Influence on Flags

The colors of the flags of many Muslim nations feature at least two of four colors that were used to symbolize the dynasties that ruled sprawling Middle Eastern empires that spanned from the west coast of Africa to Turkmenistan. Each dynasty flew a different banner. The first among them was the Umayyad Dynasty, who flew a white banner. Second was the Abbasid Dynasty under black. Third came the Fatimid Dynasty, under a green banner. The colors of the banners representing these three dynasties have become a part of those nations today because each dynastic family was said to have descended from Muhammad by either a common ancestor, from his daughter and son-in-law, or an uncle. Additionally, because of the many red flags of the Persian nations, white, black, green, and red became the defining colors of Muslim nations.

Also on many Muslim flags is the Red Crescent, which was widely used in substitution of the Red Cross in anticipation of possibly alienating Muslim soldiers during the Russo-Turkish War. Though it had been used in Turkey and Egypt before, it has since been adopted widely.

 

 

In 2006 Darius, Creator of COLOURlovers visited with the Non-Profit CARE to visit their projects in Kabul Afghanistan. Some of the few thousand widows CARE was providing food staples too can be seen wearing their blue chadri. The Afghan chadri covers the woman's entire face except for a small region about the eyes, which is covered by a concealing net or grille.