The jihadist flag is a flag used commonly by Islamist movements as a symbol of jihad. The jihadist flag usually is the Black Standard with writing of the Shahada in a calligraphy style. The flag was adopted by Islamist and Jihadist movements in the 1990s to early 2000s.[1]
Black standard with Shahada (used since 1990s) by many Islamist organizationsFlag of Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, the ancestor of the Islamic State
Groups that have used a flag similar to the jihadist flag are:
The flag of the Daesh which uses the seal of Muhammad and is banned in countries such as Germany
The version used by Daesh depicts the second part of the shahada using the historical seal of Muhammad.[2]
In 2014, the former British Prime Minister David Cameron said that anybody showing the flag of Daesh in the UK should be arrested per the Terrorism Act 2000.[3][4]
The flag has also been banned from being used in the Netherlands since August of 2014.[5]
The use of the Daesh flag is banned in Germany for non-educational purposes has been illegal in Germany since September of 2014.[6][7]
Austria proposed a similar ban in the same month after Germany banned the flag of Daesh.[8]
The SITE (Search for International Terrorist Entities) website on 23 January 2007 stated: "The Islamic State of Iraq issued a document titled: 'The Legality of the Flag in Islam,' which contains the image of its flag and information to its symbolism, today, Tuesday, January 23, 2007. Text on the flag reading, 'No God, but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah's Messenger,' are the words contained on the flag of the Prophet Muhammad that he carried into battle and handed to generations of bearers. The Islamic State provides evidence and legitimacy for this banner from Islamic scholars, and goes into detail regarding opinions of the flag's material, title, and significance. According to the group the circular shape matches the ring stamp of the Prophet found on many scripts, and the order of the words are to indicate the supremacy of Allah over the Messenger." Cited by Ivan Sache at Flags of the World on 18 February 2007.
The SITE (Search for International Terrorist Entities) website on 23 January 2007 stated: "The Islamic State of Iraq issued a document titled: 'The Legality of the Flag in Islam,' which contains the image of its flag and information to its symbolism, today, Tuesday, January 23, 2007. Text on the flag reading, 'No God, but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah's Messenger,' are the words contained on the flag of the Prophet Muhammad that he carried into battle and handed to generations of bearers. The Islamic State provides evidence and legitimacy for this banner from Islamic scholars, and goes into detail regarding opinions of the flag's material, title, and significance. According to the group the circular shape matches the ring stamp of the Prophet found on many scripts, and the order of the words are to indicate the supremacy of Allah over the Messenger." Cited by Ivan Sache at Flags of the World on 18 February 2007.
"Germany 2014 human rights report - US Department of State"(PDF). state.gov. United States Department of State. 2014. p.11. Retrieved September 11, 2018. On September 12 (2014), the Federal Interior Ministry banned any activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), including recruitment, fundraising, and the use of the group's symbols under the name "Islamic State" (German: Islamischer Staat), such as the black flag bearing ISIL's name.
