Rather, it appropriated the flag from other jihad-oriented groups, says Magnus Ranstorp, an expert on Islamic fundamentalist movements and the Research Director of the Centre for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish National Defense College. The black and white flag’s meaning is further complicated by the fact that ISIS did not create the image it bears. “It is a very weird and awkward situation for Muslims because ISIS is an evil terrorist organization with an actual holy flag.” “The words are what makes the flag so powerful,” al Khoei says. An Egyptian feminist, Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, recently held an extremely graphic protest intended to desecrate the ISIS flag, stirring up further controversy. The issue has stirred up emotions across the Islamic world. Afterwards, the Lebanese Minister of Justice, Ashraf Rifi, asked that the burning of the flag be banned and that violators be given the “sternest punishment,” because burning anything with the word Allah on it is viewed as an insult to Islam. A week ago, for example, there were protests in Beirut at which ISIS flags were burned, with activist starting a #BurnISIS campaign meant to rival the ALS ice bucket challenge. The word itself is seen as sacred by Muslims and hence it becomes sacrilegious to desecrate the flag,” explains Hayder al Khoei, an associate fellow of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House in London. “The power of the flag comes from the fact that the word ‘Allah’ is on it.
The use of the seal, critics of ISIS say, is intended to add a veneer of historical authenticity to its mission. A version of the seal purported to belong to Othman, one of Mohammed’s companions, is now permanently on display at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. The reason for the circle and those words is that they’re a copy of what’s known as the Seal of Mohammed, which the prophet himself is believed to have used in his lifetime to seal letters he wrote to foreign leaders, asking them to join him. Inside it are three words: “God Messenger Mohammed.” It’s an interesting choice of word order given that the second part of the shahada is “and Mohammed is God’s messenger.” Even more rough around the edges is the white circle in the middle of the ISIS flag. It’s a very different kind of typeface from the more elaborate calligraphy on the Saudi flag, for example, that also includes this same shahada, or Islamic statement of faith.
#Isis flag full
For full UK results see here.The flag is black with the words La ‘ilaha ‘illa-llah – “There is no God but God” – emblazoned across the top in white in a somewhat coarse, handwritten Arabic script. Only 36% of Democrats would oppose banning the Confederate flag, half the number of Republicans who do (74%).Īmong black Americans 61% support a ban on displaying the Confederate flag, only slightly behind the level of support for banning the ISIS (69%) and Nazi (72%) flags.įor full US results see here. When it comes to the Confederate flag, however, 47% of Democrats support a ban while only 11% of Republicans feel the same. Just over 20% of partisans from both party support a ban on the rainbow flag. Republicans (70%) are slightly more likely than Democrats (64%) to support banning the display of the ISIS flag are slightly less likely to support a ban on the Nazi flag. The figures are similar, 75% to 17%, in the case of the Nazi flag.īoth Democrats and Republicans largely agree on the fate of the ISIS, Nazi and rainbow flags. There 77% of the public say that the ISIS flag should be banned while only 15% are opposed to the idea.
Support for banning the ISIS and Nazi flags is even stronger in Britain. 24% of Americans oppose a ban on displaying the ISIS flag while 29% oppose a ban on the Nazi flag. Most Americans oppose a ban on either the Confederate flag (55%) or the gay pride rainbow flag (63%). YouGov's latest research shows that most Americans do support a ban on displaying the flags of ISIS (63%) and the Nazis (57%). In Germany and some other European countries display of the Nazis' swastika flag is illegal and in the UK there is a debate over whether displaying the ISIS flag should be a crime. The Confederate flag is becoming increasingly taboo for Americans, but unlike in many other countries an attempt to ban the display of that flag, or any other, would be unconstitutional. The Confederate flag may have been removed from the grounds of the Charleston Capitol and placed in a museum as part of an exhibit on the Confederacy but many Americans continue to fly the flag from their home and cars. America has First Amendment protections Britain lacks, but most people in both countries want to ban certain offensive symbols