The pan-Arab colors are

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...

and red. Individually, each of the four pan-Arab colors were intended to represent a certain aspect of the

Arab people Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

and their history.

History

The four colors derive their potency from a verse by 14th century Arab poet Safi al-Din al-Hilli: "White are our acts, black our battles, green our fields, and red our swords.". The black is the Black Standard, which was used by the

Rashidun The Rashidun () are the first four caliphs () who led the Muslim community following the death of Muhammad: Abu Bakr (), Umar (), Uthman (), and Ali (). The reign of these caliphs, called the Rashidun Caliphate (632–661), is considered i ...

and

Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes ...

, while white was the dynastic color of the

Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a member o ...

. Green is a color associated with

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

, the primary religion of Arabs. Green is also identified as the color of the

Fatimid Caliphate The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa and West Asia, i ...

by some modern sources, despite their dynastic color having been white. Finally, red was used as the

Hashemite The Hashemites (), also House of Hashim, are the Dynasty, royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Kingdom of Hejaz, Hejaz (1916–1925), Arab Kingdom of Syria, Syria (1920), and Kingd ...

dynastic color. Pan-Arab colors, used individually in the past, were first combined in 1916 in the flag of the Arab Revolt or Flag of Hejaz. Many current flags are based on Arab Revolt colors, such as the flags of

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

, the

Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), also known as the Sahrawi Republic and Western Sahara, is a partially recognized state in the western Maghreb, which claims the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara, but controls only ...

, and the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

. In the 1950s, a subset of the Pan-Arab colors, the Arab Liberation colors, came to prominence. These consist of a tricolor of red, white and black bands, with green given less prominence or not included. The ''Arab Liberation tricolor'' or the ''

Arab Liberation Flag The Arab Liberation Flag () is a pan-Arab tricolor flag originally adopted by the Egyptian Free Officers movement following the 1952 Egyptian revolution. The tricolor flag consists of horizontal stripes in red, white, and black. The Arab Liber ...

'' was mainly inspired by the

Egyptian Revolution of 1952 The Egyptian revolution of 1952, also known as the 1952 coup d'état () and the 23 July Revolution (), was a period of profound political, economic, and societal change in Egypt. On 23 July 1952, the revolution began with the toppling of King ...

and Egypt's official flag under president Mohamed Naguib,M. Naguib, ''Egypt's Destiny'', 1955 which became the basis of the current flags of

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

,and

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

(and formerly in the flags of

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

, the states of

North Yemen North Yemen () is a term used to describe the Kingdom of Yemen (1918-1962), the Yemen Arab Republic (1962-1990), and the regimes that preceded them and exercised sovereignty over that region of Yemen. Its capital was Sanaa from 1918 to 1948 an ...

and

South Yemen South Yemen, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, abbreviated to Democratic Yemen, was a country in South Arabia that existed in what is now southeast Yemen from 1967 until Yemeni unification, its unification with the Yemen A ...

), and in the short-lived Arab unions of the

United Arab Republic The United Arab Republic (UAR; ) was a sovereign state in the Middle East from 1958 to 1971. It was initially a short-lived political union between Republic of Egypt (1953–1958), Egypt (including Occupation of the Gaza Strip by the United Ara ...

and the Federation of Arab Republics.

Flags with Pan-Arab colors

Current National flags

File:Flag of Egypt.svg,

File:Flag of Iraq.svg,

File:Flag of Jordan.svg,

File:Flag of Kuwait.svg,

File:Flag of Palestine (original version).svg,

File:Flag of Sudan.svg,

File:Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg,

File:Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg,

File:Flag of Yemen.svg,

File:Flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.svg,

Western Sahara Western Sahara is a territorial dispute, disputed territory in Maghreb, North-western Africa. It has a surface area of . Approximately 30% of the territory () is controlled by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); the remaining 70% is ...

Flags of first-level administrative divisions

File:Governadorat de Faium.png, Faiyum Governorate, Egypt File:Flag of Azal Region, Yemen.svg, Azal Region, Yemen

Former national flags with the Pan-Arab colors

File:Flag of Hejaz (1917).svg,

Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...

(1917–20),Kingdom of Hejaz 1915–1925
Crwflags.com OET Administration (1918–20),Historical Flags Overview (Syria)
Crwflags.com

File:Flag of Kingdom of Syria (1920-03-08 to 1920-07-24).svg,

– File:Flag of Hejaz 1920.svg,

(1920–26) and Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd (1926–1932), Transjordan (1921–28) File:Flag of Iraq 1924.svg, Mandatory Iraq and the

Kingdom of Iraq The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq was the Iraqi state located in the Middle East from 1932 to 1958. It was founded on 23 August 1921 as the Kingdom of Iraq, following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Mesopotamian campaign of the First World W ...

(1921–59) File:Flag of the Emirate of Transjordan.svg, Transjordan (1928–39)Historical Flags (Jordan)
Crwflags.com File:Syria-flag 1932-58 1961-63.svg,

and , used currently (2011 onwards) by the

Syrian Interim Government The Syrian Interim Government (Arabic: الحكومة السورية المؤقتة; ''Ḥukūmat as-Sūriyya al-Muwaqqata'') was a government-in-exile and later a quasi-state in Syria formed on 18 March 2013 by the National Coalition of Syria ...

and the

Free Syrian Army The Free Syrian Army (FSA; ) is a Big tent, big-tent coalition of decentralized Syrian opposition (2011–2024), Syrian opposition rebel groups in the Syrian civil war founded on 29 July 2011 by Colonel Riad al-Asaad and six officers who defe ...

File:Flag of Egypt (1952-1958).svg,

(1952–1958, File:Flag of the Arab Federation.svg, Arab Federation of Jordan and Iraq – File:Flag of the United Arab Republic.svg, (1958–61), ,

(1980–2024) File:Flag of Iraq 1959-1963.svg,

(1959–63) File:Flag of the Yemen Arab Republic.svg,

(1962–90) File:Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg,

(1963–91)Evolution of the Iraqi Flag, 1963–2008
Crwflags.com File:Flag of Syria (1963-1972, 1-2).svg,

(1963–72) File:Flag of Palestine - short triangle.svg,

(1964–2006)Historical Flags (Palestine)
Crwflags.com File:Flag of South Yemen.svg,

(1967–90), used currently (2007 onwards) by the Southern Movement File:Flag of Libya (1969–1972).svg,

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

(1969–72) File:Flag of Egypt 1972.svg, Federation of Arab Republics
File:Flag of Lower Yafa.svg, Lower Yafa
File:Drapeau de la République Arabe Islamique (Union tuniso-libyenne).svg, Arab Islamic Republic (proposed 1974, File:Flag of Iraq, 1991-2004.svg,

(1991–2004) File:Flag of Iraq (2004-2008).svg, Iraq (2004–2008)

Flags of Arab political and paramilitary movements using Pan-Arab colors

File:Flag of al-Mountada al-Adabi.svg, alt=Flag of Ottoman era Istanbul-based autonomist "Arab Literature Club" (1909–15), a precursor Arab flag, Flag of Ottoman era Istanbul-based autonomist File:Sdsdsd.svg, Flag of Ottoman era autonomist File:Palestinian flag 1938.svg, Flag of the Arab movement used during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt File:Flag of the Ba'ath Party.svg, Flag of the

Ba'ath Party The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party ( ' ), also known simply as Bath Party (), was a political party founded in Syria by Michel Aflaq, Salah al-Din al-Bitar, and associates of Zaki al-Arsuzi. The party espoused Ba'athism, which is an ideology ...

(1947–present), also used by the National Democratic Front for the Liberation of Oman and the Arabian Gulf (active 1969–71) File:Flag of the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arabian Gulf.svg, Flag of the National Liberation Front of Yemen (1963–78), the Dhofar Liberation Front (1965–68), and the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arabian Gulf (1968–74) File:Flag of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman.svg, Flag of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (1974–92) File:Flag of Arabistan.svg, Flag used by Arab separatists and autonomists in

Khuzestan Khuzestan province () is one of the 31 Provinces of Iran. Located in the southwest of the country, the province borders Iraq and the Persian Gulf, covering an area of . Its capital is the city of Ahvaz. Since 2014, it has been part of Iran's ...

, IranAl-Ahwaz (Khuzestan) Political Organizations (Iran)
on crwflags.com File:Flag of Al-Ahwaz.svg, Flag used by the separatist organizations the National Council of Ahwaz and the National Liberation Movement of Ahwaz in Khuzestan, Iran File:Flag of the Arab Movement of Azawad.svg, Flag of the Arab Movement of Azawad (2012–present) File:Flag of the Syrian Salvation Government.svg, Flag of the Syrian Salvation Government File:Red flag.svg, Red dynastic color, used by the Hashemites (The Prophet of

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

) File:Umayyad Flag.svg, White dynastic color, used by Umayyads (661–750) and the

Fatimids The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimid dynasty, Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa ...

(909–1171) and the

Rashidun Caliphate The Rashidun Caliphate () is a title given for the reigns of first caliphs (lit. "successors") — Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali collectively — believed to Political aspects of Islam, represent the perfect Islam and governance who led the ...

File:Black flag.svg, Black Standard used by the

Abbasids The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes i ...

(750–1258)The Abbasid Revolution against the

adopted black for its ''rāyaʾ'' for which their partisans were called the 's. and the

File:Rectangular green flag.svg, Green, associated with the

References

External links

Pan-Arab colors

by Mahdi Abdul-Hadi (in Arabic) {{Vexillology Arab nationalist symbols Color schemes Flags by color

Colors Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...

Colors, Pan-Arab Color in culture