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Shi'ite Religious Flags (Iraq)

Part 1

See also:

Twelver Shiites

image located by William Garrison, 23 May 2024

A "Twelver Shiites" flag, showing the 12 Shiite imams (religious leaders), as seen in Karbala, Iraq; c. 2019. The top-right figure wearing two white-feathers in his helmet is Hazrat Abbas, and at the left is an image of his half-brother, Imam Hussain (both were killed at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE). Below Hussain's name is the red Farsi word "al-huda" meaning "guidance" (of the Shiite imams). Below Abbas' name is the red Farsi word of "al-imams" meaning "the (Shiite) Imams". Combined, these two words essentially make the slogan: "Follow the teachings of these religious leaders." I believe the Golden Dome building is that of the "Imam Ali Shrine" (sanctuary or mosque) in Najaf, Iraq.
William Garrison, 23 May 2024

Twelver Shiites: 7th Imam Musa al-Kazim

image located by William Garrison, 22 March 2024

A green-field flag honoring the 7th and 9th Twelver Shia Imams; as seen at the Al-Kazimiyya Mosque in the Kadhimayn suburb of Baghdad, Iraq; c. 2023. At the top of the flag are the two golden domes atop the shrines of the 7th imam "Musa ibn Jafar al-Kazim" (aka al-Kadhim) [died 799 CE] and his grandson the 9th imam "Mohamad al-Jawad." Musa had the nickname of "al-Kazim" which means "forbearing" in reference to his patience and his demeanor. "Al-Kazim" and the Arabic wording "suppression of anger" appear in the middle line. Both imams were religious leaders who served under the Abbasid caliphs (political rulers). The bottom line reads loosely as: "We are followers of the Kazimiyya family".
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/540994973991186075/
William Garrison, 22 March 2024

Twelver Shiites: 'The Mahdi's Return Appeal' flag

image located by William Garrison, 29 April 2024

For a Shia-Muslim religious celebration, an orange-field flag with three white-lettered slogans that was paraded at an Imam Mahdi birth anniversary at the "Jamkaran Holy Mosque" (Masjed-e Jamkaran) that is located east of Qom City, Iraq; c. March 2024. The top slogan reads (translated into English): "Oh, Allah hurry up", the middle slogan reads: "Here you go, Mahdi", and the bottom slogan reads: "The world is waiting for you, Mahdi". The Muslim prophet Muhammad revealed the holy book: the Quran. Shias consider Muhammad's descendants (through Imam Ali and Imam Hussain) as the true source of religious and political guidance for Muslims (although Sunni-Muslims reject the leadership of the Hussain lineage). The last "Twelver Shiite" Imam was "Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdi" who disappeared about 940 CE; Shiites believe he went into a physical state of theological hibernation or "occultation" [it is believed that he fell into a water well and disappeared] and will re-emerge at the "end of time" to establish peace and justice and redeem Islam. So, it is in the tradition of Shiites during their fasting month of Ramadan to appeal to Allah to allow the immediate return of "The Mahdi" so that he can finally establish world peace. Per Wikipedia: "In the rear of the mosque, there is a "well of requests" where it is believed the Twelfth Imam once "became miraculously unhidden for a brief shining moment of loving communion with his Creator." Pilgrims tie small strings in a knot around the grids covering the holy well, which they hope will be received by the Imam Mahdi. Every morning custodians cut off the strings from the previous day. Tuesday night is especially popular as it is said to be "the day the vision appeared and therefore the day of the week that [the Imam], although invisible, takes requests." The gathering "resembles a huge tailgate party where vendors set up in the parking lots and families set up picnic rugs and tens-of-thousands wander about the grounds as if waiting for the main event to happen. .... [W]omen are separated from men in their own special cordoned-off area and also have their own [wishing] well."

[Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamkaran_Mosque and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Shia_Islam]

William Garrison, 29 April 2024

Oh, Mahdi

image located by William Garrison, 18 June 2024
Source: https://iranpress.com/anniversary-of-beginning-of-imamat-of-imam-mahdi

A Shia-Muslim flag reading in Farsi: "Ya, Mahdi" or in English: "Oh, Mahdi". Seen at the "al-Mahdi" mosque in Samarra, Iraq c. Sept. 2023. Al-Mahdi ("the Guided") is a prominent figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the "End of Time" to rid the world of evil and injustice. This flag is to alert The Mahdi that his servants on earth are awaiting his immediate return. Wikipedia info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
William Garrison, 18 June 2024

Ya Qaim Aal Muhammad

image located by William Garrison, 20 September 2024

Source: https://www.pinterest.com. A Shia-Muslim flag with the slogan: "Ya Qaim Aal Muhammad" (Arabic: قائم آل محمد, ) that means: "the one who shall rise of the family of Muhammad" is an epithet for "the Mahdi", the eschatological figure in Islam who is widely believed to restore the Islamic religion and justice at the "end of time", when the Muslim god Allah will judge who shall live forever after in Heaven or Hell. A flag essentially appealing ("Ya/Oh") for the Mahdi to return soon to help cleanse society of evil-doers and/or unbelievers. In the Muslim Holy book: the Quran/Koran, "Qaim" is known as "Al-Qa'im bi-amri 'llah" or "the Riser: He who carries out the command of Allah."
William Garrison, 20 September 2024

Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary militia force

image located by William Garrison, 27 July 2021

From https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/04/mourners-chant-america-is-the-great-satan-over-death-of-soleimani.html, caption: white-field flag with orange trim and slogan with "bleeding sword" image --- usually associated with Shia-Muslims. Seen in Baghdad, Iraq; 4 Jan. 2020 during funeral procession for assassinated Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. Possibly affiliated with Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary militia force.
William Garrison, 27 July 2021

Fatima al-Zahra

image located by William Garrison, 5 June 2024
Source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/

A Shia-Muslim flag (c. 2024) reading" Ya/Oh, Fatima al-Zahra", which was a nickname of "Fatima bint Muhammad" (c. 630 CE), the daughter of the Islamic prophet Mohammad and his wife, Khadija. "Al-Zahra" means: "The radiant". She was the mother of Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn/Hussain - the latter was killed at the Battle of Karbala, Iraq, in 680 CE. Essentially, this flag represents an appeal to Fatima for her spiritual support to some distressed Shiite. Wikipedia info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatima
William Garrison, 5 June 2024

image located by William Garrison, 27 September 2024
Source: https://www.pinterest.com. On the bottom line, reading in Arabic from right-to-left, a variety of a "Ya/(Oh) Fatima al-Zahra" flag that has a clearer script that makes for the easier reading of her name. This flag essentially beseeches her spirit to assist troubled Shiite-Muslims. The top line reads "al-salam", a respectful salutation/greeting to an individual (such as a Shiite saint); it is called a "salawat" which is a form of invocation that can be used for a variety of purposes, including: expressing thanks or when seeking support. As a granddaughter of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, she is revered by both Shia and Sunni.
William Garrison, 27 September 2024

image located by William Garrison, 14 October 2024
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shia_view_of_Fatima

A green-field flag with yellow lettering, on the bottom line, reading in Arabic from right-to-left: "Ya/(Oh) Fatima al-Zahra". This script is a more flourishing-script variant with diacritics (tashkil) to indicate vowels. The top line is a "salawat" or greeting that reads "al-salam eal-aykum" or "peace be upon you".
William Garrison, 14 October 2024

Standing with (the family of) Mohammad

image located by William Garrison, 18 July 2024

A black-field flag with a Farsi slogan "Ya, Qaim fi Mohammad" or into English as: "Oh, Standing with [the family of] Mohammad", c. mid-July 2024 somewhere in Iraq. The leaders of Iran, being Shia or Shiites, believe that the Muslim prophet Mohammad bequeathed his "mantle" or "leadership" to his cousin Imam Ali [Shia = "followers of Ali"] and his family linage, which is intermixed with the religious and political leaders of Iran today (c. 2020s). Thusly, this Mohammad [Ali-family] flag is paraded by Shia militiamen in the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" (IRI) or "al-Moqawamat al-Islamiat fi al-Iraq" which is a network of Iranian-backed Shia-Islamist insurgent groups in Iraq. It is a generic Shia-religious flag, being carried by Shia militiamen. Because of their family linage to Mohammad, the Shia-Muslims believe that they are the correct promoters of Islam rather than the Sunni-Muslim rulers in Saudi Arabia.

Source: https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/spotlight-on-iran-july-10-17-2024/
William Garrison, 18 July 2024