Saudi Flag Day: A celebration of great significance

A royal decree issued by King Salman recently marked 11 March as Flag Day for citizens to celebrate the flag’s significance throughout history

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Saudi Flag Day: A celebration of great significance

Khalid al-Ghannami

last update on 11 Mar 2023

The world witnessed a remarkable moment when the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, kissed the green flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last week.

This powerful image was captured by various global media outlets, leaving a lasting impact on the Saudi people. A royal order was decreed designating 11 March as Flag Day — a special day to celebrate the national flag's significance throughout the country's history, dating back to its establishment in 1727.

Celebrating Flag Day is a testament to the deep appreciation of national heritage and the importance of the nation state in shaping the present and future. Understanding this value is essential for anyone who wishes to honour their past and contribute to the development of their country.

Six stages of design

Our flag underwent six stages before reaching its present form.

Initially, it displayed a white crescent on a green background, symbolising the first Emirate of Diriyah (1750-1818) founded by Muhammad bin Saud. But the founder of the Kingdom may have realised that the crescent was not an Arab-Islamic symbol but rather a vestige of Ottoman iconography.

The crescent was then replaced by the Shahada (a profession that there is no God but God) on a green background with a white vertical script to the left when King Abdulaziz took over Riyadh. From 1902 to 1921, the Emirate of Najd flew this flag.

The flag was changed yet again as our country worked towards unification and expansion, becoming the Kingdom of Najd from 1921 to 1926. During this period, the Shahada was enlarged, the white stripe was shifted to the right, and a white sword was added to represent justice and strength.

Getty Images — A projection of the Saudi Arabian national flag onto the UNESCO World Heritage site At-Turaif, the home of the first Saudi State at Ad Diriyah on September 22, 2020

The fourth change saw the removal of the sword, but the flag remained green with a white border and the Shahada in the centre. This design was used from 1926 to 1932 in the Kingdom of Najd and Hijaz.

When the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932, the flag was changed for the fifth time to a solid green background with the Shahada inscribed in white, along with a white sword placed underneath it. The sword's tip aligned with the start of the Shahada.

The final revision was made to the flag design in 1973 during the reign of King Faisal. The size of the flag and Shahada were altered, and the position of the white sword was modified. The handle of the sword was shifted to below the beginning of the Shahada and angled towards the left to symbolise the end of conflict, while the sword's steadfastness represented strength and invincibility.

A means of identification

The flag, whether in ancient or modern cultures, is typically a piece of cloth that comes in various shapes, mostly rectangular or quadrilateral, and features unique designs and colours. It serves as a symbol for organisations or human gatherings, and there are countless variations of flags around the world.

In the past, European nobles would use flags to delineate the borders of their lands. Throughout human history, flags have evolved and become a means of identification.

In the past, European nobles would use flags to delineate the borders of their lands. Throughout human history, flags have evolved and become a means of identification.

The significance of flags was first recognised in situations where communication was challenging. State flags, for example, denote a state with well-defined political borders, highlighting the fundamental role of flags.

The ancient origins of flags remain shrouded in mystery. While some believe that the first flag was flown on Egyptian ships over 3,000 years ago, others attribute its creation to China around 2,000 years ago as a way to distinguish friend from foe in times of war.

Regardless of their origins, flags have come to symbolise the countries they represent, and displaying a country's flag on a building, ship, or aircraft serves as a clear indication of affiliation with that nation.

In essence, it serves as a form of notification to those who come into contact with it.

Loyalty and affiliation

Most importantly, the flag represents loyalty, belonging, and national identity, which are sacred to every individual. One could argue, "What value does a mere piece of cloth hold?" However, they overlook the fact that the cloth's value lies not in itself, but in its symbolism.

In philosophy, a symbol serves as a tangible representation of a profound idea. The flag, for instance, is deeply significant as it embodies the love and sacrifice that a nation's people have for their country, to the point of laying down their lives to protect it.

In philosophy, a symbol serves as a tangible representation of a profound idea. The flag, for instance, is deeply significant as it embodies the love and sacrifice that a nation's people have for their country, to the point of laying down their lives to protect it.

The green colour, sword, and Shahada on the Saudi flag symbolise the Arab identity of the Kingdom and its commitment to this profession, with Islam as its official religion.

However, unlike reactionary theological states, the Kingdom does not follow the rule of mullahs or enforce the wearing of beards. The flag of the Kingdom is never lowered, regardless of the situation, which further highlights its unique identity.

During the Sahwa or 'awakening' era, which tried to impose and promote radical interpretations of Islam, many of the Sahwa clerics decreed that saluting the flag is tantamount to blasphemy and incompatible with Islam.

The Ministry of Education, which was, in the past, populated with supporters of dubious Muslim Brotherhood agendas, halted the morning flag salute in Saudi schools, which ended up eliminating the morning line up altogether.

Back then, I addressed this matter in an article titled "There is no morning lineup in our school." Two days after my article was published, the Ministry of Education released reversed its decision and reinstituted the flag salute and lineup.

At the time, a teacher had inquired about the reason for the change, to which another teacher responded that it was due to 'the individuals who wrote in the newspapers — may God protect us from their ill-intentions.'

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