh. The devil can smile at you and give you things. Wicked people can do good things. It is a ploy to get your acceptance and trust. 2 Cor.11:14 says "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light"

In June 1986, a daily newspaper in Florida, the Orlando Sentinel reported that less than 2% of the circus money raised actually went to the hospitals and that by 1982, the Shriners had become the richest charity in America, amassing $1.2 billion in assets. Of the $17.5 million raised in 1984, $17.3 million went into their own pockets while only $182,051 went to support the hospitals. As of 9-30-04, Forbes reports that the Shriners had assets of $8.62 billion.

Of the $948 million raised, the Shriners retained $412 million with only a slightly more than half, $505 million going to charitable services! Top Shriner, Ralph Semb, was paid $406,659 in salaries. As of 12-31-06, Forbes magazine reports the Shriners have amassed a $9.54 billion empire retaining $636 million of the money raised that same year. Top Shriner, James Full, collected a healthy $1,207,369 in salaries this same year.

The fact is that the devil has always attacked the children first. It's in the bible that the wicked pagan people sacrificed their own children. We see how that the devil uses several pagan holidays such as Halloween to target children via candy & gifts. Children are vulnerable & easy targets. Who knows what kind of spiritual curses & in some cases perhaps molestation that could have occurred in these hospitals?

There are other children's hospitals that are not run by the Islamic Freemasons. If my child was in desperate need of medical attention, knowing what I know now, there is absolutely no way that I would allow my child to come under their demonic "care". The safety of our soul is the most important thing.

In 1870, several thousand of the 900,000 residents of Manhattan were Masons. Many of these Masons made it a point to lunch at the Knickerbocker Cottage, a restaurant at 426 Sixth Avenue. At a special table on the second floor, a particularly jovial group of men used to meet regularly.

The Masons who gathered at this table were noted for their good humor and wit. They often discussed the idea of a new fraternity for Masons, in which fun and fellowship would be stressed more than ritual. Two of the table regulars, Walter M. Fleming, M.D., and William J. Florence, an actor, took the idea seriously enough to do something about it.

Billy Florence was a star. After becoming the toast of the New York stage, he toured London, Europe and Middle Eastern countries, always playing to capacity audiences. While on tour in Marseilles, France, Florence was invited to a party given by an Arabian diplomat. The entertainment was something in the nature of an elaborately staged musical comedy. At its conclusion, the guests became members of a secret society.

Florence, recalling the conversations at the Knickerbocker Cottage, realized that this might well be the vehicle for the new fraternity. He made copious notes and drawings at that initial viewing and on two other occasions when he attended the ceremony, once in Algiers and again in Cairo. When he returned to New York in 1870 and showed his material to Dr. Fleming, Fleming agreed.

Dr. Walter Millard Fleming was a prominent physician and surgeon. Born in 1838, he obtained a degree in medicine in Albany, N.Y., in 1862. During the Civil War, he was a surgeon with the 13th New York Infantry Brigade of the National Guard. He then practiced medicine in Rochester, New York, until 1868, when he moved to New York City and quickly became a leading practitioner. Fleming was devoted to fraternalism. He became a Mason in Rochester and took some of his Scottish Rite work there, then completed his degrees in New York City. He was coroneted a 33° Scottish Rite Mason on September 19, 1872. Fleming took the ideas supplied by Florence and converted them into what would become the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.).

With the help of other Knickerbocker Cottage regulars, Fleming drafted the ritual, designed the emblem and ritual costumes, formulated a salutation, and declared that members would wear a red fez.

The initiation rites, or ceremonials, were drafted by Fleming with the help of three Brother Masons: Charles T. McClenachan, lawyer and expert on Masonic Ritual; William Sleigh Paterson, printer, linguist and ritualist; and Albert L. Rawson, prominent scholar and Mason who provided much of the Arabic background.

The Emblem

Just like Mercedes-Benz is known for its three-pointed-star symbol, the Shriners fraternity is known for its Crescent, or “Jewel of the Order.” Carrying on the Near East theme, the emblem is composed of the claws of a tiger, united in the middle with the head of a sphinx. On the back of the emblem are a pyramid, urn and star. Additionally, the emblem bears the motto “Robur et Furor,” which means “Strength and Fury.” The Crescent hangs from a scimitar, while a five-pointed star dangles from the sphinx.

Just as Mercedes’ star represents something - domination of land, sea and air - so does the Shriners’ emblem. The scimitar stands for the backbone of the fraternity, its members. The two claws are for the Shriners fraternity and its philanthropy, Shriners Hospitals for Children. The sphinx is representative of the governing body of the Shriners, while the star hanging beneath it represents the thousands of children helped by the philanthropy every year. Greetings and Salutations: Since 1872, Shriners have used the salutation “Es Selamu Aleikum,” Arabic for “Peace be with you!” The response: “Aleikium Es Selamu,” or “With you be peace.”

The Fez

The red fez with a black tassel, the Shrine’s official headgear, has been handed down through the ages. It derives its name from the place where it was first manufactured — the holy city of Fez, Morocco. Some historians claim it dates back to about A.D. 980, but the name of the fez, or tarboosh, does not appear in Arabic literature until around the 14th century. One of the earliest references to the headgear is in “Arabian Nights.”

The First Meeting

On September 26, 1872, in the New York City Masonic Hall, the first Shrine Temple in the United States was organized. Brother McClenachan and Dr. Fleming had completed the ritual and proposed that the first Temple be named Mecca. The original 13 Masons of the Knickerbocker Cottage lunch group were named Charter Members of Mecca Temple (Mecca Shriners). Noble Florence read a letter outlining the “history” of the Order and giving advice on the conduct of meetings. The officers elected were Walter M. Fleming, Potentate; Charles T. McClenachan, Chief Rabban; John A. Moore, Assistant Rabban; Edward Eddy, High Priest and Prophet; George W. Millar, Oriental Guide; James S. Chappel, Treasurer; William S. Paterson, Recorder; and Oswald M. d’Aubigne, Captain of the Guard.

But the organization was not an instant success, even though a second Temple was chartered in Rochester in 1875. Four years after the Shrine’s beginnings, there were only 43 Shriners, all but six of whom were from New York

The Imperial Council

At a meeting of Mecca Shriners on June 6, 1876, in the New York Masonic Temple, a new body was created to help spur the growth of the young fraternity. This governing body was called “The Imperial Grand Council of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for the United States of America.” Fleming became the first Imperial Grand Potentate, and the new body established rules for membership and the formation of new Temples. The initiation ritual was embellished, as was the mythology about the fraternity. An extensive publicity and recruiting campaign was initiated.

It worked. Just two years later, in 1878, there were 425 Shriners in 13 Temples. Five of these Temples were in New York, two were in Ohio and the others were in Vermont, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Iowa, Michigan and Massachusetts.

The Shrine continued to grow during the 1880s. By the time of the 1888 Annual Session (convention) in Toronto, there were 7,210 members in 48 Temples located throughout the United States and one in Canada.

While the organization was still primarily social, instances of philanthropic work became more frequent. During an 1888 Yellow Fever epidemic in Jacksonville, Fla., members of the new Morocco Shriners and Masonic Knights Templar worked long hours to relieve the suffering populace. In 1889, Shriners came to the aid of the Johnstown Flood victims. In 1898, there were 50,000 Shriners, and 71 of the 79 Temples were engaged in some sort of philanthropic work.

By the turn of the century, the Shrine had come into its own. At its 1900 Imperial Session, representatives from 82 Temples marched in a Washington, D.C., parade reviewed by President William McKinley. Shrine membership was well over 55,000.

Evolution Of The “World’s Greatest Philanthropy”

The Shrine was unstoppable in the early 1900s. Membership grew rapidly, and the geographical range of Temples widened. Between 1900 and 1918, eight new Temples were created in Canada, and one each in Honolulu, Mexico City and the Republic of Panama. The organization became, in fact, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America. New flourishes were added to a growing tradition of colorful pageantry. More Shrine bands were formed. The first Shrine circus is said to have opened in 1906 in Detroit.

During the same period, there was growing member support for establishing an official Shrine charity. Most Temples had individual philanthropies, and sometimes the Shrine as an organization gave aid. After the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, the Shrine sent $25,000 to help the stricken city, and in 1915, the Shrine contributed $10,000 for the relief of European war victims. But neither the individual projects nor the special one-time contributions satisfied the membership, who wanted to do more.

In 1919, Freeland Kendrick (Lu Lu Shriners, Philadelphia) was the Imperial Potentate-elect for the 363,744 Shriners. He had long been searching for a cause for the thriving group to support. In a visit to the Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children in Atlanta, he became aware of the overwhelming needs of crippled children in North America. At the June 1919 Imperial Session, Kendrick proposed establishing “The Mystic Shriners Peace Memorial for Friendless, Orphaned and Crippled Children.” His resolution never came to a vote. As Imperial Potentate in 1919 and 1920, he traveled more than 150,000 miles, visiting a majority of the 146 Temples and campaigning for an official Shrine philanthropy.

The climax came at the June 1920 Imperial Session in Portland, Oregon. Kendrick changed his resolution to one establishing the “Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children,” to be supported by a $2 yearly assessment from each Shriner (now $5 per year).

Conservative Shriners expressed doubts about the Shrine assuming this kind of responsibility. Prospects for approval were dimming when Noble Forrest Adair (Yaarab Shriners, Atlanta) rose to speak: “I was lying in bed yesterday morning, about four o’clock . . . and some poor fellow who had strayed from the rest of the band . . . stood down there under the window for 25 minutes playing ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.’ ”He said that when he awoke later, “I thought of the wandering minstrel, and I wondered if there were not a deep significance in the tune that he was playing for Shriners, ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.’ ”

He noted, “While we have spent money for songs and spent money for bands, it’s time for the Shrine to spend money for humanity.“ I want to see this thing started. Let’s get rid of all the technical objections. And if there is a Shriner in North America,” he continued, “who objects to having paid the two dollars after he has seen the first crippled child helped, I will give him a check back for it myself.”

When he was through, Noble Adair sat down to thunderous applause. The whole tone of the session had changed. There were other speakers, but the decision had already been reached. The resolution was passed unanimously.

A committee was chosen to determine the site and personnel for the Shriners Hospital. After months of work, research and debate, the committee concluded that there should be not just one hospital but a network of hospitals throughout North America. It was an idea that appealed to Shriners, who liked to do things in a big and colorful way. When the committee brought the proposal to the 1921 Imperial Session in Des Moines, Iowa, it too was passed.

First Hospital

Before the June 1922 Session, the cornerstone was in place for the first Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Shreveport, La. The rules for this hospital, and all the other Shriners Hospitals which would follow, were simple: To be admitted, a child must be from a family unable to pay for the orthopedic treatment he would receive (this is no longer a requirement), be under 14 years of age (later increased to 18) and be, in the opinion of the chief of staff, someone whose condition could be helped.

The work of the great Shriners Hospitals network is supervised by the members of the Board of Trustees, who are elected at the annual meeting of the hospital corporation. Each hospital operates under the supervision of a local Board of Governors, a chief of staff and an administrator. Members of the boards are Shriners, who serve without pay.

The network of orthopedic hospitals grew as follows: Shreveport, Sept. 16, 1922; Honolulu, Jan. 2, 1923; Twin Cities, March 12, 1923; San Francisco, June 16, 1923 (relocated to Sacramento in 1997); Portland, Jan. 15, 1924; St. Louis, April 8, 1924; Spokane, Nov. 15, 1924; Salt Lake City, Jan. 22, 1925; Montreal, Feb. 18, 1925; Springfield, Feb. 21, 1925; Chicago, March 20, 1926; Philadelphia, June 24, 1926; Lexington, Nov. 1, 1926; Greenville, Sept. 1, 1927; Mexico City, March 10, 1945; Houston, Feb. 1, 1952; Los Angeles, Feb. 25, 1952; Winnipeg, March 16, 1952 (closed Aug. 12, 1977); Erie, April 1, 1967; Tampa, Oct. 16, 1985, and Sacramento, Calif., April 14, 1997. This newest Shriners Hospital is the only one in the Shrine system that provides orthopedic, burn and spinal cord injury care, and conducts research, all in a single facility.

The first patient to be admitted in 1922 was a little girl with a club foot from the red clay country south of Shreveport, La., who had learned to walk on the top of her foot rather than the sole. The first child to be admitted in Minneapolis was a Blackfoot Indian boy suffering from the deformities of polio. Since that time, more than 700,000 children have been treated at the 22 Shriners Hospitals. Surgical techniques developed in Shriners Hospitals have become standard in the orthopedic world. Thousands of children have been fitted with arm and leg braces and artificial limbs, most of them made in special labs in the hospitals by expert technicians.

Orthopedic Research

From 1950 to 1960, the Shrine’s funds for helping children increased rapidly. At the same time, the waiting lists of new patients for admission to Shriners Hospital began to decline, due to the polio vaccine and new antibiotics. Thus, Shriners found themselves able to provide additional services, and Shrine leaders began to look for other ways they could help the children of North America.

One result was the collating of the medical records of patients of Shriners Hospitals. By placing the records of each patient and treatment on computer and microfilm, valuable information was made available to all Shriners surgeons and the medical world as a whole. This process, begun in 1959, also made it easier to initiate clinical research in Shriners orthopedic hospitals.

Shriners Hospitals had always engaged in clinical research, and in the early ’60s, the Shrine aggressively entered the structured research field and began earmarking funds for research projects. By 1967, Shriners were spending $20,000 on orthopedic research. Today, the annual research budget totals approximately $25 million. Shrine researchers are working on a wide variety of projects, including studies of bone and joint diseases, such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; increasing basic knowledge of the structure and function of connective tissue; and refining functional electrical stimulation, which is enabling children with spinal cord injuries to have limited use of their arms and legs.

Entering the Burn Care Field

This expansion of orthopedic work was not enough for the Shriners. They had enough funds to further expand their philanthropy. The only question was: What unmet need could they fill?

A special committee was established to explore areas of need and found that burn treatment was a field of service that was being bypassed. In the early ’60s, the only burn treatment center in the United States was part of a military complex. The committee was ready with a resolution for the 1962 Imperial Session in Toronto. The resolution, dated July 4, 1962, was adopted by unanimous vote.

On November 1, 1963, the Shrine opened a seven-bed wing in the John Sealy Hospital on the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston as an interim center for the care of severely burned children. On February 1, 1964, the Shrine opened a seven-bed ward in the Cincinnati General Hospital on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. A third interim operation, a five-bed ward, was opened March 13, 1964, in the Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) under the direction of Harvard Medical School.

While children were being treated in these wards, separate buildings were constructed near each interim location. These buildings, three 30-bed pediatric burn hospitals, were designed to meet the special needs of burned children. At each, the staffs remain affiliated with their neighboring universities so that they may better carry out their three-fold program of treatment, research and teaching.

The hospital in Galveston opened March 20, 1966; the hospital in Cincinnati opened February 19, 1968; and the Boston hospital opened November 2, 1968. New facilities would be constructed for all three burn hospitals in the 1990s. The new Cincinnati and Galveston hospitals were completed in 1992, and the new Boston hospital was completed in 1999.

A new burn treatment center opened in 1997, in the new Shriners Hospital in Sacramento, Calif. This newest Shriners Hospital provides orthopedic, burn and spinal cord injury care, and serves as the Shrine’s primary burn treatment center in the western United States. The Sacramento Hospital also conducts research into all three disciplines.

Since the Shriners opened their burn hospitals in the 1960s, a burned child’s chance of survival has more than doubled. They have saved children burned over 90 percent of their bodies. The techniques they have pioneered to prevent the crippling effects of severe burns have made a normal life possible for thousands of burn victims.

Most importantly, perhaps, the establishment of the burn Shriners Hospitals has alerted the medical world to this special need, which has, in turn, led to the establishment of non-Shrine burn centers throughout North America.

At Shriners Hospitals the work goes on, continually searching for new ways to heal severe burns and reduce or, as much as possible, eliminate the crippling and scarring effects of those burns. Because of the special nature of the burn hospitals, they will surely always be on the frontier of burn care.

Continuing the Commitment

During the 1980s, Shriners Hospitals initiated a number of new programs in their efforts to continue providing high-quality pediatric orthopedic and burn care. One of the most significant was the 1980 opening of the spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation unit at the Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia — the first spinal cord injury unit in the United States designed specifically for children and teenagers who suffer from these injuries. By 1984, two additional spinal cord injury units were operating in the Shriners Hospitals in Chicago and San Francisco. In 1997, the San Francisco Hospital, including the SCI unit, was relocated to the newest Shriners Hospitals in Sacramento, Calif.

At the Shrine’s SCI units, children receive long-term rehabilitative care and physical and occupational therapy to help them relearn the basic skills of everyday life. Counseling sessions help patients learn to cope with the emotional aspects of their injury and help them lead fulfilling lives by emphasizing the abilities they still have. Patients may enter an SCI unit apprehensive about the future, but after months of encouragement and support, they often leave with a sense of hope and optimism.

An ongoing study at the Philadelphia Hospital is giving children with cerebral palsy and spinal cord injuries a sense of hope as well. Researchers have found that when using functional electrical stimulation (FES), the posture of a child’s foot and ankle is improved. In turn, it has a positive effect on their gait, making walking an achievable goal.

Another important undertaking that was begun during the 1980s was an aggressive rebuilding and renovation program, involving the construction of new facilities and extensive renovations throughout the Shriners Hospital system. In 1981, the Representatives at the 107th Imperial Council Session approved a major expansion and reconstruction program, which included the construction of a new orthopedic hospital in Tampa, Fla. The opening of the Tampa Hospital in 1985 — the first new hospital added to the Shrine system since the 1960s — brought the Shriners Hospital system back to 22 hospitals. Since 1981, 21 Shriners Hospitals have either been rebuilt or totally renovated. In 1998, the Joint Boards decided to build a new facility for the Mexico City Hospital, which underwent extensive renovations in 1989.

In 1989, another significant decision was made when the Shriners voted to construct a new hospital in the Northern California region, to replace the existing San Francisco Hospital. In 1990, Sacramento was chosen as the site for the new hospital. Construction began in 1993, and in 1997, the new Northern California Hospital in Sacramento opened its doors.

Also, during the 1980s, because of the high number of patients with myelodysplasia (spina bifida), many of the Shriners Hospitals developed special programs to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care to these patients.

Previously, Shriners Hospitals had provided the orthopedic care these children needed, but in 1986, the Joint Boards of Directors and Trustees approved a policy permitting the hospitals to address the multiple needs of these children by providing their medical, neurosurgical and urological requirements, as well as their psychosocial, nutritional and recreational needs.

During the 1980s, the Los Angeles and Springfield Shriners Hospitals expanded their prosthetic services with regional prosthetic research programs. Both programs conduct research into ways to improve or create new prosthetics and help rehabilitate limb-deficient children. These two programs, in addition to various other research programs throughout the 22 hospital system, join the prosthetic and orthotic labs throughout the Shriners Hospital system in ensuring that Shriners Hospitals remain leaders in the field of children’s orthotics and prosthetics.

The burn hospitals also took steps to ensure that burn patients continue to receive the most advanced burn treatment available. The Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati initiated a burns air ambulance, the first air ambulance in the country devoted exclusively to transporting burn victims. The burn hospitals also developed a re-entry program, to assist burn patients in their return home after being discharged from the hospital. During 1992, new replacement facilities for the Cincinnati and Galveston burn hospitals were dedicated, and groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a new facility for the Boston Hospital. All the burn hospitals are continuing to conduct research in their ongoing efforts to improve care for burned patients.

In 1996, Shrine Representatives took another significant step when they voted to officially change the name of their philanthropy to “Shriners Hospitals for Children.” In a move that permanently eliminated the word “crippled” from the organization’s corporate name, the Representatives made the change in an effort to have the name better reflect the mission of Shriners Hospitals and the expansions of services that have been added over the years, including the opening of the burn hospitals and the addition of programs of comprehensive care for children with myelodysplasia. The new name is intended to reflect the philosophy of Shriners Hospitals, which provide medical care for children totally free of charge, based only on what’s best for the child. The new name, likewise, does not label children in any way, but simply recognizes them for what they are: children. Though they have a new name, Shriners Hospitals continue to focus on their mission of helping children lead better lives.

One-way Shriners Hospitals is helping to improve lives is with the help of Outcomes research. This type of research looks for opportunities to improve Shriners Hospital practices, both clinical and operational, to help bring better care and quality of life to patients. The Outcomes studies utilize more than one Shriners Hospital, and the projects, studies and performance improvement initiatives directly impact changes in operations and patient care practices at all 22 Shriners Hospitals.

To ensure Shriners Hospitals is constantly on the cutting edge of research, Shriners enlists the help of advisory boards, which are made up of eminent surgeons, clinicians and scientists who review grants and offer expertise on project funding. The Medical Advisory Board, Research Advisory Board and Clinical Outcomes Studies Advisory Board also provide review, guidance and subjective assessment to many areas of Shriners Hospitals.

As they look to the future, the Joint Boards are committed to maintaining Shriners Hospitals for Children as leaders in children’s pediatric orthopedic and burn care.

The Fraternity Flourishes

As the hospital network grew, the fraternity continued in its grand tradition. In 1923, there was a Shriner in the White House, and Noble/President William G. Harding reviewed the Shriners parade at the 1923 Imperial Session in Washington, D.C.

The East/West Shrine Game

The East/West Shrine College All-Star Football Game was established in 1925, in San Francisco with the motto “Strong Legs Run So Weak Legs May Walk.” Throughout its history, this traditional post-season game has raised millions of dollars for Shriners Hospitals and helped millions of people become more familiar with the story of Shriners Hospitals. In this, as in other Shrine football games, the young players visit patients at, so the players themselves know the real purpose of the game.

The Peace Memorial

In 1930, the Imperial Session was to be held in Toronto. For his Session, Imperial Potentate Leo V. Youngworth wanted something special. With the appropriate approval, the leader of 600,000 Shriners commissioned a peace monument to be built in Toronto. It was to face south, commemorating 150 years of friendship between the United States and Canada.

The Peace Memorial was relocated and rededicated during the 1962 Imperial Session, and it stands today outside the National Exposition grounds in Toronto. When the Shriners returned to Toronto in 1989, for the 115th Imperial Council Session, the memorial was again rededicated, representing a renewed commitment to the Shrine’s international brotherhood and fraternalism. The plaque reads: “Erected and dedicated to the cause of universal peace by the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America June 12, 1930.”

The 1930 Session was the Shrine’s own antidote to the pervasive gloom of the Great Depression. But it was only temporary. Not even Shriners could escape the Depression. For the first time in its history, the Shrine began to lose members — the Nobles just could not pay their dues.

The struggle to keep the hospitals and the fraternity going during these years was enormous. It was necessary to dip into the Endowment Fund capital to cover operating costs of the hospitals. To ensure the financial distinction between the hospitals and the fraternity, a corporation for each was established in 1937.

The Shrine and its hospitals somehow survived the Depression. In the 1940s, like the rest of North America, the Shrine adjusted to wartime existence. Imperial Sessions were limited to business and were attended only by official Temple Representatives. Shrine parade units stayed home and marched in local patriotic parades. During the four years of war, more than $1 billion was invested by and through the Shrine in government war bonds. The hospital corporation also invested all of its available funds in government securities. After World War II, the economy improved, and men found renewed interest in fraternalism. By 1942, membership was once more increasing.

Shriners International Headquarters

Until 1928, the Shrine’s national offices were in Richmond, Va. With the growth of the fraternity, there were increasing pressures to locate Shrine headquarters in some city that would be more convenient to all Temples. Thus, in 1958, the building at 323 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, was purchased. At a special Session held April 10th, 1978, in Tampa, Fla., representatives voted to relocate Shrine Headquarters to 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa. The Tampa headquarters houses the administrative personnel for both the Iowa (fraternal) and Colorado (Shriners Hospitals) corporations, fraternal and hospital records, the attorneys who monitor the many estates involved in Shriners Hospitals for Children, and the various other departments that support the day-to-day operations of the Shrine fraternity and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

An expansion project was begun in 1987 to meet the ever-increasing needs of theShrine and Shriners Hospitals. A third wing, or pod, was added to the rear of the existing building, and the board room and executive offices for the fraternity and hospital system were relocated to the new area, allowing several departments to expand their offices in the original sections. The new, enlarged board room provides space for meetings of the Joint Boards and their committees, and for conferences.

In 1993, the Commemorative Plaza was built, with its larger than life-size statue of a Shriner carrying a child. The statue represents what has become known as the “Editorial Without Words,” probably one of the best-recognized symbols of Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The polished marble plaza features a semi-circular wall engraved with the names of every Imperial Potentate (Chief Executive Officer) of the Shrine and his year served. In addition, below the statue is a cylindrical base engraved with the names of the 22 Shriners Hospitals and surrounded by a fountain. Around the fountain are large inlaid marble squares bearing the engraved names of each of the Shrines 191 Temples, each Temple’s city and state, year of incorporation and the Shrine insignia (the scimitar). To the rear of the Commemorative Plaza and in front of the headquarters building are four flag poles topped with flags of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama, representing the countries with Shrine membership.

In early 1999, a major construction and renovation effort was begun that would add 35,000 square feet to the existing facility, bringing the total office area to about 120,000 square feet. This effort was initiated to accommodate the healthcare initiatives and trends taking place in the industry in the late 1990s. The exterior work came to an end in December 2001, with the installation of a three-dimensional 11-by-9-foot Shrine scimitar on the front of the building. The new windows on the building have a bluish- green tint, giving the building a different appearance than the gold tinted windows, which served as a landmark to identify the headquarters for two decades. On Feb. 24, 2002, the newly renovated Shriners International Headquarters was rededicated.

The Shrine of North America — How the Organization Works

Shrine Temples are located throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Republic of Panama, with Shrine Clubs around the world. There is, therefore, a special Shrine Pledge of Allegiance: “I pledge allegiance to my flag, and to the country for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Wherever Shriners gather, the national flags of the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Republic of Panama are flown.

Today, there are nearly 500,000 Shriners who belong to 191 Shrine Temples, or chapters, from Al Aska Shriners in Anchorage, Alaska, to Abou Saad Shriners in Panama, and from Aloha Shriners in Honolulu to Philae Shriners in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Temple memberships range from approximately 11,000 (Murat Shriners in Indianapolis) to about 420 (Media Shriners in Watertown, NY).

The Temples, their Units and affiliated Shrine Clubs embody the true spirit of fraternalism, and wherever a Shriner goes, he can be certain there are Nobles who will extend their hand in greeting and call him “Brother.”

To better understand how all this works, an observer can start at a local Temple. All Temples are run by an elected Divan (officers), headed by the Potentate and the Chief Rabban. A Recorder, or record keeper/administrator, usually maintains an office at the Temple. One member is elected or appointed to the “lowest rung” each January and under traditional practice moves up one “rung” each year. Thus, by the time he becomes Potentate of his Temple, a Shriner usually has at least four years of experience in Temple leadership.

Stated meetings of the Temple membership as a whole must be held at least four times a year. In addition, each Temple holds one or more ceremonials every year for the induction of new members. There are also many Temple, Unit, and Shrine Club social events each year Units are smaller groups within a Temple which are organized for a specific purpose. Many of these are the uniformed Units so familiar to parade watchers: Oriental Bands, Shrine Bands, Horse and Motor Patrols, Highlander Units, Clowns, Drum Corps, Chanters, and Legions of Honor. Other Temple Units can include hospital hosts or guides, and transportation Units which work closely with their local Shriners Hospital — either with the children at the hospital or in transporting patients to and from the hospital.

Each Temple has a clearly defined territory from which it can obtain new members. Since these jurisdictions are often quite large, smaller geographical units may be organized for fellowship purposes. These are the Shrine Clubs, under the control of their mother Temple.

In addition, any number of Temples may form a Shrine Association for social conventions, if the Imperial Council issues an appropriate charter. There are currently 20 Regional Associations and 19 Shrine Unit Associations.

The 191 Shrine Temples are governed by the Imperial Council, which is composed of Representatives. The Representatives of the Imperial Council include all past and present Imperial Officers, Emeritus Representatives (who have served 15 years or more), and Representatives elected from each Temple. A Temple may have two Representatives if its membership exceeds 300, three if more than 600, and four if more than 1,000. These Representatives meet once a year — usually in July at the Imperial Council Session — to make policy decisions and legislation regarding both the fraternity and the hospitals. With nearly 900 Representatives, the Imperial Council constitutes one of the largest legislative bodies in the world. The Representatives also elect the Imperial Officers. The President of the Colorado Corporation and members of the Board of Trustees for Shriners Hospitals for Children are elected by the members of the Colorado Corporation.

The Imperial Divan, the Shrine’s international governing body, consists of 13 officers plus an Imperial Chaplain. The Imperial Treasurer and the Imperial Recorder may be elected for several consecutive years; they are the only officers receiving any type of compensation. As with Temple Divans, an officer (with the exception of Treasurer and Recorder) is elected to the bottom of the Divan and, barring unforeseen circumstances, moves up one position each year. These officers, elected from among the Representatives, are usually past Temple Potentates. The Divan plus the immediate Past Imperial Potentate constitute the Board of Directors of the fraternal corporation and they, with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, constitute the Board of Directors of the hospital corporation.

The chief executive officer for the Shrine of North America is the Imperial Potentate, who is elected for one year. He visits many of the Shrine Temples and hospitals and generally supervises both fraternal and hospital policy.

To help him with these tasks, the Imperial Potentate appoints committees to implement the various Shrine programs. One of the most important of these committees is the Endowments, Wills and Gifts Committee, which coordinates and supervises contributions and bequests given to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The day-to-day operations — keeping the records and accounts of the fraternity and hospitals, supervising the estates left to Shriners Hospitals and producing printed materials for the entire Shrine organization — are carried out at International Headquarters in Tampa. These offices are supervised by an executive vice president of the Imperial Council, an executive vice president of Shriners Hospitals, and a legal department, which is under the supervision of a managing attorney.

However complex the Shrine may seem, its essence is the fraternal fellowship for which it was originally founded. It has been said that there are no strangers in Shrinedom. This is evident in the great times and laughter wherever Shriners get together, whether in a local Shrine Club meeting, a Temple ceremonial, a Shrine Association gathering or an Imperial Session. All Shriners share not just a Masonic background but a zest for living.

Though this quality remains consistent — from the original 13 members to the hundreds of thousands of Shriners today — the Shrine has adapted to many changes. Many more Temple and convention activities include the families of Shriners. Today, many Shriners are deeply involved in Shriners Hospital work in addition to their fraternal activities.

Most Shrine Temples sponsor fund-raising events to provide funds for Shriners Hospitals. In one calendar year there can be nearly 500 of these events, which range from the East/West Shrine Game and other football games to horse shows, hospital paper sales, and miscellaneous sports and social events.

During the 1980s, Shriners Hospitals experienced the greatest expansion in their history, with major building programs, increasing numbers of patients receiving care, and expansion of services. As the new millennium approaches, all 22 Shriners Hospitals are maintaining their position at the forefront of specialized pediatric orthopedic and burn care. The Joint Boards plan to continue updating their facilities, expanding their research programs and increasing their ability to meet the needs of thousands of children in need of expert orthopaedic and burn care. In this way, Shriners Hospitals will continue to meet a special need for children.

Thus, whatever changes occur within the fraternal organization or within the Shriners Hospital system, the Shrine of North America will remain the “World’s Greatest Fraternity,” operating and maintaining the “World’s Greatest Philanthropy.”

Es Selamu Aleikum.

Freemasonry, The Shriners and Their Islamic Assyrian Origin

The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., commonly known as "the Shriners" is an Islamic organization founded in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 644 A.D. by the family of Muhammad. It is an organization of Freemasonry. Freemasonry originates from ancient Assyria. Members of the Shriners are called "Mohammedans". A "Shrine" is a tomb of a Muslim that is worshipped by other Muslims. Perhaps because he was a martyr for the Islamic cause. The Alawi sect of Bashar Assad does not believe in mosques. Therefore they lift up the shrines as being the most holy buildings of Islam. A Shriner is therefore a person who honors the holy buildings of Assad's Alawi sect of Islam. The organization is best-known for the Shriners Hospitals for Children they administer & the red fezzes that members wear. There are at least 350,000 members from 191 Islamic temples (charters) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Republic of Panama & Europe. To join the Shiners or any other organization of Freemasonry, you must swear alliance to Allah (the Islamic moon god) & you must do so on the Koran which says that Christians & Jews must be killed. The Shiners' symbols on their cars/trucks include the Islamic sword in the shape of a crescent moon with a star which are very clearly Islamic symbols. Another symbol on their vehicles is the "Eastern Star" which is the symbol of the satanic goat god called by different names such as "Pan, Yah, Baphomet, Allah, Mendez". You can very clearly see that it's the same symbol of a 2 horned star worn by admitted satanists.

The Shriners & other Freemasons believe in all religions as a path to Allah. So although they may at first embrace anyone of any religion, they will always ultimately point that person to Allah & to Islam. They place a great deal of importance on secret knowledge which they refuse to share with the little people of the world. They believe that only "the better, more intelligent" people have a right to the truth. There are a lot of Baptist preachers who are Freemasons & Shriners.

Many members do not reveal that they are secretly Freemasons. They swear allegiance to help all other Freemasons over and above non-members even if it's not the right thing to do. For example, a judge in a courtroom is required to give the favor in the verdict to the fellow Freemason even if that Freemason has committed a crime. The only exception is in a murder trial, but I believe that many Freemasons would give that special favor even in that case.

Shriners are taught that Lucifer is the true God and is not evil. They are therefore Luciferians, a class of satanists. Their symbols are the same as the Church of Satan. The first 94 pages of the Freemason bible are quotes from Albert Pike. All Masons are encouraged to read the writings of Albert Pike. He was a Luciferian & said "Lucifer is the True god of Good and Light".

Candidates for induction into the Shriners are greeted by a High Priest, who says:

“By the existence of Allah and the creed of Mohammed; by the legendary sanctity of our Tabernacle at Mecca, we greet you.” The inductees then swear on the Bible and the Koran, in the name of Mohammed, and invoke Masonry's usual gruesome penalties upon themselves:

“I do hereby, upon this Bible, and on the mysterious legend of the Koran, and its dedication to the Mohammedan faith, promise and swear and vow … that I will never reveal any secret part or portion whatsoever of the ceremonies … and now upon this sacred book, by the sincerity of a Moslem's oath I here register this irrevocable vow … in willful violation whereof may I incur the fearful penalty of having my eyeballs pierced to the center with a three-edged blade, my feet flayed and I be forced to walk the hot sands upon the sterile shores of the Red Sea until the flaming sun shall strike me with livid plague, and may Allah, the god of Arab, Moslem and Mohammedan, the god of our fathers, support me to the entire fulfillment of the same. Amen. Amen. Amen."

The following are quotations from a book: A.-.A.-.O.-.N.-.M.-.S.- THE PARENT TEMPLE. THE FOUNDERS OF THE SHRINE IN AMERICA, AND FIRST OFFICIALS OF THE ORDER. MECCA TEMPLE.INC IE ARABIC ORDER OF THE NOBLES OF THE MYSTIC SHRINE ITS HISTORY AND PLEASURES TOGETHER WITH THE Origin and History of the Order New York, N". Y. : PRESS OF ANDREW H. KELLOGG 1894 SECOND COPY, COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY ANDREW H. KELLOGG. https://archive.org/stream/meccatempleancie00anci/meccatempleancie00anci_djvu.txt

"The Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine was instituted by the Mohammedan Kalif Alee (whose name be praised!), the cousin-german and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad (God favor and preserve him !), in the year of the Hegira 25 (a. d. 644), at Mecca, in Arabia, as an Inquisition, or Vigilance Committee, to dispense justice and execute punishment upon criminals who escaped their just deserts through the tardiness of the courts, and also to promote religious toleration among cultured men of all nations. The original intention was to form a band of men of sterling worth, who would, without fear or favor, upon a valid accusation, try, judge, and execute, if need be, within the hour, having taken precautions as to secrecy and security.

The "Nobles " perfected their organization and did such prompt and efficient work that they excited alarm and even consternation in the hearts of the evil doers in all countries under the Star and Crescent. The Order is yet one of the most highly favored among the many secret societies which abound in Oriental countries, and gathers around its shrines a select few of the best educated and cultured classes. Their ostensible object is to increase the faith and fidelity of all true believers in Allah (whose name be exalted!). The secret and real purpose can only be made known to those who have encircled the Mystic Shrine according to the instructions in "The Book of the Constitution and the Regulations of the Imperial Council."

In the year A.D. 804, during a warlike expedition against the Byzantine emperor Nikephorus, the most famous Arabian Kalif, Haroon al-Rasheed, deputed a renowned scholar, Abd el-Kader el-Bagdadee, to proceed to Aleppo, Syria, and found a college there for the propagation of the religion of the Prophet Mohammed (God favor and preserve him!). The work and college arose, and the Order of Nobles was revived there as a part of the means of civilization.

Nearly three centuries after the death of the great Kalif and patron of learning, the Order of Nobles was revived at Baghdad by Abd el-Kader Ghilanee, a noted Persian, an eminent doctor of the Soofi sect, A. H. 555 (A.D. 1160).

The famous Arab known as Bektash, from a peculiar high white hat or cap which he made from a sleeve of his gown, the founder of the sect named in his honor, was an imam in the army of the Sultan Amurath I., the first Mohammedan who led an army into Europe, a. d. 1360 (in the year of the Hegira, 761). This Sultan was the founder of the military order of the Janizaries (so called because they were freed captives who were adopted into the faith and the army), although his father, Orkhan, began the work. Bektash adopted a white robe and cap, and instituted the ceremony of kissing the sleeve.

The Bektash Dervishes are numbered by many hundred thousands, and they have several branches or offshoots, which are named after the founder of each. Among the most noted are those which have their headquarters in Cairo, in Egypt; Damascus and Jerusalem, in Palestine; Smyrna and Broosa, in Asia Minor; Constantinople and Adrianople, in Turkey in Europe; Teheran and Shiraz, in Persia; Benares and many other cities in India; Tangier, in Morocco; Oran, in Algeria, and at Mecca, in Arabia, at which latter city all branches and sects of Dervishes are represented at the annual meeting, which is held during the month of pilgrimage.

The Bektasheeyeh's representative at Mecca is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, is the chief officer of the Alee Temple of Nobles, and in 1877 was the Chief of the Order in Arabia. The Chief must reside either at Mecca or Medinah, and in either case must be present in person or by deputy at Mecca during the month of pilgrimage.

The Egyptian Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine has been inde- pendent of the Arabian, excepting the yearly presence of the Deputy in Mecca, since the expedition of Ibraheem Pasha, the son of Mohammed Alee, the great Pasha of Egypt in 1818, when the Wahabees were conquered.

The "Wahabees were a fanatical sect who threatened to override all other power in Arabia. Since Ibraheem's conquest they have continued only as a religious sect, without direct interference with the government. They are haters and persecutors of all other sects, and are especially bitter against all dervishes, whom they denounce as heretics and the very essence ot heresy and abomination. In this conduct they violate a strict and oft- repeated saying of the Prophet Mohammed (God favor and protect him!), which is, " He who casts on a believer the slur of infidelity is himself an infidel."

All Mohammedans respect everyone who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and who will repeat the formula of the creed, "There is no Deity but Allah," without reference to what his private belief may be, for they have a maxim, " The interior belongs to God alone."

The Nobles of the Mystic Shrine are eminent for their broad and Catholic toleration.

Among the modern promoters of the principles of the Order in Europe, one of the most noted was Herr Adam Weishaupt, a Rosicrucian (Rosy Cross Mystic), and professor of law in the University of Ingolstadt, in Bavaria, who revived the Order in that city on May i, 1776. Its members exercised a profound influence before and during the French Revolution, when they were known as the Illuminati, and they professed to be teachers of philosophy ; to ray forth from their secret society the light of science over all mankind without fear or favor ; to diffuse the purest principles of virtue ; in short, restating the teachings of Aristotle, Pythagoras, Plato, Confucius, and other philosophers. From the central society at Ingolstadt branches spread out through all Europe.

The Ritual now in use is a translation from the original Arabic, found preserved in the archives of the Order at Aleppo, Syria, whence it was brought, in 1860, to London, England, by Rizk Allah Hassoon Effendee, who was the author of several important works in Arabic, one of which was a metrical version of the Book of Job. His "History of Islam" offended the Turkish government because of its humanitarian principles, and he was forced to leave his native country. He was a ripe scholar in Arabic poetry and the general literature of the age, and his improvements in the diction of certain parts of the ritual of the Shrine are of great beauty and value.

The crescent has been a favorite religious emblem in all ages in the Orient, and also a political ensign in some countries, such* as in modern Turkey and Persia. The ancient Greeks used the crescent as an emblem of the universal Mother of all living things, the Virgin Mother of all souls, who was known as Diana, Artemis, Phcebe, Cynthia, and other names, varying with the character of her attributes in different localities. The chief seat of the Diana cult and worship was at Ephesus, and the great temple built in her honor at that city was the pride and glory of the Greeks.

On June 6, 1876, "The Imperial Council for North America" was formed, and the first officers were elected, as in Arabia, for the term of three years. 111. \ Walter M. Fleming became Imperial Potentate, and 111.*. W. S. Paterson, Imperial Recorder. (For particulars see "The Constitution of the Imperial Council " and the Annual Proceedings.)

The prerequisite for membership in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America jsthe32° A.-. A.'. S. \ Rite (18 in England), or a Knight Templar, in good standing.

The generous proposition to make the Order of Nobles an organization for the exercise of charity, the improvement of the mind, and an ally of the Fraternity of Freemasonry in the United States, was primarily adopted by the Imperial Council.

Subordinate Temples have been chartered in nearly every State of the Union, by dispensation or in other constitutional manner, under the authority of the Imperial Council."

End quotation from book.

Back in the 7th century, there was a Christian city in Morocco named Fez. The Muhammedans attacked it, and after a lengthy siege, captured the city. The invaders gathered the 20,000-50,000 Christian defenders into the city square, made them dig a ditch, and put them to the sword there. When the blood of those Christian martyrs filled the ditch, the Muslims dipped their conical white hats in the blood. The Muslims then named their red hats (which includes the Islamic star & crescent emblem), the Red Fez, & that same Red Fez is worn by Shriners today.

The first meeting of Mecca Shriners, the first temple (chapter) established in the United States, was held September 26, 1872. However the Shriners actually stated in 644 A.D. in Mecca, Saudi Arabic. But their parent organization of Freemasonry actually started even thousands of years before that by Nimrod, Asshur and their family, the founders of ancient Assyria and the Tower of Babel which was in Syria. According to the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry: The legend of the Craft in the Old Constitutions refers to Nimrod as one of the founders of Masonry. Thus in the York MS., No. 1, we read: "At ye making of ye tower of Babel there was a Mason, first much esteemed of, and the King of Babylon called Nimrod was a Mason himself and loved well Masons." In some forms of Freemasonry, new perspective members are required to take the "Oath of Nimrod". (Source: The Spring 2006 issue of Freemasonry Today). The following is a quote from the Masonic website http://www.lafayettemason123.org/pages/education.htm

"The universal sentiment of the Freemasons of the present day is to confer upon Solomon, the King of Israel, the honor of being their first Grand Master. But the legend of the Craft had long before, though there was a tradition of the Temple in existence, given, at least by suggestion, that title to Nimrod, the King of Babylonia and Assyria. It had credited the first organization of the fraternity of craftsmen to him, in saying that he gave a charge to the workmen whom he sent to assist the King of Nineveh in building his cities. That is to say, he framed for them a Constitution, and, in the words of the legend, this was the first time that ever Masons had any charge of his science. It was the first time that the Craft was organized into a fraternity working under a Constitution of body of laws. As Nimrod was the autocratic maker of these laws, it necessarily resulted that their first legislator, creating laws with his unlimited and absolute governing power, was also their first Grand Master." End quote.

The Muslim immigrants to this country are now joining the Masonic order by the droves, seeing the order as an extension of the Allah in whom they already believe. Since the Masonic oath demands that a member place his loyalty to a fellow Mason above his loyalty to anything else, so-called Masonic "Christians" are the sworn allies of the murderers of our brethren worldwide -- past, present and future

Freemasonry Symbols:

These are just a very few of their symbols. There are many more and some of them are very demonic & are easily discerned as demonic at first glance but I'm having trouble finding a copy on the internet of what I see on their local cars. It's an emblem of a sword & a female demon. It's very clearly a demon. If I ever find a copy of it on the internet, I will post it.

Sphinx: Ancient Egyptian & Babylonian guardian of sacred places, an idol with human head and a lion's body. The Greek sphinx would devour travelers who failed to answer her riddle. According to A New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (by Arthur Waite, xii) the masonic sphinx "is the guardian of the Mysteries and is the Mysteries summarized in a symbol. Their secret is the answer to her question. The initiate must know it or lose the life of the Mysteries. If he can and does answer, the Sphinx dies for him, because in his respect the Mysteries have given up their meaning." (An occult, counterfeit view of redemption)

The Letter "G"

Ex-33-degree Mason Jim Shaw says, "The Blue Lodge Mason is taught that the "G" in the basic Masonic symbol represents God. Later on, he is told that it represents "deity". Later still, he is told that it represents "geometry". In reality, this letter represents the "generative principle," the Sun god and, thus, the worshipped phallus, the male "generative principle..." In its position (along with the square and compass) on the east wall over the chair (throne) of the "Worshipful Master", it is the representation of the Sun, thus of the Sun-god, Osiris. Its earthly meaning, then, is of the sacred phallus; its cosmic meaning is of the Sun, worshipped since antiquity by pagans while facing the East." Reference, book: The Deadly Deception", page 144.

The fatal demonic two horned star, Pentagram The same demonic star as used by the "Church of Satan"

A Freemason/Shriners Symbol of Islamic Jihad.

Objection: "But the Shriners do a lot of good. They have the children's hospitals." Answer: Even the devil can do good things. Wicked, lost people can give you a car ride, a job, money, a relationship, a smile or a laugh. The devil can smile at you and give you things. Wicked people can do good things. It is a ploy to get your acceptance and trust. 2 Cor.11:14 says "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light". The fact is that a very large portion of the money collected via fund raising for the children's hospitals go toward other Shriner interests such as Islamic temples, cars, buildings, wages, advertisement, etc.

In June 1986, a daily newspaper in Florida, the Orlando Sentinel reported that less than 2% of the circus money raised actually went to the hospitals and that by 1982, the Shriners had become the richest charity in America, amassing $1.2 billion in assets. Of the $17.5 million raised in 1984, $17.3 million went into their own pockets while only $182,051 went to support the hospitals. As of 9-30-04, Forbes reports that the Shriners had assets of $8.62 billion.

Of the $948 million raised, the Shriners retained $412 million with only a slight more than half, $505 million going to charitable services! Top Shriner, Ralph Semb, was paid $406,659 in salaries. As of 12-31-06, Forbes magazine reports the Shriners have amassed a $9.54 billion empire retaining $636 million of the money raised that same year. Top Shriner, James Full, collected a healthy $1,207,369 in salaries this same year.

Why do Shriners focus on helping children with orthopedic issues?

Historical roots of compassion and charity: When the Shriners (formally Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine) were founded in 1872, they were built on two pillars: fun and fellowship among members, and philanthropy that made a meaningful difference. By the early 1900s, Shriners wanted to create a major charitable project that would unite their fraternity in service.

The polio epidemic and childhood disabilities: In the early 20th century, diseases like polio were leaving thousands of children with severe orthopedic challenges: muscle weakness, paralysis, and deformities. At that time, many families couldn’t afford specialized care, surgeries, or long-term rehabilitation. Shriners saw this as an urgent need where they could have a huge impact.

Founding of the first hospital: In 1922, Shriners opened their first hospital for children with orthopedic conditions in Shreveport, Louisiana. The goal was to provide free, high-quality care for children with physical disabilities—especially those caused by polio, congenital conditions (like clubfoot or scoliosis), or injuries.

A commitment to help society’s most vulnerable: Orthopedic problems were (and often still are) a major cause of lifelong disability and social exclusion. The Shriners embraced the idea that giving these children mobility and independence would transform their lives—and inspire public goodwill toward the fraternity’s mission.

Expansion of focus over time: While orthopedics was their original focus, Shriners Hospitals have since expanded to include care for:

Burn injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Cleft lip and palate
Other complex pediatric conditions

Why orthopedics, specifically?

Because it aligned with:

A pressing social need at the time (polio and childhood disability)
The fraternity’s desire to fund a cause where they could make a unique, visible, and lasting difference
The idea of helping children walk and function as a powerful symbol of healing and hope

In 1870, William Florence, a world-renowned actor, while on tour in Marseille, was invited to a party given by an Arabian diplomat. The entertainment was something in the nature of an elaborately staged musical comedy. At its conclusion, the guests became members of a secret society. Florence took copious notes and drawings at his initial viewing and on two other occasions, once in Algiers and once in Cairo. When he returned to New York in 1870, he showed his material to Fleming. Fleming took the ideas supplied by Florence and converted them into what would become the "Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.)." Fleming created the ritual, emblem, and costumes.

The group adopted a Middle Eastern theme and soon established Temples. The first Temple established was the Mecca Temple established at the New York City Masonic Hall. In 1875, there were only 43 Shriners in the organization. Fleming was elected the first Imperial Potentate. After some other reworking, in 1900, there were 55,000 members and 82 Temples. Despite its Orientalist theme, the Shriners is a men's fraternity, not connected to either Arab culture or Islam. To further minimize confusion with religion, the use of the words "temple" and "mosque" to describe Shriners' buildings has been replaced by "Shrine Center," although some individual local chapters are still called Temples. Shriners often participate in local parades, an "Oriental Band" dressed in cartoonish versions of Middle Eastern dress; pipe bands, drummers, motorcycle units, Drum and Bugle Corps, and even traditional brass bands. They even gathered in the White House many times. Director Harold Clayton Lloyd and former FBI Director (he was on duty for 48 years) Edgar Hoover. On May 9, 1921, two months after taking office, Harding reviewed a Shriner’s parade in Washington DC. In August of that same year, he officiated at the laying of the cornerstone for the new Masonic Temple in Birmingham, Alabama. US Presidents Truman, Franklin Roosevelt, Gerald Ford, and Chiefs of Defense such as Omar Bradley, Douglas MacArthur were known to be affiliated with the Shriners. By 1938 there were about 340,000 members in the United States. That year Life published photographs of its rites for the first time. It described the Shriners as "among secret lodges the No. 1 in prestige, wealth, and show," and stated that "in the typical city, especially in the Middle West, the Shriners will include most of the prominent citizens." Buzz Aldrin, Clark Gable, John Wayne, Nat King Cole, Irving Berlin, and Johnny Cash were some of its celebrity members. While there are plenty of activities for Shriners and their wives, there are two organizations tied to the Shrine that are for women only: The Ladies' Oriental Shrine and the Daughters of the Nile. They both support the Shriners Hospitals and promote sociability, and membership in either organization is open to any woman 18 years of age and older who is related to a Shriner or Master Mason by birth, marriage, or adoption. Architecturally notable Shriners Temples include the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, the former Mecca Temple, now called New York City Center, Newark Symphony Hall, the Landmark Theater (formerly The Mosque) in Richmond, Virginia, the Tripoli Shrine Temple in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Helena Civic Center in Montana (formerly the Algeria Shrine Temple) The Academy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in LA, from 1947 to 1948 and eight times between 1988 and 2001. This Shrine also hosted several Grammy ceremonies until 2000 when the Grammys moved to the nearby Staples Center.

Especially after 9/11, Shriners, that had already been distancing from Islamic symbols, rapidly abandoned Islam influenced elements. The rise of anti-Islam movements in the US and the accusations of proselytizing Islam also contributed to this. But Shriners still salute each other in Arabic-Islamic way and use the word "Allah" in their ceremonies. The Shriner's charitable arm is the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of twenty-two hospitals in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Shriners / Freemasons: Real Origins

Freemasonry originated in medieval Europe (mainly Britain and Scotland) as guilds of stonemasons that evolved into fraternal and charitable societies by the 17th century.

It drew on biblical stories (e.g., building of Solomon’s Temple) for symbolic teachings.

Shriners were founded in 1870 in New York by a group of Freemasons who wanted a more festive, social branch. They added Middle Eastern flair purely for style and pageantry, not because of direct cultural lineage.

Moors and Masons

Historical Moors (Muslims of North Africa and Spain from ~700–1500 CE) had no known direct connection to the origins of European Freemasonry.

Some Masonic symbols (like architectural tools) existed in Islamic art and science (e.g., use of geometry, compasses, architectural mastery). But this is a similarity of symbolism, not organizational or cultural descent.

The myth of Masons as inheritors of Moorish or Islamic secret knowledge is largely romantic invention. It was popularized in 18th-19th century Europe and America, where fascination with the "mystic East" shaped fraternal rituals.

Moorish motifs in Masonry/Shriners: purely decorative — adopted during the era of Orientalism, when the West associated the Islamic world with ancient wisdom, mysticism, and exotic power.

Phoenicians and Masons

Phoenicians (c. 1500–300 BCE) were seafaring traders credited with spreading the alphabet and influencing Mediterranean trade and culture.

No direct, documented link exists between Phoenician priesthoods, guilds, or stonemasons and the Freemasons of medieval Europe.

Freemasonry does venerate ancient builders (e.g., Solomon’s Temple), but the Phoenicians are not formally part of core Masonic mythos.

Some fringe Masonic and esoteric traditions claim Phoenician roots to link their order to an ancient maritime and trading wisdom — but these claims lack historical evidence and are part of invented tradition or symbolic association.

So why do Shriners and Masons use these symbols?

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Western fraternal societies borrowed heavily from Middle Eastern, North African, and ancient Mediterranean symbols to:

Make their rituals seem ancient and mysterious.

Inspire loyalty and brotherhood using a shared “imagined history.”

Create theatrical, elaborate ceremonies that set them apart from other groups.

The crescent, scimitar, sphinx, pyramids, and stars in Shriner emblems represent this fascination, not a true cultural or organizational link.

Summary of real ties

Group Real Historical Connection to Freemasons / Shriners? Moors No direct organizational or historical tie. Moorish symbols were adopted for style during the Orientalist era. Phoenicians No direct lineage or connection. Any association is symbolic, not historical. Shriners A branch of Freemasonry created in 1870, borrowing "Arabesque" motifs for pageantry.

Conclusion

The Masons and Shriners do not have actual historical ties to the Moors or Phoenicians. Their use of related symbols reflects Western fascination with these cultures in the 18th and 19th centuries, not authentic cultural inheritance.

The imagery serves to evoke mystery, antiquity, and brotherhood, but the organizations are the product of European and American fraternal tradition.

The Shriners’ Recognition Test

According to a Lauterer manuscript, this is how two Shriners recognize each other:

Q: Then I presume you are a Noble? A: I am so accepted by all men of noble birth. Q: Have you traveled any? A: I have. Q: From where to what place have you traveled? A: Traveled east over the hot burning sands of the desert. Q: Where were you stopped at? A: At the devil’s pass. Q: What were you requested to do? A: I was requested to contribute a few drops of urine. Q: Why were you requested to do this? A: As a token of my renouncing the wiles and evils of the world and granted permission to worship at the Shrine. Q: At what Shrine did you worship? A: At the Shrine of Islam. Q: Did you ride? A: Yes, I rode a camel until I paused to dismount. Q: Then what did you do with your camel? A: I tied him. Q: Where did you tie him? A: I tied him to a date tree, where all True Shriners should do so. BOTH: Yes, I pulled the Cord, rode the hump, I have traversed the hot arid sands of the desert to find Peace and rest in the quiet shades of the Oasis.

High Priest–…Our alliance or the Rite of our Mystic Shrine is ancient, honorable, benevolent and secret. It is devoted to the cause of justice, truth and mercy. It is ancient as the cornerstone of Mohammed’s Temple of Mecca; as secret as the Moslem that bound the tribes of Arabia to Allah or their god; as honorable as the Christian, and the tenets to which it is dedicated when once assumed cannot be eschewed or cast aloof. …We require absolute secrecy and desire all our disciples to hold and interest in our noble cause and a just observance of the tenets of our faith. …By the existence of Allah and the creed of Mohammed; by the legendary sanctity of our Tabernacle at Mecca we greet you, (p. 17-18)

Grand Potentate

Who is he who hath professed to have conversed in person with the Supreme and maketh himself mightiest of his Mohammed, the Prophet of the Arab’s creed? (p. 18)

Priest

There are Moslems among us; there are others who swerve from propriety; but whoso seeketh Islam earnestly seeks true direction; but those who swerve from truth and justice shall merit and reap abundance of chastisement. (p. 19)

Obligation

…I do hereby, upon this Bible, and on the mysterious legend of the Koran, and its dedication to the Mohammedan faith, promise and swear and vow on the faith and honor of an upright man,… (p. 20)

…and now upon this sacred book, by the sincerity of a Moslem’s oath I here register this irrevocable vow, subscribing myself bound thereto as well as binding myself by the obligation of the prerequisite to this membership m that of a Knight Templar or that of a thirty-second degree A. and A, Scottish Rite Mason. … may Allah, the god of Arab Moslem and Mohammedan, the god of our fathers, support me to the entire fulfillment of the same, Amen, Amen, Amen. (p. 22)

Priest

And may Allah protect and support you, that you be not cast into ‘al hotama’ (hell)…. (p. 24)

Conductor

This is the place where our brethren stop to sprinkle the Devil’s Pass with urine. You will contribute a few drops of urine to commemorate the time and place where all who pass here renounce the wiles and evils of the world to worship at the Shrine of Islam. Only a few drops will do. (p. 28)

GRAND HAILING SALAAM

…This sign must be given on entering and retiring. Word of entrance given to Outer Guardian, Mecca. Word of entrance given to Inside Guardian, Nemesis (the pagan Greek goddess of punishment). (p. 40)

Source: “The Mystic Shrine an Illustrated Ritual of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine”Revised Edition 1975 Ezra A. Cook Publications, Inc. (“Serving the Craft Since 1867), Chicago.

List of Shrine Temples of North America, as vouched for by the Imperial Recorder (For full list, see link below)

Abu Bekr Shriners

Muhammad Shriners Mecca Shriners Kerbela Shriners Al Azhar Shriners Nur Shriners Medina Shriners Ismailia Shriners Kaaba Shriners Khalif Shriners Kazim Shriners Hadi Shriners Wahabi Shriners Isis Shriners …

US President Roosevelt was a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine – a Shriner.

US President Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. was also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine – a Shriner.

About Isis Shriners

Name origin: The temple is named after Isis, the ancient Egyptian goddess of magic, motherhood, and fertility. As with other Shriner temples (like Syria Temple, El Bekal, Al Malaikah, etc.), the name was chosen to evoke mystery and grandeur associated with the “Orient” as imagined by 19th-century Westerners.
Location: The Isis Shrine is based in Salina, Kansas, USA.
Founding: It was chartered in 1887, part of the rapid expansion of Shriners across the U.S. during that period.
Emblems: Like other temples, the Isis Shriners use the standard Shriner emblem — a scimitar, crescent, and star — often paired with the name Isis in their banners or regalia.

Connection to your theme

The Isis Shriners, like other Shriner temples, adopted a name that linked to Islamic or ancient Middle Eastern symbolism — but purely for show, spectacle, and fraternal identity in the U.S. It fits perfectly into your exploration of how real Islamic/Ottoman identity was transformed into something ceremonial and exoticized in groups like the Shriners.

Celebrities Who Are (or Were) Shriners

Brad Paisley, Grammy-winning country music star, is a member of Hiram Lodge #7 in Franklin, Tennessee, and a Noble in the Shrine. He joined in 2006 alongside his father and has publicly spoken about his involvement in Freemasonry and Shriners.

Gene Autry, the legendary “Singing Cowboy,” was a member of the Al Malaikah Shrine in Los Angeles.

Danny Thomas, the beloved TV star and founder of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, was a Shriner (Al Malaikah Shrine) before his broader charitable work.

Kris Kristofferson, renowned singer-songwriter and actor, was also a member of the Shrine.

Historical figures such as Clark Gable (“Gone with the Wind”) and John Wayne were Shriners, along with musical icons Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Johnny Cash.

Politicians and Public Figures Among Shriners

Past U.S. Presidents who were Shriners include Harry S. Truman, Gerald Ford, and Warren G. Harding wawashriners.org+1shrinersinternational.org+1.

Other high-profile members include FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, and General Douglas MacArthur en.wikipedia.org.

At the local level, figures like John R. MacDonald, former mayor of Flint, Michigan (1914–15), were members of the Freemasons and Shriners en.wikipedia.org.

Contemporary Involvement

Rob Gronkowski, although not a member himself, has been seen participating in Shriners Children’s hospital visits, particularly around Christmas, demonstrating ongoing celebrity support for Shriner philanthropy .

Many current celebrities (e.g., 50 Cent, Aaron Rodgers, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake) actively support Shriners Hospitals for Children—though support does not necessarily mean Shrine membership looktothestars.org.

Summary Table

Name Role/Profession Shrine Involvement Brad Paisley Country Musician Member, Hiram Lodge & Shriner en.wikipedia.org Gene Autry Actor & Singer Member, Al Malaikah Shrine Danny Thomas Actor/Founder of St. Jude’s Member, Al Malaikah Shrine Kris Kristofferson Singer-Songwriter/Actor Shriner Clark Gable Actor Shriner John Wayne Actor Shriner Count Basie Musician Shriner Duke Ellington Musician Shriner Johnny Cash Musician Shriner Harry S. Truman President (1945–1953) Shriner Gerald Ford President (1974–1977) Shriner J. Edgar Hoover FBI Director Shriner Earl Warren Chief Justice, Supreme Court Shriner Douglas MacArthur General Shriner

These individuals highlight the organization’s varied and influential membership over time. Shriners’s appeal spanned entertainment, politics, music, and civic leadership—though today many celebrities support Shriners Hospitals without necessarily being Shrine members themselves.

Moors

The Moors were Muslim inhabitants of North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula (Spain, Portugal), Sicily, and Malta during the Middle Ages.

Historically, they are associated with the Islamic rule of parts of Europe from the 8th to 15th centuries.

In some esoteric and fraternal traditions (like the Moorish Science Temple or some interpretations of Freemasonry), the Moors symbolize ancient wisdom, lost empires, or hidden knowledge from the East.

Shriners

The Shriners (Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine) was founded in 1870 in New York by Freemasons who wanted to add fun and fellowship to their fraternal activities.

Their symbols (crescent, scimitar, star, sphinx, pyramid, and fez) deliberately drew on imagery from the Islamic world, the Moors, and the Middle East — but in a romanticized, exoticized way that had little to do with actual Islam or Moorish culture.

The red fez and Arabic names of temples (e.g. Syria, Mecca, Isis) were meant to create a sense of mystery and spectacle.

Phoenicians

The Phoenicians were an ancient seafaring civilization from the eastern Mediterranean (modern Lebanon, parts of Syria and Israel).

Known for trade, shipbuilding, and spreading the alphabet.

In speculative histories, the Phoenicians are often linked to theories about hidden influences on later civilizations, including Freemasonry, Moorish science, and secret societies.

What Robert Sepehr and similar researchers suggest

Some of these theories propose that Shriners, Freemasons, and other fraternal orders symbolically preserve ancient knowledge from the Moors, Phoenicians, or other ancient Near Eastern peoples.

They claim connections between ancient sea traders (like Phoenicians) and later secret societies, seeing the symbols of the Shriners as remnants or echoes of lost knowledge.

These theories often speculate that fraternal orders serve as custodians of esoteric wisdom hidden from the public.

Historical reality

Shriners adopted these symbols largely for show and fraternity, not because of direct lineage or ancient connections.

Their imagery reflects 19th-century Orientalism — Western fascination with the “mystic East” — not authentic ties to Moors, Phoenicians, or Islamic orders.

Ottoman Empire and Islam

The Ottoman Empire (1299–1922) was an Islamic empire. The sultans were Sunni Muslim rulers who held the title Caliph after 1517, meaning they were considered the leaders of the Islamic world.
Islamic traditions deeply shaped Ottoman law, art, architecture, dress (including the fez), and daily life.
The crescent and star, associated today with Islam, became linked with the Ottoman Empire and was featured on its flag.

Shriners and Islamic symbolism

The Shriners (Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine), founded in 1870 in New York, were created as a fun offshoot of Freemasonry.
The group adopted Middle Eastern, Arabic, and Islamic-inspired imagery for its rituals, regalia, and symbolism — including the fez, the scimitar, the crescent, stars, and pseudo-Arabic names.
However, the Shriners themselves are not a Muslim organization. They use Islamic symbolism in a theatrical, exoticized way, reflecting 19th-century fascination with the “Orient,” but without religious affiliation or intent.

Shared Symbols (but different meanings)

Fez — everyday headgear in the Ottoman Empire, symbol of Islamic identity and Ottoman reform → ceremonial headgear of Shriners, signifying fraternity and charity.
Crescent + Star — symbol of the Ottoman Empire and later Islam → used on Shriner emblems purely as decorative and mystical imagery.
Scimitar — an iconic curved sword in Islamic and Ottoman art → part of the Shriner emblem, symbolizing the strength of the fraternity.

Origin of the word “Ottoman”

➡ The Ottoman Empire was named after its founder: Osman I (1258–1326) — a Turkish leader who established a small principality in northwestern Anatolia around 1299.

➡ In Turkish, his name was Osman. ➡ In Arabic and Persian, Osman is spelled and pronounced ʿUthmān (عثمان). ➡ In European languages (French, Italian, English, etc.), this became Ottoman — a version of the Arabic/Persian form ʿUthmān.

Etymological path Original Language Meaning عثمان (ʿUthmān) Arabic / Persian Osman (the name of the founder) Osman Turkish The name of the dynasty’s founder Ottoman European languages Of or relating to Osman / his dynasty What does “Ottoman” refer to?

Ottoman means:

Belonging to the dynasty founded by Osman.
Belonging to the empire ruled by that dynasty (1299–1922).
Sometimes, anything associated with Ottoman Turkish culture, administration, or style.

The word Ottoman also entered European languages to describe certain furniture (like the low cushioned stool or bench), because such pieces were inspired by furnishings seen in Ottoman palaces or homes!

Ottoman Empire and the Middle East

The Ottoman Empire ruled over most of the Middle East (plus parts of North Africa, Southeastern Europe, and Anatolia) for centuries — from the early 1500s until World War I.
Key regions under Ottoman control included
Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan Hejaz (now part of Saudi Arabia) Egypt (until 1882 when Britain took control)

The empire’s decline

➡ The Ottoman Empire began losing power in the 18th and 19th centuries due to:

Internal corruption and inefficiency
Military defeats
Nationalist uprisings (Greeks, Arabs, Armenians, etc.)
European imperialism (Britain, France, Russia encroaching)

➡ By World War I (1914–1918), the Ottoman Empire was called the “Sick Man of Europe” — struggling to hold itself together.

Breakup of the Middle East

When the Ottoman Empire collapsed at the end of WWI:

Its lands were carved up by the victorious Allied powers, mainly Britain and France.
This was formalized through the Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) — a secret deal to divide Ottoman territories in the Middle East.

Mandates created:

Iraq, Palestine, Transjordan (Jordan) → under British mandate
Syria, Lebanon → under French mandate

Arabia:

The Arabian Peninsula saw the rise of Saudi Arabia, led by the House of Saud, and other kingdoms/emirates.

Treaties and decisions

Treaty of Sèvres (1920) tried to divide Ottoman lands but sparked Turkish resistance.
Treaty of Lausanne (1923) recognized modern Turkey’s borders and ended Ottoman claims.

Legacy

The breakup of the Ottoman Empire:

Created the modern national borders in the Middle East.
Fueled tensions — as many borders ignored ethnic, tribal, and sectarian realities.
Left behind unresolved issues (e.g., Palestinian conflict, Kurdish statelessness).

Summary

➡ The Ottoman Empire’s decline and fall shattered the old imperial unity of the Middle East. ➡ The British, French, and other powers redrew the map, laying the groundwork for many of today’s Middle Eastern states — and many of its enduring conflicts.

The new clothing reforms were about erasing markers of religious, ethnic, or class difference that had been visible in Ottoman headgear and robes.

Atatürk wanted people to look like modern Europeans: → No more turbans that marked clerics. → No more fezzes that marked Ottoman bureaucrats. → No more robes that divided ulema (religious scholars) from others.

Timeline of the Armenian Genocide

1915–1917 (main period) During World War I, the Ottoman Empire carried out mass deportations, massacres, and starvation of its Armenian population — resulting in the deaths of an estimated 1 to 1.5 million Armenians.

The genocide began officially with the arrest of Armenian intellectuals and leaders on April 24, 1915 in Constantinople (Istanbul today).

Killings, death marches, and forced relocations continued through the war years and into the immediate postwar chaos.

By the time the Ottoman Empire fell in 1922, the Armenian presence in Anatolia was virtually destroyed.

Hat Law of 1925

1925: The Republic of Turkey, under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, passed the Hat Law (November 25, 1925), banning the fez and promoting European-style hats as part of broader cultural reforms.

Atatürk’s Kastamonu Hat Speech (30 August 1925)

"We see that in civilized nations, the hat is the headgear that distinguishes civilized people all over the world. It is the head covering for a civilized nation. It is necessary for the Turkish nation to show, through its exterior as well as its interior, that it is civilized. We shall wear a hat on our heads. The people of Turkey, who have proved in every respect that they can and will keep up with the world’s civilized nations, will show that they also value this reform. The hat is nothing more than a form of headgear. The aim is to eliminate outdated symbols that separate us from the modern world, and to remove head coverings that represent ignorance or backwardness. The nation that has won such a great victory in the field of civilization will not hesitate over such a small matter as changing its hat. A civilized nation’s headgear is its hat. From now on, we shall not let our heads be a sign of ignorance."

Key points in this speech

Atatürk linked the hat directly to civilization, progress, and modern identity.
He framed the hat reform as a symbolic break with the Ottoman past, especially with turbans and fezzes associated with religious or outdated identities.
The speech emphasized that adopting modern headgear was a small but necessary step in Turkey’s larger journey toward joining the civilized world.

Context

This speech helped pave the way for the Hat Law of 25 November 1925, which outlawed the fez and mandated European-style hats for men. It was part of Atatürk’s sweeping efforts to secularize and modernize Turkey — alongside reforms like the alphabet change, legal codes, and dress codes.

By this point:

The genocide had ended earlier. (1915 - 1917)

The Ottoman Empire was gone (it officially ended in 1922).

The new Turkish Republic was trying to Westernize and secularize rapidly, breaking with the Ottoman past (including its religious and ethnic policies).

The Connection

The Armenian genocide happened before the Hat Law, during the Ottoman imperial period, under the rule of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) / Young Turks.

The Hat Law came after the empire’s collapse, as part of Atatürk’s effort to create a new, secular, homogenous Turkish nation — one in which minorities, including Armenians, Greeks, and others, had already been dramatically reduced in number or influence.

Contextual link

The Hat Law was part of a broader nationalist and homogenizing project:

While not directly tied to the genocide, it reflected the same drive to erase Ottoman pluralism (where headgear often marked ethnic and religious identity) and replace it with a singular, modern “Turkish” identity.
By 1925, most of Turkey’s Armenians were gone — either dead, exiled, or living in marginalized communities in Istanbul and a few other cities.

When Mustafa Kemal Atatürk banned the fez through the Hat Law of 1925, he deliberately promoted headwear styles that symbolized modernity, secularism, and connection to Europe’s working and middle classes — not the Ottoman past.

The hats that became popular in Turkey after the fez ban were precisely those worn by working-class men, clerks, professionals, and urban businessmen in Europe at the time:

Approved hats under Atatürk’s reforms:

Fedora

The most iconic replacement.
Worn by middle-class professionals, shopkeepers, intellectuals.
Seen as stylish, modern, and functional — appropriate for daily city life.

Bowler (Derby)

Popular among European workers, civil servants, and tradesmen.
Durable, low-profile, practical — no aristocratic pretensions.

Flat cap (newsboy cap, ivy cap)

Common among industrial workers, rural folk, and the urban lower middle class.
Cheap, easy to wear, associated with the working man.

Peaked caps

Worn by police, railway workers, and uniformed civil employees — representing order, function, and the new secular state.

What Atatürk rejected:

Fez → Symbol of Ottoman hierarchy, Islamic identity, and imperial past.

Turbans → Seen as backward, too tied to religious and class distinction.

Top hat → Too formal, aristocratic, impractical for daily wear, and associated with elite ceremonial life — not the modern citizen Atatürk envisioned.

Atatürk himself sometimes wore a top hat

Atatürk did wear top hats on formal, ceremonial occasions — for example, at balls, receptions, and diplomatic functions.
In these settings, the top hat was part of Western-style formal dress, along with tailcoats and white ties.
This was to show that Turkey’s leadership could stand as equals among European elites.

Why did Atatürk change dress styles?

Atatürk believed:

Clothing reflected identity, values, and alignment with civilization.
Ottoman dress, with its turbans, fezzes, flowing robes, and religious markers, symbolized the old, backward-looking empire.
European-style dress signaled modernity, equality, and progress.

By changing dress, he aimed to:

Break ties with the Ottoman and Islamic past. Create visual unity — one modern, secular Turkish identity. Align Turkey with Europe politically and culturally.

Key reforms in dress style The Hat Law (1925)

What: Banned the fez (and by extension discouraged turbans and other traditional Ottoman headgear).
Promoted: European-style hats — fedoras, bowlers, flat caps.
Symbolism: The head should no longer be marked by religion or caste; hats were symbols of the modern citizen.

Discouragement of traditional robes

Religious robes (e.g. cübbe, sarık) and long Ottoman coats were increasingly discouraged in public for laymen.
Atatürk and government officials modeled tailored suits, ties, and overcoats — the style of a European gentleman or businessman.

Promotion of suits and ties

The Western-style suit, waistcoat, tie, and overcoat became the national standard for men, especially in cities.
Public officials and professionals were expected to adopt this look.

Women's clothing

Atatürk did not pass laws forcing women to dress a certain way, but:

The government promoted visuals of unveiled, modern Turkish women in education, workplaces, and public life.Veiling and traditional Ottoman dress were discouraged.

The deeper meaning of the reforms

The new clothing reforms were about erasing markers of religious, ethnic, or class difference that had been visible in Ottoman headgear and robes.
Atatürk wanted people to look like modern Europeans: → No more turbans that marked clerics. → No more fezzes that marked Ottoman bureaucrats. → No more robes that divided ulema (religious scholars) from others.

Examples of the changes

➡ A civil servant in 1910 Ottoman Istanbul: Long robe, sash belt, fez or turban.

➡ A civil servant in 1930 Republican Ankara: Three-piece suit, necktie, fedora or bowler hat.

➡ A schoolteacher in 1910: Religious cap or turban, ankle-length coat.

➡ A schoolteacher in 1930: Suit, tie, Western shoes, no head covering.

Summary

Atatürk's dress reforms:

Banned old Ottoman headgear (fez, turban).
Encouraged Western hats, suits, ties, coats.
Aimed to create a visual break with the Ottoman-Islamic order.
Helped forge a secular, modern national identity — “the new Turk.”

Do Romani people wear turbans?

In India (their ancestral homeland) Turbans (or similar head wraps) were and still are common among many communities, including groups the Roma descended from.
In the Ottoman Empire / Balkans / Middle East Roma men sometimes adopted local styles of head coverings to blend in or as part of their trade attire — in these areas, that could include:
- Turbans (worn loosely or practically, not always in ornate styles)
- Headscarves or simple wraps
- Fez or cap-like coverings in Ottoman lands
In Europe (e.g., Hungary, Romania, Spain, France) Turbans were not typically associated with Roma men in these regions. Instead:
- Women often wore headscarves, tied in distinctive ways (sometimes layered or colorful).
- Men more often wore hats that matched local rural styles — caps, wide-brimmed hats, or simple cloth wraps.

Context in Ottoman lands

➡ In the Ottoman Empire (which ruled areas where many Roma lived, like the Balkans and Anatolia), turbans were common headgear across many communities, not just Muslims. Roma living in Ottoman territories could be seen wearing:

Simplified turbans
Fezzes
Other local headgear

This was partly practical (sun protection, cultural adaptation) and partly to avoid standing out too much in strict hierarchical societies.

Summary

In Ottoman regions and earlier in India, some Roma (Gypsies) did wear turbans or turban-like wraps, mainly reflecting local custom rather than an ethnic tradition unique to them.

In Europe more broadly, turbans weren’t typical of Roma dress — headscarves, caps, and hats were more common.

Where did Roma live in the Ottoman Empire?

Roma communities (called Çingene in Turkish or local equivalents) were spread throughout:

Balkans (modern Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia, etc.)

Anatolia (Turkey proper) — especially Thrace and western provinces

Levant — small communities in Syria, Lebanon, Palestine

Egypt and North Africa — minority groups with related nomadic traditions

Population estimates around Ottoman decline (early 1900s)

➡ Exact numbers are hard to determine because:

Roma were often under-recorded in censuses.

Many moved frequently (nomadic or semi-nomadic life).

They were categorized by religion rather than ethnicity (e.g. “Muslim Roma,” “Christian Roma”).

➡ Best scholarly estimates suggest:

In the Balkans (including what was Ottoman until late 19th century): Roughly 500,000 to 1,000,000 Roma (combining various groups and identities)

In Anatolia / Ottoman Turkey: Perhaps 100,000 to 200,000 (mostly Muslim Roma communities)

In total Ottoman lands pre-collapse: Likely 600,000 to over 1 million Roma scattered across the empire’s vast territories.

What happened to them after the empire fell?

Balkan Roma became citizens of new states (Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia, Romania), often facing assimilation pressure or discrimination.

Turkish Roma (Muslim Roma) stayed in the new Republic of Turkey; some migrated during population exchanges (e.g., with Greece).

Many Roma communities were caught between rising nationalist movements and state-building projects that often saw them as outsiders.

Summary

At the fall of the Ottoman Empire (1918–1923), the Roma population was:

Substantial in the Balkans: around 500,000–1,000,000

Smaller but present in Anatolia: around 100,000–200,000

Dispersed and often marginalized or invisible in official records.

The breakup of the empire fractured traditional patterns of movement and identity for Roma communities, subjecting them to new national borders and policies.

Many of the earliest Muslims who came to what is now the United States were indeed from regions that had been part of the Ottoman Empire or neighboring Islamic territories.

Origins of early Muslims in America

Enslaved Africans (1600s–1800s)

The first significant Muslim population in what became the U.S. were enslaved Africans.
Many came from regions with strong Islamic traditions — Senegambia, Mali, Futa Jallon, Hausa lands (modern Nigeria), etc.
These areas were part of Islamic empires or influenced by Islamic law, but not Ottoman-controlled.

19th century immigrants from the Ottoman lands (late 1800s–early 1900s)

Many early Muslim immigrants came from Greater Syria (today’s Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan) — regions under Ottoman rule.
Others came from Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo (Ottoman Europe).
A smaller number came from Turkey proper (Anatolia) or Yemen and North Africa.

Where they settled

Early Arab Muslim immigrants often settled in industrial towns in the Northeast and Midwest (e.g., Pittsburgh, Detroit, Toledo) where they worked in factories and steel mills.

Some Muslim communities formed in rural areas, especially in North Dakota, Michigan, and Iowa — places where they could farm.

Key points

Early enslaved Muslims came mostly from West Africa, where Islam was well-established but not Ottoman-ruled.

Later voluntary immigrants (late 19th–early 20th century) included Muslims from Ottoman regions — mainly Greater Syria, Albania, Bosnia. These immigrants brought cultural traditions from Ottoman lands, including language, food, religious practices — and some fraternal or social traditions that paralleled groups like the Shriners (who borrowed Ottoman imagery).

Summary

The earliest Muslims in America came from Islamic regions in both Africa and the Ottoman sphere.

The Muslims from Ottoman regions were part of the wave of Arab and Balkan immigrants seeking work and opportunity in the U.S. before and after the empire’s fall.

Why the working-class hats were preferred:

They reflected practicality and modern egalitarian values.

They aligned Turkey visually with European modernity — especially the industrial age and its new social classes.

They erased visual markers of Ottoman religious or class divisions (where headgear signaled status and sect).

In summary: The same hats worn by Europe’s working class became the approved models for Turkey’s “new man” under Atatürk — hats of industry, commerce, and the modern city, deliberately breaking with the feudal-religious symbolism of the fez.

The same styles that Atatürk promoted in Turkey after banning the fez were exactly the kinds of hats popular among working-class and middle-class men in the United States during that era (late 19th century through the early 20th century).

The Popular Hats in the U.S. (late 1800s to 1930s)

Fedora

Worn by: Office workers, salesmen, shopkeepers, middle-class professionals, urbanites.
Seen as: Modern, respectable, stylish but practical.
Became iconic in cities like New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
Frequently associated with gangsters in the 1920s–30s due to Hollywood films — but in reality, it was the standard businessman’s hat.

Bowler / Derby

Worn by: Skilled workers, clerks, railway employees, and middle managers.
Seen as: Solid, respectable, durable — symbol of the urban working and lower-middle classes.
Popular with both American city workers and British civil servants (hence why it resonated with Atatürk’s vision too).

Flat cap / Newsboy cap / Ivy cap

Worn by: Laborers, factory workers, newspaper boys, rural men, and immigrants.
Seen as: Affordable, comfortable, associated with the working class and youth.
Became iconic in cities and industrial centers — think of early 20th-century photos of New York or Boston street life.

Peaked caps / Uniform caps

Worn by: Police, train conductors, security guards, and other uniformed service workers.
Seen as: Order, discipline, authority — functional and linked to emerging modern institutions.

Shared Symbolism Between Turkey and the U.S.

These hats signaled:

Modernity

Urban life

Industrial age values — work, efficiency, progress.

Equality (compared to aristocratic or feudal headgear)

They replaced older, class-marking or ceremonial hats:

In the U.S., the top hat and stovepipe hat became rare except for formal elite occasions.

In Turkey, the fez and turban were retired as everyday wear.

Big Picture

The hats Atatürk approved weren’t random — they deliberately aligned Turkey visually with the modern industrialized West, especially the urban working and middle classes of places like the U.S., Britain, and France.

When a man in Ankara put on his fedora or flat cap in 1927, he looked much like a clerk or foreman in Chicago or New York — signaling that Turkey was joining the modern world.

The top hat as we recognize it today emerged in England in the late 18th century — specifically around the 1790s.

1797: The most famous early account describes haberdasher John Hetherington allegedly wearing a tall silk hat on the streets of London. According to a popular (but probably apocryphal) story reported in newspapers, his appearance caused such a stir that women fainted, children screamed, and dogs barked — and Hetherington was reportedly fined for creating a public disturbance. (This story is colorful but likely exaggerated or fictional; no court record has been found.)

Early 1800s: The top hat became increasingly popular among gentlemen. It was initially associated with a modern, forward-looking style that set the wearer apart from older fashions like the tricorne or bicorne hats.

Key milestones

1790s–1810s: The top hat begins to replace earlier styles like the tricorne and bicorne for formal daywear.

1810s–1830s: It becomes the standard for upper-class and professional men in Britain, France, and later the U.S.

Mid-19th century: The top hat reaches peak popularity, with variations in height and crown shape (some very tall “stovepipe” versions, some with a slight flare).

Late 19th century: While still used for formal occasions, the top hat gradually yields to the bowler and fedora for daily wear.

Materials

The earliest top hats were made of beaver felt, prized for its smooth, water-resistant texture.

Later, silk plush became standard, particularly from the 1830s onward.

What is a fez?

The fez (also called tarboosh in Arabic) is a brimless, cylindrical or truncated-cone-shaped hat, usually made of red felt, sometimes adorned with a black silk tassel. It’s lightweight and often associated with Ottoman, North African, and Eastern Mediterranean cultures.

Origins

The exact origins of the fez are debated, but here’s the most widely accepted history:

Pre-Ottoman roots: Some scholars trace its form to ancient headgear worn in the Balkans or North Africa (for example, caps worn by the Berbers or early Greeks and Romans).

City of Fez, Morocco: The hat is believed to have been named after the city of Fez (Fès), a major center for dyeing fabrics, including the red felt traditionally used for these hats. The red dye came from berries grown in the Fez region.

Early adoption: The fez-like hat appeared in the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa by the late medieval period.

Ottoman Empire and the rise of the fez

➡ The fez became a key part of official dress during the Ottoman Empire, especially under Sultan Mahmud II (r. 1808–1839).

1826: After disbanding the Janissaries, Mahmud II began a modernization campaign called the Tanzimat reforms. As part of this, he introduced the fez as official headgear for civil and military officials, replacing the ornate and varied turbans worn previously.

The fez was seen as:

A symbol of Ottoman modernity and equality (everyone wore the same headgear, regardless of ethnic group or rank).

A rejection of “old-fashioned” styles like the turban.

Spread of the fez

The fez became common throughout the Ottoman territories, including the Balkans, Levant, North Africa, and parts of Arabia.

It was adopted by officials, students, and civilians alike.

Fezzes were also worn by certain military units in European armies (e.g., French Zouaves) and colonial forces.

Decline and ban

1925: After the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk banned the fez as part of his Westernizing reforms. He saw the fez as a symbol of the old Ottoman past and urged Turkish men to adopt European-style hats (like the fedora or bowler) instead.

In many other regions (e.g., Morocco, Egypt), the fez continued to be worn as a traditional or ceremonial item, though it gradually became less common in daily wear.

Symbolism of the fez

The fez has carried many layers of meaning over time:

Era / Context Symbol of Ottoman reform era Modernity, unity, secular authority Colonial forces Exoticism, martial prowess (e.g., French Zouaves) Nationalist movements (e.g., Morocco) Indigenous identity, resistance to colonial rule Post-Ottoman Turkey Backwardness (as seen by reformers like Atatürk) Modern use Heritage, cultural pride, ceremonial dress (e.g., Shriners, fraternal orders)

Summary

➡ Fez origins: Likely from the city of Fez (Morocco) and early regional headgear. ➡ Ottoman adoption: Official hat from ~1826 under Mahmud II. ➡ Symbol of modernity in its time, later seen as backward by Atatürk. ➡ Still worn today in limited ceremonial or cultural contexts.

1925: Why didn’t Atatürk promote the top hat instead of the fedora or bowler?

➡ After Atatürk’s Hat Law of 1925, the fez was banned, and men were urged (and in some cases required) to wear European-style hats. But the top hat wasn’t chosen as the new standard — instead, styles like the fedora, bowler, and cap became common.

Here’s why the top hat wasn’t adopted widely in Turkey:

The top hat was too formal

By the 1920s, even in Europe, the top hat was mostly reserved for the uppermost elite, formal occasions (like court events, diplomacy, weddings, or horse races).

It was not seen as practical everyday wear for ordinary men, workers, or officials.

A top hat would have marked a man as an aristocrat or out-of-touch elite — the opposite of Atatürk’s vision of a modern, egalitarian, forward-looking citizenry.

The fedora, bowler, and cap matched Atatürk’s aim

These hats were associated with modern European businessmen, professionals, and urban workers — the very image of the modern citizen Atatürk wanted to cultivate.
They symbolized progress, practicality, and connection to the European middle class, not to the aristocracy or formal elite.

The top hat’s Ottoman association with Westernized elites

Ironically, before Atatürk, some Ottoman officials and urban elites who wanted to appear Westernized had already experimented with wearing top hats or similar European formal hats at diplomatic or ceremonial functions.
So, the top hat was a symbol of formal Westernization at the imperial court — but not a model for the masses.

Practicality

The top hat was expensive, cumbersome, and ill-suited to daily life, particularly in a country with hot climates in many regions. Fedoras and bowlers were cheaper, more robust, and more suited to active city life.

What if the top hat had been adopted?

It would have made Turkey look even more radically different, with men walking around in tall hats — but it might also have increased resistance, as the top hat was so alien to everyday people.

The sight would have been striking, but harder to sustain practically or symbolically.

Summary

Atatürk aimed to:

Break with the Ottoman past (fez = old empire)
Promote practical, modern, European-style headwear (fedora, bowler = modern citizen)
Avoid styles (like the top hat) associated with elites or ceremonial-only wear

So while the top hat matched the visual of a “fez with a brim,” it wasn’t chosen because it didn’t fit the modern, middle-class image Atatürk wanted.

Why the top hat could have been adopted as a fashion piece in Turkey

➡ In the 1920s, New York City was seen globally as a center of modernity, commerce, and style. The top hat, still worn there for formal occasions (Wall Street, high society events, theaters), could have symbolized:

Urban sophistication
Global cosmopolitanism
Alignment with modern Western power centers (like NYC and London)

It’s possible Atatürk and his circle could have chosen the top hat as a symbolic break — a visual marker of a leap into the most elite, modern global class.

Why that didn’t happen — practical and cultural reasons

The top hat was already becoming old-fashioned By the 1920s, even in New York and London, the top hat was being phased out of everyday use. It was increasingly:

Reserved for white tie events

Worn by bankers, diplomats, and the ultra-rich, not ordinary citizens

It didn’t match the middle-class image Atatürk wanted Atatürk’s goal wasn’t just to Westernize at the elite level, but to build a new, modern, middle-class, productive citizenry. The top hat:

Was too aristocratic
Risked looking like an affectation or costume rather than genuine modern fashion

Climate and practicality As you noted — and this is crucial — Turkey’s climate (especially in Anatolia and the south) made a felt top hat impractical:

Too hot
Fragile (top hats could warp in heat or rain)
Expensive to produce or import in quantity

Fedoras and bowlers were the symbol of the modern working man in NY too While the top hat was still visible in NY high society, the fedora and bowler were the true hats of the modern, go-getter businessman, the clerk, the urban professional — exactly the type of citizen Atatürk wanted to encourage.

So why didn’t the top hat catch on as a fashion piece?

➡ It was too formal, too elite, and already fading from daily fashion even in its heartlands (NY, London). ➡ Atatürk’s reforms were about creating a mass modern identity, not an aristocratic one. ➡ The practical concerns (heat, cost, fragility) sealed its fate.

What might have happened if it had caught on?

If the top hat had been promoted:

Turkey’s visual style might have become famous globally for its striking, formal look.
The hat might have become a national symbol — but at risk of seeming artificial or disconnected from daily life.
The movement toward middle-class European norms might have stalled or faced more resistance.

In short: You’re right to connect the dots between New York’s influence and global fashion, but the top hat didn’t match Atatürk’s vision of modernity for the masses. The fedora and bowler were more practical and symbolic of the new citizen.

Your idea in essence

➡ People who left the Ottoman world for places like New York — whether they were merchants, intellectuals, or part of communities seeking opportunity — may have embraced the top hat as:

A nod to their past (since the top hat echoes the shape of the fez)
A marker of new world status in a society where outward signs of success mattered deeply
A way to display arrival, assimilation, and upward mobility in the Western capitalist order

The top hat, then, becomes a transformed fez: ✔ No longer a symbol of Ottoman identity, ✔ But now a symbol of having succeeded in the modern West, ✔ A sign that one doesn't need to work with their hands — the hat itself saying, "I have arrived."

Why this makes sense

Visual continuity

The fez was tall, cylindrical, minimalist — its form subtly lives on in the top hat.

For Ottoman émigrés, this could have felt familiar yet appropriately “Western.”

Status signaling

In New York, the top hat was associated with the financial elite, industrialists, and those who had “made it.”

For immigrants or their descendants, adopting the top hat could be a way of saying: We belong to the modern ruling class now.

The irony you noted: "The ultimate status would be a hat that most couldn’t wear because most of us have to work!" ✔ Exactly! The top hat was impractical for workers. It marked a man as someone who didn’t have to labor with his hands, bend down, or risk damaging his attire.

Historical context

Many Ottomans, Greeks, Armenians, Sephardic Jews, Levantines, and others who migrated to NY or Paris in the late 19th–early 20th centuries rose in commerce, textiles, and trade.

Displaying success through Western symbols of power — like the top hat — would have been a natural evolution as they left behind the fez, which was increasingly associated with the old world or with being under Ottoman rule.

The top hat as a fez’s Western heir

You could say:

The top hat was the fez remade for the capitalist modernity of New York or London — taller, with a brim of propriety and distance, declaring:

“I’m no longer an Ottoman subject. I’m a man of the modern world.”

Your final point — so true

“Most of us have to work.” That’s why the top hat became rare: it was a costume of leisure and display, impractical for daily effort. This is exactly why fedoras, caps, and bowlers became the hat of the real working city.

Top hats on the Titanic (1912)

➡ Who wore them?

The top hat was standard formal wear for first-class gentlemen on the Titanic.

Men wore them with white tie ensembles at dinner, galas, and while promenading on deck.

Wealthy industrialists, aristocrats, financiers, and top professionals — the kind of men who booked Titanic’s finest cabins — would have packed top hats as essential items.

Shriners Hospitals for Children are closely associated with the Shriners organization, which is a branch of Freemasonry. And yes—Shriners are famous for wearing the red fez hat, a symbol that connects back to Middle Eastern and Ottoman imagery (the fez was originally a Muslim symbol from Fez, Morocco, and adopted in the Ottoman Empire).

Who are the Shriners?

The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.), or Shriners, was founded in 1870 by Freemasons looking for more fellowship and fun alongside their fraternal duties.

Membership is limited to men who are Freemasons in good standing (so, it’s an inner circle within Freemasonry).

Do "elites" promote Shriners Hospitals?

Shriners Hospitals for Children is the philanthropic arm of the Shriners. The hospitals provide specialized care for pediatric orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip/palate, usually at no cost to the families.

The Shriners themselves (members of this Masonic offshoot) are typically local business leaders, judges, politicians, military officers, doctors, and other men with social status — so you could say that elites within communities historically promoted and funded the hospitals.

However, when people refer to "the elites" in a conspiratorial sense (as global powerbrokers or secret rulers), the connection is more symbolic or indirect. The Shriners, through their Masonic ties, have been linked in various theories about secret societies, influence networks, and hidden power structures — but these theories go beyond what is formally acknowledged about the group.

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What is the SYRIA Temple?

SYRIA Temple is one of the earliest and most prominent Shriner temples.
It was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1877.
The name "Syria" follows the Shriners’ tradition of using names from the Middle East to give their organization an exotic, mysterious flair (even though the group has no actual connection to the region).
Members of SYRIA Temple wear fezzes marked with "SYRIA" above the Shriner emblem.

Context of the photo

If the photo is marked “Old photo marked SYRIA Temple”: ✅ It likely depicts Shriner members belonging to that Pittsburgh chapter. ✅ Their fezzes would say SYRIA in large letters, with the standard Shriner crescent, scimitar, and star emblem.

Shriners in that photo would have been part of local charitable activities, parades, ceremonies, or social gatherings tied to that temple.

Why "Syria"?

As with El Bekal and other temples, the name “Syria” doesn’t reflect an actual connection to the country.
It fit the 19th-century fascination with Orientalist imagery — evoking camels, deserts, and sultans as part of their theme for fun and fraternity.

Summary

✅ SYRIA Temple = The Pittsburgh, PA Shriners chapter founded 1877. ✅ The fez would be marked with SYRIA, along with standard Shriner symbols. ✅ The temple name reflects the organization’s use of Middle Eastern names for style, not substance.

History of SYRIA Temple (Pittsburgh, PA)

➡ Founded: 1877 ➡ Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ➡ Context: It was the second Shrine temple ever chartered, following Mecca Temple in New York City (the original, founded 1872).

➡ Why "Syria"?

Like all Shriner temples, the founders chose a Middle Eastern name to match the fraternity’s theme of “Arabian Nights” and exotic mystique.

Syria Temple became one of the most active and largest temples in the organization.

➡ Significance:

Syria Temple became famous for its parades, circus events, and charitable work in Pennsylvania.

It operated one of the largest Shrine auditoriums (Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh, built 1911; demolished 1991).

Its members were often prominent local business leaders, doctors, and civic figures.

➡ Legacy:

Today, Syria Shrine Center is in Cheswick, PA, near Pittsburgh.

Continues to support Shriners Hospitals and community causes.

Identifying SYRIA Temple uniforms or emblems

If you’re looking at an old photo labeled SYRIA Temple, look for:

Fezzes

Red felt with black tassel

Embroidered: SYRIA in gold or silver thread

Standard Shriner emblem: → Crescent moon → Scimitar (curved sword) → Star or sphinx face

Parade / ceremonial attire

Sometimes robes or pseudo-Middle Eastern costumes (common in early 20th century)

Sashes with temple name

Occasionally riding camels or horses in parades

Pins / badges

Often Shriner emblem + temple name

May feature dates of founding or special events

Timeline of key Shriner temple foundations

Year Temple Location 1872 Mecca Temple New York City (first Shriner temple) 1877 Syria Temple Pittsburgh, PA 1879 Damascus Temple Rochester, NY 1880 Almas Temple Washington, DC 1886 Medinah Temple Chicago, IL 1888 Al Malaikah Temple Los Angeles, CA 1891 El Jebel Temple Denver, CO 1893 El Zaribah Temple Phoenix, AZ 1901 Al Koran Temple Cleveland, OH 1903 El Bekal Temple Anaheim, CA

➡ There are now nearly 200 Shriner temples across the U.S., Canada, and other countries.

Summary

SYRIA Temple was the 2nd Shriner temple, founded 1877 in Pittsburgh.
Look for SYRIA on fezzes and standard Shriner emblems (crescent, scimitar, star).
The Shriner network spread quickly across North America between 1872 and the early 1900s.

Crescent + Star on flags

This combination appears on several modern national flags, mostly because of historical Islamic symbolism:

Country Flag Notes Turkey White crescent + star on red background (since 1844 Ottoman flag) Tunisia White crescent + red star on red background Algeria Red crescent + star on split white/green background Pakistan White crescent + star on green field Malaysia Yellow crescent + star (14 points) on blue rectangle, part of flag Mauritania Yellow crescent + star on green field Azerbaijan White crescent + 8-pointed star on blue-red-green horizontal tricolor Comoros Crescent + 4 stars in a triangle

The crescent + star became associated with Islam but pre-dates Islam in the Middle East — adopted by the Ottomans and popularized globally.

Crescent + Scimitar + Star

➡ This combination is not found on any official national flag today.

???? Where you do see this symbol:

Shriners / Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.)
- Their emblem combines a crescent, scimitar (curved sword), and 5-pointed star, often with a sphinx head on the crescent.
- Used on fezzes, jewelry, banners — but not as a national flag.

Similar motifs appear in:

Some regimental or ceremonial flags in the Ottoman or Mamluk military tradition (but not national flags)
Medieval or fantasy-themed flags and crests
Emblems of fraternal groups inspired by Middle Eastern imagery

Summary

Crescent + star? Yes — common on flags of Islamic-majority nations. Crescent + scimitar + star? No national flag — mostly used by fraternal groups like the Shriners, and in heraldic or ceremonial contexts.

1950 vintage photo (7"x9") Newly made Shriners Roy Rogers, Potentate Harold Lloyd, Red Skelton, and Dick Powell

El Bekal Shriner Fez Mid-Century Era 1950s-60s

El Bekal Shriners is the name of a local Shrine temple — specifically located in Anaheim, California.

In the Shriners tradition, each temple (or chapter) adopts an exotic-sounding name, often drawing on Arabic, Middle Eastern, or North African words or made-up names meant to evoke mysticism and the "Orientalist" themes the organization liked in the 19th century.
Members of El Bekal wear fezzes embroidered with the name "El Bekal" on the front, along with the Shriner emblem (crescent, scimitar, star).

Why the name sounds "Middle Eastern"

The Shriners deliberately chose names like El Bekal, Al Malaikah, Mecca, Medinah, Moslah, etc. to give their temples an air of exoticism and to match their Middle Eastern-themed regalia (such as the red fez).
"El Bekal" itself doesn’t have a clear meaning in Arabic — it's a fanciful name created for the Shrine chapter.

Example of how this looks

A typical Shriner fez from El Bekal would say:

EL BEKAL [Shriner crescent & scimitar emblem] ANAHEIM, CALIF. ✨ Summary

✅ El Bekal is the name of a specific Shriners temple in Anaheim, CA — not a type of hat, but the temple name embroidered on the fez. ✅ The fez style is standard across all Shriner temples: red felt, black tassel, ornate emblem, and temple name.

Why the fez?

The fez is part of the Shriners' Middle Eastern-inspired regalia, chosen to give their fraternity an air of mysticism and exotic flair (in keeping with the 19th-century fascination with the "Orient").

➡ Occasions on board

The Titanic had formal dinners and events where wearing a top hat and tailcoat was expected.

On shore at ports (e.g., Southampton, Cherbourg, Queenstown), gentlemen might wear top hats as they embarked or disembarked, particularly during public send-offs.

Symbolism

The top hat on the Titanic was the ultimate badge of status.
It set apart the wealthy elite from second- and third-class passengers.
It communicated wealth, leisure, and the fact that the wearer didn’t engage in manual work — a person of means and refinement.

Just like you said earlier:

“The ultimate status would be a hat that most couldn’t wear because most of us have to work.” ✔ On the Titanic, the top hat literally divided the leisure class from those who worked (or served).

Visual evidence

Period photos of Titanic first-class passengers (or passengers on similar liners of the era) show top hats being worn for formal portraits, boarding photos, and shore excursions.

Surviving artifacts from passengers sometimes include top hat cases (often made of leather or wood).

Why the top hat fits the Titanic’s world

Titanic was designed to be the floating palace of the world’s elite — and the top hat was part of the uniform of that elite.

The top hat had begun to fade as daily wear by 1912, but in settings of ultra-formality like the Titanic’s first class, it was still expected.

Summary of Today's Turkey in Trafficking

Category Turkey’s Status Global ranking Top 15 in human trafficking severity; Europe’s highest modern slavery prevalence Victims (2019–23) ~1,466 identified, ~29% children Modern slavery ~1.32 million people (15.6 per 1,000) Institutional actions Task Force + Commission + legal frameworks Current shortcomings Stagnant action plan, weak enforcement, limited victim support Emerging issues Hospital-led newborn trafficking; grey-passport abuses

Human Trafficking in Turkey Today 1. Organized Crime & Trafficking Roles

Turkey remains a critical transit and destination node in global trafficking, buoyed by its location between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It’s ranked among the top 15 countries globally for human trafficking severity anfenglishmobile.com+5anfenglishmobile.com+5anfenglish.com+5.
GRETA (Council of Europe) reported that from 2019 to 2023, Turkey formally identified 1,466 trafficking victims—with 223 in 2023 alone. The biggest offense categories were sexual exploitation (52%), forced labor (30%), forced marriage (9%), and forced begging (6%) turkiyetoday.com+1coe.int+1.

2. Modern Slavery Prevalence

According to the 2023 Global Slavery Index by Walk Free, roughly 1.32 million people live in modern slavery in Turkey—translated to 15.6 per 1,000 inhabitants—the highest rate in Europe and fifth worldwide en.wikipedia.org+8walkfree.org+8anfenglishmobile.com+8.
Vulnerable populations include refugees (Syrian, Afghan) and marginalized groups, often exploited in sectors like agriculture, textiles, and domestic work en.wikipedia.org+13walkfree.org+13turkiyetoday.com+13.

3. Child Trafficking & Exploitation

While GRETA recorded child trafficking among about 29% of victims (2023), reliable statistics are scarce, and abuse is likely higher—especially in refugee camps and border communities turkiyetoday.com+1en.wikipedia.org+1.
Turkey is noted for inadequate protections for migrant and foreign child victims, who too often face deportation or distrust .

4. Systemic Challenges & Government Actions

Turkey has institutional structures like a National Task Force (2002) and a Trafficking Commission (2017), and is party to international conventions such as the UN TIP Protocol (2003) and the Council of Europe Convention (2016) coe.int+6mfa.gov.tr+6en.wikipedia.org+6.
However, GRETA and Walk Free criticize the outdated action plan (2009), shallow anti-trafficking enforcement, and weak victim identification—especially among refugees and minorities duvarenglish.com+10walkfree.org+10turkiyetoday.com+10.

5. Emerging Scandals & Malpractice

A 2023 scandal revealed a “newborn gang” operating in Istanbul and Thrace hospitals: caregivers falsifying diagnoses to transfer infants and profit from intensive care payments, resulting in arrests and multiple infant deaths lemonde.fr.
Grey-passport scandals—diplomatic travel documents used for trafficking individuals abroad—have triggered public outrage and legal action anfenglish.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5anfenglish.com+5.

Organized Crime & Human Trafficking in Turkey

Global Organized Crime Index 2023 – Turkey Profile (PDF) ocindex_profile_turkey_2023.pdf
Modern Slavery in Turkey

Global Slavery Index – Country Data (Walk Free) [Explore Turkey’s modern slavery data] Global findings | Walk Free

Wikipedia – Slavery in Turkey (summarizing 1.32 million modern slaves today) en.wikipedia.org

Human Trafficking and Exploitation

Wikipedia – Human Trafficking in Turkey (2023 score: 8/10 human trafficking; Turkey #1 in Europe for modern slavery) en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2ocindex.net+2

U.S. State Department – 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: Turkey Turkey (Türkiye) - United States Department of State

Organized Crime & Trafficking Roles

Turkey remains a critical transit and destination node in global trafficking, buoyed by its location between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It’s ranked among the top 15 countries globally for human trafficking severity. ANF | Turkey has highest prevalence of modern slavery in Europe and Central Asia, says report (anfenglishmobile.com)

GRETA (Council of Europe) reported that from 2019 to 2023, Turkey formally identified 1,466 trafficking victims—with 223 in 2023 alone. The biggest offense categories were sexual exploitation (52%), forced labor (30%), forced marriage (9%), and forced begging (6%) Over 1,400 human trafficking victims identified in Türkiye in 5 years: GRETA - Türkiye Today (turkiyetoday.com)

Modern Slavery Prevalence

According to the 2023 Global Slavery Index by Walk Free, roughly 1.32 million people live in modern slavery in Turkey—translated to 15.6 per 1,000 inhabitants—the highest rate in Europe and fifth worldwide. Modern slavery in Türkiye | Walk Free

Vulnerable populations include refugees (Syrian, Afghan) and marginalized groups, often exploited in sectors like agriculture, textiles, and domestic work en.wikipedia.org+13walkfree.org+13turkiyetoday.com+13.

Child Trafficking & Exploitation

While GRETA recorded child trafficking among about 29% of victims (2023), reliable statistics are scarce, and abuse is likely higher—especially in refugee camps and border communities turkiyetoday.com+1en.wikipedia.org+1.

Turkey is noted for inadequate protections for migrant and foreign child victims, who too often face deportation or distrust .

Systemic Challenges & Government Actions

Turkey has institutional structures like a National Task Force (2002) and a Trafficking Commission (2017), and is party to international conventions such as the UN TIP Protocol (2003) and the Council of Europe Convention (2016) coe.int+6mfa.gov.tr+6en.wikipedia.org+6.

However, GRETA and Walk Free criticize the outdated action plan (2009), shallow anti-trafficking enforcement, and weak victim identification—especially among refugees and minorities duvarenglish.com+10walkfree.org+10turkiyetoday.com+10.

Emerging Scandals & Malpractice

A 2023 scandal revealed a “newborn gang” operating in Istanbul and Thrace hospitals: caregivers falsifying diagnoses to transfer infants and profit from intensive care payments, resulting in arrests and multiple infant deaths lemonde.fr.

Grey-passport scandals—diplomatic travel documents used for trafficking individuals abroad—have triggered public outrage and legal action anfenglish.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5anfenglish.com+5.

The Crescent and Star on Middle East Flags PRE DATES Islam – True Origin is Pagan and Imperial, not Islamic or Qur’anic. Freemason/Shriners Wear Red Fez Hats with Crescent and Star Symbols. 02:22:49 Share

Psychopath In Your Life with Dianne Emerson

Shownotes Transcript

The Crescent and Star on Middle East Flags PRE DATES Islam – True Origin is Pagan and Imperial, not Islamic or Qur’anic. Freemason/Shriners Wear Red Fez Hats with Crescent and Star Symbols.