Americans: Can someone explain to me the purpose of Shriners?

[alf2]

:salam2:
Insha allah everyone is well in health & iman,

Okay so my father always taught me to donate money to Shriners because they give money to kids hospitals. I saw some Shriners today on the side walk and dropped some money in their can and something caught my eye: The jacket he was wearing said "YAARAB" and it had a scimitar and a moon or something.

Shriners have always confused me because they wear a Fez hat, they say salaam alaykum to each other and then this confuses me even more. I also found out they go to "temples"

What the heck is going on with these people????

 

[ShahnazZ]

:salam2:,

They're a mystical order also known as the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Have you ever heard of the Freemasons? They're an appendant body of the Masons and have this huge temple in DC. I don't believe they're Muslims predominantly, more so just Middle-Eastern themed.

Here's what Wikipedia says about them:

The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry (except in Arkansas). In 2010, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, as well as Shriners North America, changed its name to Shriners International, now covering nearly 200 temples (chapters) across North America, South America, Europe and Southeast Asia.[1] The organization is best known for the Shriners Hospitals for Children it administers and the red fezzes that members wear. The organization is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.[2] Shriners International describes itself as a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth. There are approximately 340,000 members from 195 temples (chapters) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Republic of Panama, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Europe and Australia.

 

[alf2]

:salam2:,

They're a mystical order also known as the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Have you ever heard of the Freemasons? They're an appendant body of the Masons and have this huge temple in DC. I don't believe they're Muslims predominantly, more so just Middle-Eastern themed.

Here's what Wikipedia says about them:

The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry (except in Arkansas). In 2010, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, as well as Shriners North America, changed its name to Shriners International, now covering nearly 200 temples (chapters) across North America, South America, Europe and Southeast Asia.[1] The organization is best known for the Shriners Hospitals for Children it administers and the red fezzes that members wear. The organization is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.[2] Shriners International describes itself as a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth. There are approximately 340,000 members from 195 temples (chapters) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Republic of Panama, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Europe and Australia.

Free masons and masonry have always confused me.
Basically, are Free Masons bad?

 

[Aapa]

Assalaam alaikum,

Here I go again:

Shriners can be fun loving men who volunteer to do good works. They help with fundraising. They have the parades. Remember good old Fred Flintstone. He would wear that crazy hat.

Now..here comes the fun part. All Freemasons are Shriners, but not all Shriners are Freemasons. When we enter the ream of Freemason you go down a tricky road.

Many of the early presidents were Freemasons. Gotta go to the English and the whole Druid thing. We are looking at branches from the trees.

Many Freemasons have secrets and some are thought to be Luciferians. There is much out there that connects them to the Illuminati.

And if you go down that road you get into the Skull and Bones club.

Once you enter the caverns of these "occult" groups it gets crazy. Everyone loves to fold that one dollar bill.

 

[ShahnazZ]

Free masons and masonry have always confused me.
Basically, are Free Masons bad?

You know, I really don't know.

As an institution, the Freemasons seem to really contribute alot to society. Plus, it's clear that their influences are everywhere.

In terms of bad for Muslims, I know that there are Muslim Masons and that the core of the Brotherhood is about the One Creator, but some of their rituals have made me wonder if it's compatible with Islam. Nevertheless, it's definitely interesting.