Why are Arab flags so similar? Roger Dunsdon considers.
Above: the Jordanian flag.
Flag of the Rebels
Arab national flags generally use the colours green, red, white and black. Why? We considered this obliquely, a month ago, in the context of Hamas. See the link below if you missed our insight on the meaning of the word ‘Hamas’.
Our title image, above, is the Jordanian flag. Blink, and you’d think this was the ‘Palestinian’ flag, but it’s not! Its similarity reminds us that the ‘Palestinian’ movement originally perceived itself as creating a larger Jordan, not an independent ‘Palestinian state’. That ambition would come later.
A bit of history: the Jordanian flag is modeled on the 1916 ‘flag of the Arab revolt’. In turn, this pertained to the pan-Arabic desire to throw off the yoke of the Turkish (Ottoman) Empire – a political objective that reached boiling point at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. The 1916 ‘flag of the Arab revolt’ was designed, rather ironically, by the much maligned British emissary Sir Mark Sykes, as discussed briefly here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Arab_Revolt . Today Sir Mark Sykes is principally associated with the Sykes–Picot Agreement, drawn up while the Great War was still in progress, and which focused on postwar partitioning of the Ottoman Empire by Britain, France, and the Russian Empire. Sykes was a key negotiator of the Balfour Declaration. Illustrated here is his Arab nationalist flag:
Above: the Arab rebellion/Sykes flag.
This Arab nationalist flag can be compared reasonably easily to the modern Jordanian flag (as title illustration, above) and the associated ‘Greater Jordan’ flag, otherwise known as the ‘Palestine’ flag, below. Readers will see it is just the white and green segments that swapped places:
Above: the present ‘Palestinian’ flag.
Ironic, perhaps, that the colours chosen for Arab Nationalism are the colours of the Bible’s four horsemen of the apocalypse (Revelation chapter 6). What might we discern from this? One to ponder …..
Palestinian flag – symbolism
Inevitably there are various ‘interpretations’ of what the flag means. The most common understanding concerning the origin of the flag entails that the colours were chosen by the Arab nationalist ‘Literary Club’ in Istanbul in 1909, based on the words of the thirteenth century Arab poet Safi a-Din al-Hili. White are our deeds, black are our battles, Green are our fields, red are our swords.
Green and black are, in any case, strongly Islamic colours. In the Quran, green is associated with paradise, supposedly the destination of all Moslems who die in Jihad. Green was adopted by the Shi’ites, and remains particularly popular in Shi’ite iconography. But it is also widely used in by Sunni states, notably in the flag of Saudi Arabia and of Pakistan.
Historically the Black Flag means the army or soldier will take no quarter. Some readers might remember the feature film “El Cid”, and the prominence of black flags in the battle sequences. A black flag means that Moslem soldiers will fight to the death and take no surrender. They reject any peaceful end other than the complete and total desolation of their enemy. The Black Flag means, at its most basic, kill or be killed.
Other flags share the basic colour scheme
Oman and Iran might be viewed for comparison, albeit most Islamic countries share these basic colours. “White are our deeds, black are our battles, Green are our fields, red are our swords”:
White are our deeds
It is interesting that in Islamic lore, the Umma is seen as being ‘justified’ by it’s practical deeds, these being ‘white’, that is, in accordance with the will of Allah. In turn, this fuels the belief that military jihad not only achieves with will of Allah, but is also ‘holy’, or ‘white’.
Black are our battles
Islam can fairly be described as the preeminant military religion. It’s founder, Mohammad, was personally involved in twenty nine razzias, and is thought to have porsonally fought in nine. Precise numbers are debated, but this is a view from Pakistan: https://www.studocu.com/row/document/lahore-school-of-economics/islamic-studies/how-many-battles-did-the-prophet-muhamma/31069034 . Tragically, history records much fighting in the name of Islam, which continues to this day.
Green are our fields
Much of Arabia is parched, and difficult to farm economically. This idea of ‘greenness’ points towars the Islamic ideal of ‘paradise’, or ‘Jannah’. Some backgound here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jannah From a Christian perspective, Jannah underscores the idea of salvation by works, something that Christianity fundamentally rejects. Christians understand salvation is solely by Grace, based on the finished work of Jesus, achieved on the cross of crucifixion. See Ephesians 2: 8-9. https://www.gotquestions.org/by-grace-through-faith.html
Red are our swords
This hardly requires comment. It serves to underscore the military nature of Islam. A major (650+ pp) study of Islam in the context of Jihad, is Patrick Sookhdeo’s “Global Jihad – the future in the face of militant Islam” (2007). It remains highly relevant today.
We must ponder how many westerners presently marching under the Hamas flag (for that is what the ‘Palestinian’ flag has morphed into) have any concept of the iconography underpinning it. Would they care, even if they did know?
A Christian comment
As we compare the ambitions of Islam versus true, biblical Christianity, we remind ourselves that the Lord Jesus is known today as “the Prince of Peace”. Further thoughts on this here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Prince-of-Peace.html
The wonderful book of Proverbs reminds us: “do not envy a violent man or choose his ways. For the Lord detests a perverse man, but takes the upright into his confidence”. (Proverbs 3:32). We praise God for that!
Across the world today so many march under the ‘Hamas’ flag, in ignorance of its iconography, and how this speaks directly into the evil events that occurred during the Simchat Torah Massacre on 07 October 2023. If ‘Hamas’ means ‘violence’ (and it does – see link below), then assuredly a judgment awaits, not just of its actual perpetrators, but of all those who stand in admiration of it. So many westerners have chosen the way of violence. They must not be surprised (althought they will be) at the inevitable consequence. We allow Proverbs to have the final say: “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life. But violence overwhealms the mouth of the wicked” (Proverbs 9:11).
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An interesting left-wing ‘take’ on recent antisemitism:
https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2023-10-21/us-leftist-responses-simchat-torah-massacre
So what, precisely, is ‘Palestine’?
https://christiancomment.org/2021/02/24/palestine-precisely-what-do-you-mean/
Hamas and violence – a symbiotic relationship:
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