Surah Al-Furqan

A candle flickers in the silence of the lodge. A Freemason opens an ancient book and reads words about light separating darkness, about truth distinguishing itself from illusion. For a brief moment, everything falls into place: this power of discernment — this ability to see clearly — is precisely what he seeks within these walls. In the twenty-fifth Surah of the Quran, known as Al-Furqan or The Criterion, we encounter a theme that runs through all spiritual traditions and resonates deeply with the inner journey of the Freemason. The Heart of The Criterion Surah Al-Furqan takes its name from the Arabic word that denotes the ability to separate truth from falsehood, good from evil, light from darkness. The Surah opens with praise for the Creator who bestowed this power of discernment upon humanity as a gift. This is no trivial matter: the capacity to truly distinguish what is true and good forms the foundation of every spiritual quest. In the Islamic tradition, this criterion refers to divine revelation itself — the standards by which a person can determine the course of their life. But its meaning reaches far beyond any single religious context. At its core lies a universal human […]