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The
Meaning of the Flag |
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RED: The Khawarij were the first
Islamic group to emerge after the assassination of Caliph Uthman III,
forming the first republican party in the early days of Islam. Their
symbol was the red flag. Arab tribes who participated in the conquest
of North Africa and Andalusia carried the red flag, which became the
symbol of the Islamic rulers of Andalusia (756-1355). In modern times,
red symbolizes the Ashrafs of the Hijaz and the Hashemites, descendants
of the Prophet. Sharif Hussein designed the current flag as the flag
of the Arab Revolt on June 1916. The Palestinian people raised it
as the flag of the Arab National movement in 1917. In 1947, the Arab
Ba'ath Party interpreted the flag as a symbol of the liberation and
unity of the Arab nation. The Palestinian people readopted the flag
at the Palestinian conference in Gaza in 1948. The flag was recognized
by the Arab League as the flag of the Palestinian people. It was further
endorsed by the PLO, the representative of the Palestinians, at the
Palestinian conference in Jerusalem in 1964.
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BLACK: The Prophet Mohammad (570-632)
In the seventh century, with the rise of Islam and subsequent liberation
of Mecca, two flags - one white, one black - were carried. On the
white flag was written, "There is no god but God (Allah) and
Mohammad is the Prophet of God."
In pre-Islamic times, the black flag was a sign of revenge. It was
the color of the headdress worn when leading troops into battle.
Both black and white flags were placed in the mosque during Friday
prayers.
The Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258), ruling from Baghdad, took black as
a symbol of mourning for the assassination of relatives of the Prophet
and in remembrance of the Battle of Karbala.
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WHITE: The Umayyad Dynasty (661-750),
Damascus
The Umayyads ruled for ninety years, taking white as their symbolic
color as a reminder of the Prophet's first battle at Badr, and to
distinguish themselves from the Abbasids, by using white, rather than
black, as their color of mourning.
Mu'awia Ibn Abi Sufian (661-750), founder of the Umayyad state, proclaimed
himself Caliph of Jerusalem.
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GREEN: The Fatimid Dynasty (909-1171),
North Africa
The Fatimid Dynasty was founded in Morocco by Abdullah Al-Mahdi, and
went on rule all of North Africa.
They took green as their color, to symbolize their allegiance to Ali,
the Prophet's cousin, who was once wrapped in a green coverlet in
place of the Prophet in order to thwart an assassination attempt.
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