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Shi'ite Religious Flags (Iraq)

Part 1

See also:

Qamar Bani Hashim Flag

image located by William Garrison, 27 February 2021

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/681521356091292094/

Caption: a red/white "Qamar Bani Hashim" flag; c. Sept. 2017. A Shiite-Muslim flag with the slogan: "Ya Qamar Bani Hashim", which implores that the spirit of "Qamar Bani Hashim" hear the pleas of oppressed Shiite Muslims and ask Allah for his support in their defense. "Qamar Bani Hashim" is also known as "Al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib" and "Abu al-Fadhl", and was a son of Ali (who was the first Shia Imam and the fourth Caliph of Sunni Muslims). Abbas/Qamar was killed c. Oct. 680 CE at the Battle of Karbala where he served as the flag carrier for Imam Hussain. He is buried in Karbala, Iraq. In Dec. 2020 it was revealed that Iran had established a new Popular Mobilization Force (Arabic: الحشد الشعبي‎ ... al-Ḥashd ash-Shaʿbī) militia called "Qamar Bani Hashim" in the village of Hatla in eastern Syria; the militia is comprised mainly of Iranian and Afghani fighters and Syrian residents who have adopted Shi'ism.
William Garrison, 27 February 2021

image located by William Garrison, 31 May 2024
Source: https://www.scottishahlulbaytsociety.org/holy-flag-of-hazrat-abbas/

A copy of the "Haram of Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas" red-field flag that is usually flown at his shrine in Karbala, Iraq, as gifted to the "Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society", in June 2017. The white Farsi slogan reads, in English: "Ya/Oh, Qamar Bani Hashem", an epithet/nickname for him meaning: "'moon of the Hashemites" – as he is often described as tall and handsome, and having inherited the boldness and bravery of his father "Ali ibn Abi Talib", and always bravely carrying the Ali clan flag on the battlefield. Essentially, this flag represents an appeal to al-Abbas for his spiritual intervention in helping distressed Shiites. There appears to be a hidden flag-pole sleeve at the left hoist side of this flag. The "Al-Abbas Shrine" (Arabic: حَرَم أَبِي ٱلْفَضْل ٱلْعَبَّاس, romanized: Ḥaram ʿAbī al-Faḍl al-ʿAbbās) is the mausoleum of "Abbas ibn Ali" and a mosque, located near the "Imam Husayn Mosque" in Karbala, Iraq. Abbas was the son of "Ali ibn Abi Talib" and the half-brother of Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn/Hussain.
William Garrison, 31 May 2024

image located by William Garrison, 22 August 2024

Source: https://www.facebook.com/786SalamAbbasYaMOla/

"Ya Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas" red flag
A Shia-Muslim flag with the Arabic slogan (when read from right-to-left): "Ya Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas" or in English: "Oh, Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas"; c. June 2015. This flag implores the spirit of "Al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib" or "Abbas bin Ali" to assist troubled Shiites. He was also known by other "nicknames" or "kunya" as: "Abu al-Fadl" meaning "Father of Virtue", and as "Qamar Bani Hashim" meaning: the "Moon of Banu Hashim", due to his unparalleled handsomeness and captivating presence. He was killed at the Battle of Karbala (Oct. 680 CE) while trying to obtain water for the thirsty children in the camp (earning him another kunya of "al-Saqqa" or "water carrier") of his stepbrother: Imam Hussain, who was also martyred there. Due to his bravery during battle, he earned the sobriquet of "shir-i ghazi " or "lion-warrior". Al-Abbas was not an "Imam" ("successor" of rule) of the Shia, but he had the honorary title of "Hazrat Abbas" meaning: "pious Abbas". Of interest to vexiollogists, as he carried the flag of his clan during battle, he also earned the kunya of: "Alam-d'ar" or "standard bearer". [The "Liwa Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas", also known as the "al-Abbas Brigade" or "Qaeda Quwwat Abu Fadl al-Abbas", is a Syrian "Twelver Shia Muslim" militia operating throughout Syria. c. 2020s]
William Garrison, 22 August 2024

image located by William Garrison, 23 August 2024

Source: https://shiawaves.com/english

A red Shia-Muslim flag with a three-line white Arabic slogan that reads (from right-to-left): نحن والحسين وطن or (from top-to-bottom) "nahn walhusayn watan" or in English as: "We and Husayn are a Homeland"; c. 10 August 2024. Seen being carried along the 500km parade route from Basra to Imam Hussain's shrine in Karbala, Iraq. Other possible romanized spellings for "Husayn" include "Hussain" and "Hussein". Husayn ibn Ali was martyred at the Battle of Karbala in October 680 CE.
William Garrison, 23 August 2024

image located by William Garrison, 31 August 2024

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/603552787593821099/

"Ali: Lord of the Kaaba flag"
A Shia-Muslim flag with the large white Arabic name of "Ali" [ عليٌ is pronounced as "ilee"] in commemorating him as the "Lord of the Kaaba" – which is Islam's holy shrine ( al-Ka'ba al-Musharrafa) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. "Ali bn Abi Talib” (c. 600-661 CE) was the Muslim prophet Mohammad's cousin and son-in-law, and he was the fourth Sunni-Muslim "caliph" (political-religious leader of the Muslim "ummah" or "community"), as well as the first Shia-Muslim "Imam" (political-religious leader). At the top of this flag there is in green the Arabic word for God: "Allah". This flag can be readily identified as a Shiite flag, as flanking his name at both sides, there are 2 two-pronged swords that are known as: "Zulfiqar". Shiites contend that this sword was originally carried by Mohammad, who later gave it to Ali. The Shia argue that Mohammad's action of giving his sword to Ali reinforces their claim that Mohammad was favoring Ali as his successor. Both swords have a slogan on the blade that reads: "There is no Hero but Ali, and there is no sword but the Zulfiqar" [this phrase was not actually on the sword, but is shown today in various Zulfiqar imageries]. Shiites believe that Ali was born inside the Muslim holy shrine: the Kaaba, hence, the reference on this flag of the slogan below his name: "Lord of the Kaaba." Prior to Ali's birth, Mohammad had already cleaned the Kaaba of dozens of stone god-figurines. After Ali's birth, Shia legend maintains that Mohammad saw the baby Ali outside the Kaaba and predicted that Ali would follow him in ridding Arabia of other false stone deities. Many years later, following Ali's ascension in leading the Muslim community, Ali extirpated idolatry and polytheism from Arabia with his sword called Zulifqar. To the left of his name is the small complimentary "salawat" or "durood" (a salutation or complimentary phrase or prayer) of "peace be upon him" (PBUH), an English translation of the Arabic phrase: "alayhi as-salām". [info: https://www.reddit.com/r/shia/comments/16ch89w/a_question_about_imam_alis_birth_in_the_kaaba/]
William Garrison, 31 August 2024

Other Shi'ite Religious Flags

An incident in Baghdad reported in the Washington Post of August 14, 2003, ("Flag Is Flash Point In A Baghdad Slum: Perceived Insult Ignites Anti-U.S. Unrest," by Anthony Shadid, p. 11) has some interesting information on religious flags displayed by Iraqi Shi'ites. The August 13 incident arose when a U.S. military helicopter knocked down a flag that Shi'ites had placed on a transmission tower in Sadr City (formerly Saddam City), the huge, Shi'ite populated slum in Baghdad. US commanders have apologized for the incident, which led to the killing of one Iraqi. The article mentions the following flags:

"... black flag that fluttered atop the tower, inscribed in white letters with the name of one of Shiite Islam's most revered figures."
"... this is our faith. This flag, it represents our faith."
"Footage of the incident aired by the satellite news channel Al- Arabiya clearly showed a helicopter hovering for several seconds near the flag, which bore an inscription of a 9th Century descendant of the prophet Muhammad known as the Mahdi."
"Within hours, youths had climbed the transmission tower, bedecking it in red, green, white and black flags, colors symbolic of suffering and martyrdom and resonant in Shiite Islam. Most bore the inscription of the Mahdi, and youths waved the flags past sunset."

Comment: The Mahdi ("guided one") in this context is Muhammad al- Muntazar (meaning "the Expected One"), the 12th and last of the imams recognized by mainstream Shi'a Islam. He is also referred to the "hidden imam" and the "lord of the age." An eleventh generation descendant of the prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali, Muhammad al-Muntazar is said to have disappeared in A.D. 878 into the cave above which the great mosque of Samarra now stands. Shi'a faithful believe he is still hiding in the cave and will return in the final days to restore true Islam and spread the faith to the entire world. It is not clear from the news report exactly what the inscription on the flag said, whether just the name or one or more of the Mahdi's titles as well.
Joseph McMillan, 15 August 2003

Shia Battle Flags

image by Eugene Ipavec, 23 Nov 2010

A flag sold on Ebay. The seller claims that his army team discovered that this fabric-banner was used as a 'battle flag' by the Iraqi-Shia-cleric 'Sadr Army' uprising against the U.S.-led military occupation forces in Iraq. True, M. Sadr (a young Shia religious-political leader friendly with the Iranian fundamentalist government) was also rebelling against the Shia-lead government of Iraq.

Anyway, this fabric item isn't so much of a 'flag' as it is a portion cut from a long bolt of cloth with a repeating religious design. While I don't read Arabic, from my other insights, this design appears to honor the tomb-shrine of the major Shia 'saint': Imam Hussain/Husayin -- who was killed at the battle of Kerbala/Karbala about 730 C.E. Perhaps this American soldier/unit tore it off of some makeshift flagpole, or perhaps merely ripped it down off some wall (because there appear to be tear marks in the upper left & right corners of this item). Anyway, some Shia militiaman might have just grabbed this (or any) religious fabric and made an impromptu "flag."
William Garrison, 23 Nov 2010

image by Eugene Ipavec, 12 December 2010

A flag sold on Ebay. The seller claims his U.S. Army unit captured it during some battle/raid involving Shia militants who were opposing the U.S.-led military 'occupation' of Iraq. As I mentioned in an earlier email, this piece of fabric contains some slogans honoring (most likely) some Shia religious figure (saint), such as their Imam Hussain/Husyain (depending upon your preferred spelling of Arabic words). Interesting, this fabric/flag uses 3 different styles or script of Arabic. Normally, this fabric comes from a bolt of cloth (as in making a dress, etc.), from which you cut off the portion you want -- to hang in a mosque or at home. I'm not too sure how 'picky' you want to be in defining what a 'flag' is; if a piece of design-cloth is carried/waved by a militiaman does it make the fabric a 'flag'? I suppose some enthusiastic militant could have torn this down off a wall and tacked it to some makeshift flag-pole to taunt the soldiers.
William Garrison, 23 November 2010

This banner/flag pertains to the Shia/Shiite-Muslim martyr ("shaheed") "Hazrat al-Abbas", who was killed at the battle of Karbala in 680 CE. "Al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib" was also known as "Abu al-Fadl" ("Father of Virtue"). He was the son of "Ali ibn Abi Talib", the fourth caliph in Sunni Islam and the first imam in Shia Islam. Abbas fought as the standard-bearer of his half-brother "Husayn/Hussain ibn Ali" in the "Battle of Karbala" in Oct. 680. He was killed in a desperate attempt to bring water from the Euphrates River to quench the unbearable thirst of besieged family members living in their tent encampment. The top red line translates as: "Peace be upon you, O stalker of the thirsty of Karbala". The middle green line reads: "May peace be upon you, Oh, moon of Bani Hashim", as one of his epithets was "Qamar Bani Hashim" (lit. 'moon of the Hashemites'), as he is often described as tall and handsome. The bottom white line reads: "Oh, Allah, bless the martyr Imam Abbas."
William Garrison, 6 January 2024

Popular Mobilization Militia Unit

image located by William Garrison, 18 October 2017

Flag, Iraq, Shia Muslim, Popular Mobilization Militia Unit, outside Kirkuk, c. Oct. 2017. Several different flags are shown. I believe that neither white flag refers to a specific militia unit, but is a generic Shiite Muslim flag that can be used in many different Shia religious parades. In general, these religious-oriented flags are beseeching Shia martyr Imam Husain/Hussein (killed at "Battle of Karbala/Kerbala") to help some Shiite cause in overcoming some adversary.
Source: http://www.al-monitor.com/
William Garrison, 18 October 2017

image located by William Garrison, 3 September 2021

From https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/war-flags-rages-divided-iraq:
Iraqi Shiite militants wave flags near the town of Jurf al-Sakhr, Iraq on 30 October 2014. I believe the top green flag shows Hazrat Abbas, the left black one shows Imam Husain, while I cannot translate the yellow one.
William Garrison, 3 September 2021

Imam Hussain/Hussein, Ashura memorial ceremony

Seen at https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/an-iraqi-shiite-muslim-fixes-a-huge-black-flag-beside-news-photo/3003467

An Iraqi Shiite Muslim fixes a huge black flag beside colorful ones in a street of Baghdad's Shiite neighborhood of Kazemiya 22 February 2004. Muslim Shiites in Iraq started preparations to mark Ashura, the day when Imam al-Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammed was killed in Karbala, 100 kms south of Baghdad, in 680 AD. The Shiites will freely mark Ashura 02 March 2004 for the first time since the ouster of Saddam Hussein. AFP PHOTO/Marwan NAAMANI (Photo credit should read MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP via Getty Images)

The middle line reads: "Ya, Hussain" or "Oh, Hussain", which is an appeal to Shia religious martyr Imam Hussain (sometimes spelled "al-Hussein" depending upon Arabic or Farsi) to come to the assistance of oppressed Shiite Muslims.

source: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/an-iraqi-shiite-muslim-fixes-a-huge-black-flag-beside-news-photo/3003467
William Garrison, 11 November 2019

Seen at https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/shiite-muslim-pilgrim-walks-carrying-a-flag-depicting-the-news-photo/1053759518?adppopup=true

A Shiite flag depicting the Muslim Prophet Mohammed's cousin Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (center) and his two sons Imam Hussein/Husain (right) and his brother, Abbas (left with the hat feathers), near Baghdad on the way towards the central holy Iraqi city of Karbala on October 26, 2018, ahead of the Arbaeen religious festival which marks the 40th day after Ashura, which commemorates the seventh century killing and martyrdom of the revered Imam Hussein/Husain. (Photo by Ahmad AL-RUBAYE / AFP) (Photo credit should read AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images)
William Garrison, 3 September 2021

Seen at https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/shiite-muslim-pilgrims-march-from-baghdad-to-the-shrine-news-photo/108214180?adppopup=true

A Shiite-Muslim religious flag depicting Imam Husain/Hussein; c. Jan. 2011 near Karbala, Iraq.
William Garrison, 3 September 2021

image located by William Garrison, 23 February 2022
From https://imamhussain.org/english/newsandreports/19718

There are two flags (with the Iraq national flag in the middle) that appear to be related to the [Shia-Muslim] "Imam Hussein Holy Shrine" at a conference on March 28, 2017 at the Karbala, Iraq shrine. The red flag appears to show a yellow logo of the shrine, while the green flag has a "khamsa" or "hamza" (hand logo) of the Husayn/Hussain family. The "Imam Husayn Shrine" or the "Place of Imam Husayn ibn Ali" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imam_Husayn_Shrine, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanization_of_Arabic: Maqām al-ʾImām al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlīy) .
William Garrison, 23 February 2022