^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Shi'ite Religious Flags (Iraq)

Part 1

See also:

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

Ya Hussain flags

image located by William Garrison, 3 September 2021

From https://ashuraaa.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/ashura-006/. The red slogan on the flag reads "Ya Hussain" ["Oh, Hussain"], which is an appeal that he intercede favorably with the flag holder. He was the third Shia Imam, and who was martyred in Karbala, Iraq c. Oct. 680 CE. The faintly readable wording above "Ya Hussain" is a famous hadith of Prophet Muhammad that reads: "Inn al-Husain misbahul-huda wa safinatun-najat" that symbolically means that "Husain is the lighthouse of Islamic guidance for the lost ships [souls} and he is their rescue ship."
William Garrison, 3 September 2021

Labbiak Ya Hussain flag

image located by William Garrison, 14 September 2024

From https://shiawaves.com/english. A red-field flag with a white Arabic slogan of "Labbayka Ya Hussain" or "I am here, Oh Hussain!" As seen in a video of a paraglider displaying this flag over a large crowd of Shiite pilgrims walking towards the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, to commemorate the Arbaeen pilgrimage; c. Sept. 2023.
William Garrison, 14 September 2024

Ya Aba Abdillah flag

image located by William Garrison, 14 September 2024

From https://shopipersia.com. A green-field flag with a black Arabic slogan of "Ya Aba Abdillah" or "Oh, Aba Adbillah". Imam Hussain/Husayn (d. 680 CE) is referred to as "Aba Abdillah." It is a 'kuniya' or epithet amongst Arabs, something given to a boy from a young age, usually by an esteemed member of their family or tribe, and it is usually placed to honor them. The first to give Imam Husayn the title of "Aba Abdillah" was the Muslim Holy Prophet Muhammad. In one instance the Holy Prophet called his grandson by saying, "Come to me, oh, Aba Abdillah." It is an indication of Hussain's total unreserved devotion and dedication to the Muslim god: Allah. Hussain rose to save Islam and hence, he is considered a father for the servants of Allah.
Info: https://www.al-islam.org/media/why-imam-husayn-known-aba-abdillah.

Abdullah is a boy's name that means: "servant of Allah." It was also the name of the Prophet Muhammad's father, who died before his son was born. This name is a powerful reminder to a boy to show humility before Allah and to lead a life of faith. "Aba Abdillah" is also spelled: Abdallah, Abdellah, Abdollah, Abdullah, Abdulla, Abdalla and many others.
William Garrison, 14 September 2024

See also: Yā Hussain flag in Iran

image located by William Garrison, 9 January 2023

A rose-red-field Shia-Muslim flag beseeching in the middle green Farsi slogan: "Oh, Hussain", with more slogans in the four yellow rectangular boxes. The slogan in the top right yellow box reads: "Peace Be Upon Hussain", while the other three remaining boxes all have the same slogan: "and the children of Hussain"; c. 1999. A hidden flag-pole sleeve is at the right (hoist). Imam Hussain was killed at the Battle of Karbala in 680 C.E. along with two of his young sons, and other supporters. Essentially, this flag implores the spirit of Hussain to assist the flag carrier to overcome some burden.
William Garrison, 9 January 2023

Ya Zinab al-Kobra

image located by William Garrison, 29 December 2023

A red-field flag with the white Persian/Farsi slogan "Ya Zinab al-Kobra/Kubra" perhaps better known as "Zaynab bint Ali". Zaynab (c 626–682), was the eldest daughter ("bint") of Fatimah and Imam Ali, and was the granddaughter of the Muslim prophet Mohammad. She is best known for her role in the aftermath of the "Battle of Karbala" (680CE), in which her brother Hussain/Husayn and most of her male relatives were massacred by the forces of the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Muawiyah. Women and children in Husayn's camp were taken captive after the battle and marched to the Umayyad capital Damascus, where Zaynab gave impassioned speeches, condemning Yazid and spreading the news of Karbala. She was later freed and died shortly afterwards in 682. A shrine is dedicated to her in Damascus. She is considered to be a symbol of sacrifice, strength, and piety in Islam, and a role model for Muslim women, typifying courage, leadership, and defiance against oppression. The flag's hoist is most likely on its right. This flag was seen draping the coffin of Iranian Brig. Gen. Razi Mousavi, a senior commander in the "Quds Force" of Iran's "Islamic Revolution Guard Corps" (IRGC) [who was killed on December 25, 2023, in an Israeli airstrike outside Damascus] during his funeral procession at the Imam Ali shrine in Iraq's holy city of Najaf on December 27, 2023. During Mousavi's burial ceremony in Tehran, his coffin was draped with the national flag of Iran. Various Shiite militias operating in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria are named after her. Essentially, this flag is an appeal by its carrier asking Zaynab to spiritually intervene in supporting the Shiite flag bearer's cause in overcoming some disorder.
Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com
William Garrison, 29 December 2023

Sadiq Al-Sadr martyr flag

image located by William Garrison, 13 November 2022

From https://www.al-monitor.com
A white-field flag with a facial drawing of Sayyid "Mohammad Mohammed Sadiq Al-Sadr" (or 'Sadir'} {b. 1943 - d. 1999}. He was a Grand Ayatollah for Shia-Muslims in Iraq. During the reign of Iraq Pres. Saddam Hussein (dictator: 1979-2003, and a Sunni-Muslim), Sadiq called for government reform and asked for the release of detained Shia leaders. Saddam saw Sadiq as a potential political threat, and allegedly had a "hit squad" assassinate Sadiq and two of his sons on 23 March 1999. His youngest son, "Muqtada al-Sadr" survived, (b. 1974) would oppose the U.S. intervention in Iraq (c. 2003-2011) and later (c.2018-2022) was an influential political leader in Baghdad. Below his portrait his name "Sadr" {in Arabic} appears, and the red lettering reads: "the honor of the Arabs." This flag was paraded on March 9, 2022 to denounce rising prices of basic food items in Al-Haboby/Al-Habboubi Square in the center of the city of Nasiriyah in the southern Dhi Qar province of Iraq. While the flag honors Sadiq Al-Sadr and is more of a religious Shia-Muslim flag, here it is being used as a "protest" flag against an ineffective government.
William Garrison, 13 November 2022

Abbas 'Waterer of Thirsty Ones' memorial flag

image located by William Garrison, 28 April 2024

A black-field flag (2.45m x 3.5m) with a blood-red "Thuluth" script/calligraphy that reads: "Ya Saqi 'Atacha Karbala" or in English: "Oh, Waterer of thirsty ones in Karbala", which is printed on both sides. "Saqi" or "al-Saqqa" means "the water carrier"; it is a nickname of Al-Abbas. During the "Battle of Karbala" in Iraq in Oct. 680 C.E., Al-Abbas was killed in his desperate attempt to bring water from the Euphrates River to quench the unbearable thirst of the besieged family of the Islamic prophet Mohammad's descendants (including Imam Hussain and family). His full name was: "Al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib". This particular flag was produced (c. Sept. 2015) to fly above his shrine ("Haram Aba al-Fadl al-Abbas") in Karbala on the eve of first Muharram to mark the beginning of the "month of sorrows" (lamenting the deaths of the Shia-Muslim members killed at the "Battle of Karbala"); c. Oct. 2015 in Karbala, Iraq.
Source: https://imaandesigns.com/products/al-abbas-dome-flag-black-replica
William Garrison, 28 April 2024

The Google search string below provides several photos showing its construction at: https://www.google.com/search
William Garrison, 31 May 2024

Hazrat Abbas' horse Uqab

image located by William Garrison, 21 March 2024

Because of the pictured two-prong sword call "Zulfiqar" on this flag it readily identifies that this flag is related to Shia-Muslims. The bottom Farsi slogan reads: "al'ahrar" or "Free (people)". The top line in Farsi essentially notes that the flag carrier implores Hazrat ["holiness"] Abbas for assistance in protecting or freeing Shia-Muslims (Shiites) from oppression. His full name was: "Al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib" which identified him as being the son of "Ali ibn Abi Talib", who was the fourth caliph [political ruler] in Sunni Islam and the first imam [religious ruler] in Shia Islam. He was killed along with his half-brother Imam Hussain/Husayn at the Battle of Karbala, c. Oct. 680 C.E. He is remembered for his attempting to draw water from a nearby river and carry it to the thirsty children of his tribe. His kunya (nickname) was "Abu al-Fadi" or "Father of Virtue". One needs to understand Shia theology to understand the showing of the imagery of a horse of this flag. Shiites recognize this horse's name as "Uqab" ("eagle). Shia sources claim that this horse was used by the Muslim prophet Muhammad himself, who later gave it to caliph/imam Ali, who then passed it on to Abbas. The hoist is on the right side of this flag. Information: https://www.tumblr.com/zinattango/157516940394/hazrat-abbas-as-was-given-a-horse-named-uqab
William Garrison, 21 March 2024

Abbas: How can I drink? (Battle of Karbala)

image located by William Garrison, 4 October 2023

A colorful Shia-Muslim prayer-appeal flag with slogans of: "Peace be upon you, Aba Al-Fadl Al-Abbas" and "How can I drink when my brother Hussein is thirsty?" To keep a long story short, at the "Battle of Karbala" in Iraq in October 680 CE, the Shia/Shi'ite-Muslim tribal-leader, Hussain, was killed. Also, his half-brother, Abbas, had his hands chopped off by the enemy while trying to gather water; he, too, was later killed. This flag depicts a scene showing Abbas momentarily contemplating drinking some water at a nearby stream, but hesitates in realization that he needs to take the water quickly back to camp to his brother Hussein and the thirsty children in the camp -- and just before his hands are chopped off by the enemy as he lingers too long. Abbas is willing to sacrifice the quenching of his thirst by refusing to drink the water in order to quickly return his water-skin to camp. Shia-Muslims consider Abbas to be a religious "martyr" ("shahid/shaeed") for having been wounded and dying in his effort to obtain water for others. On the flag, one can see that there is a white/tan area where his hands should be, but artistic license has taken a "time warp" in both showing where-his-hands-should-be and removing his amputated hands at the same time. Thus, the slogans on the flag: the top one uttered today by pious Shia-Muslims beseeching Abbas' spiritual intervention, and second, his selfless, sacrificial lamentation.
William Garrison, 4 October 2023

Al-Abbas flag

Seen at https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/iranian-people-with-flag-royalty-free-image/1193975167?adppopup=true
A red-field religious flag carried my Shiite-Muslims throughout the Middle East. The yellow-green slogan on the flag reads: "Ya Abal-Fazl Al-Abbas". Above "Abbas" there is a barely discernable slogan that reads: "Qamar Bani-Hashim". "Qamar Bani-Hashim" means "Moon of Bani-Hashim Tribe" near Quraish/Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In Arabic literature a "handsome man" is called "Qamar". The "Man in the Moon" expression symbolizes a beautiful face. In Shiite theology, al-Abbas was known as having a beautiful face, hence, his having the nickname of "Qamar". Al-Abbas was the brother of the third Shiite Imam Husain/Hussein, and al-Abbas was the flag bearer of Husain's army at the Battle of Karbala -- where both were martyred (c. 680 CE). Essentially, this flag is an appeal by its carrier asking al-Abbas to spiritually intervene in supporting the Shiite flag bearer's cause in overcoming some disorder.
William Garrison, 3 September 2021

Anti-ISIS flag

image located by William Garrison, 25 October 2023

This flag is not associated with any specific PMF (Popular Mobilization Forces) Shia militia in Iraq.

What is of interest with this flag is how the prominent displaying of a sword allows a viewer to immediately identify this flag as being used by Shia/Shiite-Muslims. The 2-prong sword is easily recognizable as the "Zulfiqar" sword, which supposedly was given by the Muslim Prophet Mohammed to his loyalist "Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib", and, thereby, conferring Ali has his successor in leading the Muslim community. The slogan on the sword reads: "There is no sword like the Zulfiqar, there is no fata/leader like Ali." [Zulfiqar is also spelled Zu al-Faqar, Zulfakar, Dhu al-Faqar, or Dhulfaqar, or even Zolfighar.] The word "Shia" derives from the Arabic term "Shīʿat ʿAlī", meaning "partisans of Ali", "followers of Ali" or "faction of Ali". Shiites believe that after the death of Hazrat Ali, the Zulfiqar sword was inherited by Imam Hassan (the oldest son of Hazrat Ali), and he passed it on to his son Imam Hussain -- thereby symbolizing the transferring of the leadership of the Muslim community to him. Hussain used it during the "Battle of Karbala" (Oct. 680 CE) in fighting against a much-larger Sunni-Muslim army but was killed. Contrarily, the Sunni maintain that the political and theological leadership of Muslims should not be inherited, but through consultation -- or by battle when power-sharing cannot be peacefully settled. At Karbala: the Shia lost, the Sunni won. Nonetheless, today's (c. 2023) Shia ruling class (of Iran) believe that they are still the true heirs of the leadership of the Muslim community -- even though they comprise about only 15% of all Muslims. The Sunni ruling class (of Saudi Arabia) disagree. As the Sunni control the two most important Islamic religious sites, the holy Kabba shrine in Mecca and the gravesite of Mohammed in Medina, they claim that they are the proper leaders of Islam. The relevance of this is that after the U.S. overthrew Saddam in late 2003, shortly thereafter several Salafi-Sunni militant jihadist groups (al-Qaida, ISIL, ISIS) emerged as proponents of a truer, purer Islam. These "hard core" Sunni were opposed to what they considered to be the meek Sunni leadership of the government of Saudi Arabia for having lost its zeal in militantly promoting Islam throughout the world. In response to the Salafist-Sunni threat, the Shia parade this flag; c. 2010 (Iraq-Iran).

The portrait on this flag is that of Shia Imam Hussain, who wielded the Zulfiqar sword, which is dripping droplets of the blood of Hussain's opponents. As Farsi/Persian is read right-to-left, this is the front side of the flag for reading the Farsi/Persian slogans correctly. The top three red Farsi/Persian words read: یبقی الحسین امامی or "yabqa al-Husaino amami" meaning: "Husain will stay in my front" or for an expanded meaning: "I will remember Imam Husain and will stay following him going forward" in promoting Shia-Islam. Regarding the wording on the bottom line, we need to know that the Arabic/Farsi word "daesh" refers to "ISIS" -- a very terrorizing Sunni militia in Shia- dominant Iraq during the 2010s-era. The line reads: و داعش تحت اقدامی or "wa daesh tat-a aqdami" or "ISIS will be under my feet". In Muslim culture, the bottom of the foot is regarded as not only being dirty but also unclean or filthy. We have seen photographs of some hunter posing with his foot atop some big-game animal that he recently killed, symbolizing his control over that animal. Thusly, the last sentence reflects the Shia theological goal of defeating and vanquishing the pro-Sunni ISIS. Few flags specifically mention the daesh or ISIS.

William Garrison, 25 October 2023

Miscellaneous unidentified Shia flags

An article in the Independent contains a slide show with several flags with Shia connections: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/isis-mosul-liberation-is-not-what-it-seems-a7398521.html#
David Phillips, 11 June 2016

The images below were seen at the attack on Mosul:

image located by Esteban Rivera, 8 November 2016

This set of pictures takes place during the Battle of Mosul (2016), which was preceded by the Mosul Offensive (2016) in which multiple parties take place (Sunni, Shiite, Kurds, Turkmen and Christians) as well as a multi national coalition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Joint_Task_Force_%E2%80%93_Operation_Inherent_Resolve
and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_intervention_against_ISIL#3_December_2014).
Esteban Rivera, 8 November 2016

There are many different Shia-religious flags that are paraded around by Shia/Shiite-Muslims. Today there are hundreds of them, usually with just slightly different images of their main imam/saint: Imam Hussein ibn Ali. The artwork of these flags is limited only by the creativity and imagination of Shia artists. Hence, I am somewhat reluctant to submit any more of their religious flags, but their artistry is interesting.
William Garrison, 12 September 2022

image located by William Garrison, 12 September 2022

From https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/09/iran-shuts-borders-iraq-millions-shiite-pilgrims-arrive-arbaeen#ixzz7eacEXHSn, a black-field flag bearing an image of the Shia-Muslim Imam Hussein bin Ali [with the Arabic slogan "Yalatharat al-Hussein" ("Those who want to avenge the blood of Hussein")] carried while en route to Karbala, Iraq from Nasiriyah in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province on Sept. 5, 2022, ahead of the religious holiday of "Arbaeen". The holy day commemorates the 40th day after the "Day of Ashura": the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. 2022 is the first year since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic that Shiite pilgrims can enter Iraq in large numbers and without restrictions. Its impact/importance: About 5 million pilgrims have entered Iraq so far [early Sept. 2022], and the number is rising significantly. The Iranian Interior Ministry announced that all borders with Iraq were closed today [9 Sept 2022] and called on Iranians to refrain from traveling to Iraq due to Iraq's inability to receive any more pilgrims. It also called on all Iranian pilgrims inside Iraq to return to Iran as soon as they finish the ceremony to open space for others to attend.
William Garrison, 12 September 2022