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Afghanistan

by Jaume Ollé, APR-1998
Flag and coat-of-arms adopted 2nd December 1992

N.B.: Even though the Taliban control most of the territory -including its capital, Kabul, since 1996- the United Nations Organization still recognizes the previous regime (which still controls some territory) and flies the green-white-black tricolour with the gold arms. We have followed this criterion here.

Explanation of the flag
The Taliban regime
- Shahada (Kalima)
A comprehensive political and vexillological history of Afghanistan
A summarized chronology of past flags
Air Force Roundel
Pakhtunistan and Waziristan
Hazarajat/Hazaristan

Explanation of the flag

The official flag is three horizontal stripes of green, white, black with the coat of arms over all in the centre. The arms are based on previous pre-Communist models and contain a representation of a mosque within a wreath of wheat-ears. Above the wreath is the shahada, the Moslem confession of faith, and also (in very small letters) the slogan Allahu Aqbar (God is Great). Beneath is the date 1371 in the Islamic calendar (=1992 AD) and the name Islamic State of Afghanistan all in gold. Around all this are two curved sabres. The flag dates from 2 December 1992. Prior to this there was a provisional version with the slogans (the shahada and Allahu Aqbar) in white letters on the green stripe and black letters on the white stripe. Old versions of the flag tend to linger on: at the UN HQ which I visited in 1992 they still had the pre-1987 flag flying.

William Crampton

Wheat is not only the heritage of communism, but is also a reminder of the legend that the first Aryan king Yama, and the first Afghani king Ahmed-shah were crowned with it.

Zeljko Heimer, 17-FEB-1996

The Taliban regime

According to Abu Mujahid of the Taliban

by Jaume Ollé, 07-ABR-1998

According to Flag Bulletin

by Jaume Ollé, 07-ABR-1998

Initial plain white flag

by Antonio Martins, 23-OCT-1997

In 1996 the Taliban regime, which had been waging a guerilla war throughout Afghanistan since the Russians left, took over the capital, Kabul. The flag (at least initially) was a plain white banner. The white flag was displayed by the Taliban's military vehicles, as could be seen in several TV images.

Whitney Smith in Flag Bulletin no. 177 (reprinted in SAVA Newsletters) said that Afghanistan now flies a white flag with the Shahada inscribed on it in green. This may have been introduced officially on 27 October 1997 along with the official name change (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). The FB showed the new flag as 2:3 but gave no figure. We are not even sure when the change occurred, only that it is being used at border posts and when the emir visited Pakistan. It is shown at the Taliban's homepage.

According to information supplied by Abu Mujahid of the Taliban to Jaume Ollé about the national flag, the ratio is 1:2 and the Arabic writing on it is black and not green. This source said that the one in black is the official flag, and that it was introduced two days before the date in FB, ie. on October 25th 1997.

The UN still recognizes the previous regime (the so-called Northern Alliance which still controls some territory) and flies the green-white-black tricolour with the gold arms.

(This is a summary prepared with contributions by Ivan Sache, Dave Martucci, Jaume Ollé, and Jan Oskar Engene, OCT 1997-APR 1998)

We had some postings on Afghanistan recently, so I thought I should mention a report concerning the official name of the country. Reuters news agency reported on 26 October 1997 that the Taleban government "have changed the name of Afghanistan from the Islamic State of Afghanistan to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan." According to Reuters, the name change was announced by Taleban controlled radio. The radio station announced that the name change was made: "In an order issued by the Emir al-Momineen Mullah Mohammed Omar". Reuters also said that "The change in name formalises the position as head of state in Taleban-ruled Afghanistan of Mullah Mohammed Omar, leader of the Taleban, who is known as Emir al-Momineen (Leader of the Faithful)." Nevertheless, the constitutional situation in the country remains unclear.

Reuters notes that this is the third time in five years that the official name is changed. The communist regime used the name "Republic of Afghanistan", while the insurgents that overthrew that regime changed the country's name to "Islamic State of Afghanistan".

According to Reuters, the Taleban government is recognised by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The former government still keeps the seat at the United Nations. In August this year, ABC News announced that the US was to close the Afghan embassy in Washington, because of a dispute between a staff member supporting the Taleban government and another staff member supporting the former government. On 28 May 1997, the two clashed over which flag should fly over the embassy, ABC News reported.

Sources: Taleban change name of Afghanistan to Emirate, Reuters, 26 October 1997; U.S. Closing Afghan Embassy, ABC News, 15 August 1997.

Jan Oskar Engene, 28-OCT-1997

Isn't "Islamic Emirate" a bit redundant, like say "Democratic People's Republic"? Are there any non-Islamic Emirates?

Andrew Rogers, 28-OCT-1997

There may not be any non-Islamic emirates in a cultural sense, but that is not the point. When a modern nation state calls itself "Islamic" it means that the Sharia is the law. Pakistan on its founding was the first such state. Revolutionary Iran and much Islamic fundamentalism since then have also striven for this ideal. But the Sharia is ill-suited to modern political and economic organization, so real implementation of the ideal is almost impossible. Even conservative Saudi Arabia, guardian of the most holy places, does not pretend to be an "Islamic" state in name.

An Islamic state today is akin to John Calvin's Geneva, a theocratic state par excellence. There is a big difference between a theocratic state and one that is culturally Christian or even religiously so.

T. F. Mills, 28-OCT-1997

Although Emir is a term from the Muslim political world, in theory it is not a religious designation. In fact, terms like Emir, Sultan, and Malik (king) were first used when the political power of the Caliphs were on the wane -- they were meant to serve as a title of political authority without claiming to supplant the Caliphs' religious authority. This is ironic considering the use that the Taliban is putting it to.

As for how the Taliban surrenders -- maybe this is a way to keep them from ever surrendering? ;) Seriously, is the white-flag surrender method recognized outside the West?

Joshua Fruhlinger, 28-OCT-1997

Shahada (Kalima)

From the Islamic Resources of the Washington DC Area website: "Ashhadu Alla Ilaha Illa Allah Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammad Rasulu Allah" - "I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and that Muhammad is his servant and Messenger."

Juan Vaquer Jr., 24-MAR-1999

Am I wrong in remembering that shahada in Saudi flag (and others) do es not have the first word "Ashhadu" ("I witness", "I testify")?

Zeljko Heimer, 28-MAR-1999

Zeljko is right. On the KSA flag and all other flags that bears the Shahada is written: "La allah illa Allah wa-Muhammed rasoulu Allah." Literally: "No god but God and Muhammed God's messenger".

Dov Gutterman, 28-MAR-1999

A comprehensive political and vexillological history of Afghanistan

I have made around 65 vector images of Afghan flags and written the corresponding political and vexillological history [in Spanish]. The chapters are:

The source of each flag (except one that I cannot remember) is quoted. All the images are copyrighted by mail to the Generalitat de Catalunya, but you can use them for personal and non-commercial use.

Jaume Ollé, 01-ABR-1998

I have seen Jaume's new (and beautiful) pages concerning Afghanistan history. I would like to ask you for confirmation of the present flag of North Afghanistan anti-Taliban regime in Mazar-e-Sharif. According to Jaume, its flag is horizontal BRV tricolour (1:1:1) with coat-of-arms near the hoist. As far as I know (see Petr Exner's Czech Vexillological Pages), this tricolour should be 1:1:2 and the coat-of-arms should be placed in its canton (like 1972-1978 republican flag).

Jan Zrzavy, 20-APR-1998

Air Force Roundel

by Mark Sensen, 10-JUL-1997

In Flaggenmitteilung no. 108 (april 1985) I found four air force roundels, including Afghanistan. It's possible these emblems changed, especially those of Afghanistan and Ethiopia. But I'm pretty sure Ivan and/or David can check this.

Mark Sensen, 10-JUL-1997

I don't know if they've changed since, but they were previously different. In my book (1967), Afghanistan roundels appear as:

1929: White circle with "Allah" written above "Akbar", surrounded by a dark green ring, then a red ring and then a black ring.
1929 to 1965: Black, red, dark green roundel, with in 1945, additional green, red, black stripes, as well as roundels on the wings.
1966: An isosceles triangle one point at north (12 o'clock), divided equally into black to the right, red to the bottom, and dark green to the left. Set on a white circle, the points of the triangle not touching the circumference.

David Prothero, 12-JUL-1997

Pakhtunistan and Waziristan

Pakhtunistan, before independence

by Jaume Ollé, 22-SEP-1997

Pakhthunistan: flag hoisted in the months previous to the independence (reverse view).

Jaume Ollé, 22-SEP-1997

The Arabic script to the right (first word) says "Pashtunistan", the drawing of the second (i.e. the one to the left side) is not exact enough to read.

Harald Müller, 23-SEP-1997

Pakhtunistan 1947

by Jaume Ollé, 22-SEP-1997

Pakhtunistan: flag adopted upon independence 2 September 1947 (observe side instead of the reverse side -and bitmap image- as in my pages). The proportion of the flag is quoted as 1:2, but later was used in 2:3.

Jaume Ollé, 22-SEP-1997

The Arabic scripts are the Takbir (i.e. Allahu Akbar = "God is the greatest") above the emblem, "Pashtunistan" below it.

Harald Müller, 23-SEP-1997

Waziristan resistance movement (1930s)

by Jaume Ollé, 22-SEP-1997

Waziristan, used by the resistance movement against the British in the 30's.

Jaume Ollé, 22-SEP-1997

The Arabic script is the Takbir (i.e. Allahu Akbar = "God is the greatest").

Harald Müller, 23-SEP-1997

Hazarajat/Hazaristan

by Jaume Ollé, 28-OCT-1996

The flag of the Hazara people. Their land is named Hazarajat, and is in Central Afghanistan, with the capital at Bamiyan. They are listed as a Turkish people, but I think that they are in fact of Mongol origin.

Jaume Ollé, 28-OCT-1996

I am a Hazara. Hazaras are both Turkish and Mongols. But they are the people of the same area where they are. There has never been any literature in this language in the past but now there is the first ever and very popular among them, a magazine called Tora Hazaragi Magazine. By the way it is not Hazaradjat but Hazarajat. But originally it was Hazaristan and now all Hazaras call our land again by its old name, please use the term Hazaristan.

Harold Andrew Changezi, 06-MAR-1999