The flag of Afghanistan not only tells a lot about the country, but also is associated with some interesting facts of world history.
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The modern flag of Afghanistan has been used for several years, but it had many predecessors that cannot be overlooked when studying its origin. The first official standard on the territory was the banner of the Durran Empire. Tricolor with horizontal white-green stripes of equal sizes was used from 1747 to 1823.
After the emir Abdur-Rahman came to power, the cloth changed radically. In the first twenty years of rule, black was used as the state flag, without inscriptions and images. In 1901, Habibullah Khan came to power, who slightly changed his father’s banner. The new flag of Afghanistan carried a white seal of the emirate on a black background. Under the reign of Amanullah Khan, the cloth was again changed. The rays, which came in the form of an octagram, were supplemented by printing. Such an image was used until 1926.
After that, the country became a kingdom. The first royal flag of Afghanistan was also black, rays disappeared around the seal, and the state emblem was noticeably increased in size. Finally, in 1928, for the first time in history, a tricolor appears with the combination of colors that is used to this day. At the time of its appearance, its interpretation was as follows: the black color represents the past, the struggle for sovereignty is the red line and the hope for the future is green. It is believed that such a flag of Afghanistan appeared after Amanullah Khan visited Europe.
Appearance story
The current banner was adopted in 2002. Minister Abdul Vakil Omari noted that, as before, the tricolor symbolizes various eras. The modern flag of Afghanistan, whose photographs and drawings are widely used in the country, was developed on the basis of the standard adopted by Khan Amanullah. It was intended to emphasize the difference between the new state and the monarchical state, which existed from 1930 to 1973, and at the same time recalls the ancient panels, exact copies of which can be found in museums. They are connected with the times when this territory belonged to Persia and Shah Abbas.
Modern look
So, what does the current flag of Afghanistan look like? The meaning of this symbol is directly related to history, therefore the first vertical strip on the banner is black, it is a monarchical color. Then there is a red stripe of the same size, followed by a green one. In the center of the banner is the emblem of Afghanistan, developed during the time of the emirs. It is performed in yellow or gold colors. The emblem depicts a mosque and a prayer rug directed towards it for religious activities facing Mecca. Above the figure is an inscription made in Arabic with a sacred meaning. On the sides are two flags that represent the state of Afghanistan, they are both attached to the mosque. Under it is written the name of the country in Arabic, the text is surrounded by sheaves of wheat.
Color meaning
According to the official interpretation, the black bar indicates the nineteenth century, the times of occupation, red is associated with the struggle for independence, and green symbolizes the acquisition of sovereignty. According to another explanation, the dark color reminds of the former Afghan flags. It is also believed that red was copied from the flag of the Soviet Union. Finally, the traditional interpretation of green explains it as a shade of Islamic religion. It is in this sense that it is used in the symbolism of most Arab and Muslim countries. An interesting fact is associated with black. Flags made entirely in one shade without a pattern are used very rarely, which makes the standard of the old times unique.
State emblem
It is impossible to fully understand the heraldry of the country on only one banner. The most important symbols representing Afghanistan are the flag and coat of arms, so the latter is also worth exploring. It was adopted in the mid-twentieth century, but the fall of the royal regime brought some changes to its appearance. In 2002, when the interim government collaborated with America, the old coat of arms was returned for some time. Below is the date - 1298, which according to the Islamic calendar corresponds to 1919, when sovereignty was proclaimed. Shahada is depicted above, it is a Muslim creed, which sounds like "There is no deity but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet." Saying these words is an important duty of every follower of Islam. The shahada is illuminated by the rays of the rising sun. Below are the words “Allahu akbar”, and between them is a symbolic drawing of a mosque that faces Mecca. On the sides are Afghan flags, and the frame is rows of wheat ears that are intertwined with ribbon. The emblem of the country is the richest Muslim symbolism and almost does not express any other features of the country it represents.