Flag of Saudi Arabia

The flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a flag that has been used by the government since 1973. It differs from other flags in that it is printed on both sides so that people can read the text correctly no matter where you are looking at the flag. This is due to the importance of the Shahada written on it, which is considered one of the five pillars of Islam, so the flag reflects the strength of the nation in Saudi Arabia, whose importance lies in the fact that it is the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and reflects its sacred location in Mecca.

Colors of the Saudi Arabian flag and their meanings

The flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia consists of only two colors that reflect the values and history of its nation, namely: 

• Green: this is the color of the Islamic religion, as it has been considered a symbol of Islam since its inception. In the Holy Qur'an, it is associated with Paradise, as well as with Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. The green color on Arab flags indicates earth and progress;
• White: this is the color used in Arabic writing and is an Islamic testimony: "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God", in addition to the white sword emblem located below the inscription. The white color on flags usually signifies purity, peace, and optimism.

How did the flag of Saudi Arabia change? History of the flag

The flag of Saudi Arabia, with its green color and white crescent in the center, has been flown since the first Saudi state, called the Diriyah Emirate between 1750 and 1818. With the unified king's journey to and control of Najd, the founding king, Abdul Aziz, adopted the Saudi flag. He removed the crescent moon and replaced it with the shahada "There is no God but Allah" written in white script and with a white stripe to the left of the inscription. This flag was used from 1902 to 1921.

During the journey of King Abdul Aziz and the annexation of many provinces, the country became known as the Kingdom of Najd from 1921 to 1926, and the flag was changed: the shahada became larger, the white stripe shifted to the right side, and a white sword was added at the bottom.

In the fourth stage of the Saudi flag's development, the sword was removed and the green flag was surrounded by a white frame with Tawhid (monotheism) in the center. This flag was flown from 1926 to 1932 under the name of the Kingdom of Nejd and Hijaz. 

With the announcement of the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932, the fifth and most important stage in the history of the Saudi flag began. The flag became completely green, "Tawhid" was written in white, and a white sword was depicted below it, the end of which indicated the beginning of "Tawhid".

The sixth (final) stage of the development of the Saudi flag took place during the reign of King Faisal in 1973, when it was designed by Hafez Wahba, who made some minor changes to the size of the flag and the Tauhid. He also changed the beginning and end of the white sword. The hilt became lower than the beginning of monotheism (the belief in the existence of one God) and ended at its end towards the mast, as a symbol of the end of the struggle, strength and invincibility.