Jordanian Flag Day...the memory of a homeland and the story of its ancient history

Weather of Arabia - More than a hundred years ago, the Jordanian flag decorated our schools, our government buildings, and the squares of our cities. This flag constitutes the banner that embodies the civilizations and glories of the Arabs over centuries. Jordanians express their pride in this national symbol and celebrate it on the sixteenth of April every year, in what is known as National Flag Day.

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Celebrating the Jordanian flag

Today, in an important step approved by the Council of Ministers last year, the celebration of the Jordanian flag coincided with the centenary celebrations of the Jordanian state, which strengthens our deep connection to the flag and our rich history. This connection is rooted in a collective memory that contains the victories of Muslim Arabs throughout the ages. The poet Safi al-Din al-Hilli described this connection in his distinctive words: “The white of our crafts is the black of our events, the green of our pastures is the red of our pastures. Glory is not attained by the one who does not ride danger, and the exaltation is not attained by the one who proceeds with caution.” On this day, the Jordanian flag appears in its four colors with the seven-rayed white star, a symbol of Jordan’s unity and progress.

History of the Jordanian flag

A banner that refers to a national identity that is rooted deep in history, as its origin goes back to the Umayyads who raised the white flag while spreading Islam, and they became a pillar and symbol of civilization from India to Andalusia. And then the Abbasids, who were famous for their black flags in a country thriving with science, industry, arts, architecture and literature. The family of the Prophet still adhered to their principles and values, and the world did not tempt them with their green banners and the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace). As for the red flag, it expresses the prestige and dignity of the Hashemites, who represent the dignity and freedom of the Arabs. Thus, this triangle is embodied, which combines the three previous stripes, and is interspersed with the seven-pointed star, which symbolizes the opening of the Holy Qur’an, which extends over seven verses.

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The Great Arab Revolt

On June 10, 1916, we witnessed the start of the Great Arab Revolt, led by the late, God willing, Sharif Hussein bin Ali, and by his side a group of loyal men. They were carrying the flag of the Arab Revolt, which they planted in the land of Hijaz, before they headed north through the lands of Jordan, heading towards Damascus. This revolution was an open confrontation against Ottoman hegemony, with the aim of establishing an Arab renaissance that would restore the dignity and pride of the Arab nation.

When was the flag raised for the first time?

The men of Jordan and the rest of the Levant pledged allegiance to the late King Faisal bin Al Hussein, so the Syrian Arab Kingdom was established in 1918. In 1920, the flag of this kingdom was raised, which consists of the four colors: black, green, and white, with a red triangle in the middle with a seven-pointed star in the middle. . This flag was a symbol that was evident throughout Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and parts of Iraq, where it formed a state that sought exaltation, strength, and unity for all Arabs. However, colonial ambitions intervened and spoiled this Arab unity project, in which the Hashemites were at the forefront, raising their political and national slogan.

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Establishment of the Hashemite Emirate

Jordan carried the flag, announcing the birth of the Hashemite Emirate on its land, by pledging allegiance to the late founding king at the time, Abdullah bin Al-Hussein, as its Emir, on April 11, 1921. With the announcement of this emirate, it raised the flag of the Great Arab Revolt, before witnessing a change in the design of the flag. Jordanian. In 1922, the new Jordanian flag was announced, consisting of three colors: black in the upper part, white in the middle part, and green in the lower part, with a red triangle bearing a white seven-rayed planet. This flag comes with specifications specified in the country’s constitution in 1928, whereby the length of the flag is twice its width, and it consists of three equal, parallel pieces. The white planet in the red triangle carries an area containing a circle with a diameter of one fourteenth of the length of the flag, and is placed so that its center is at the point of intersection of the lines of the triangle, and its axis is parallel to the base of the triangle.

Jordanian flag

National symbols, including the flag, are an integral part of the nation-building process, as it reflects the growing sense of patriotism among people, and enhances their sense of belonging through symbols, signs, and colors that gain accumulated meanings and connotations with the passage of days. Jordanians preserve their national memory through the historical events they witnessed, and the flag was fluttering with the holding of the first Jordanian National Conference on July 25, 1928, in which more than one hundred and fifty figures from the nation’s symbols participated, as they emphasized the role of the people as a source of authority and the necessity of preserving the interests of the nation.

The Jordanians raised the same flag with the declaration of independence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on May 25, 1946, which confirmed their sovereignty over the land and the end of the British mandate that lasted for nearly twenty-five years. This was a pivotal period in the history of Jordan, as the late Abdullah bin Al-Hussein pledged allegiance to him as king of the country. On this historic day, the country set off towards a bright future full of modernization, development and dignity.

The Jordanian flag is a symbol of steadfastness

On the land of Palestine, the precious and valuable Arab army made every effort to preserve its sanctities in unforgettable battles, raising the Jordanian flag as a symbol of steadfastness and loyalty. These battles began since the Battle of Bab al-Wad in 1948, where the Jordanian army repelled the Zionist advance towards Jerusalem, and the martyrs made their sacrifices in defense of Islamic holy sites.

On March 21, 1968, the Battle of Karama witnessed an exceptional confrontation between the Arab army and the enemy forces, where the heroism of the Jordanian soldiers shone, and they wrote a new page of their history with their courage and loyalty to the homeland. The Jordanian flag did not retreat in those confrontations, but rather continued to be raised high, defying the difficulties and soaked in the blood of the martyrs and the efforts of the living.

For fifty years and more, Jordanian forces have continued to perform their duty to preserve the homeland, whether in military confrontations such as the 1973 October War, or in the face of extremism and terrorism. The country has also demonstrated its pioneering role in confronting the Corona pandemic in recent years. In all these circumstances, the Jordanian flag remained tall in the sky of victory, a symbol of patriotism, steadfastness and sacrifice.

For more than a century, the glory of poets was evident in raising the flag of Jordan, which never bowed, as the poet and former Prime Minister Abdel Moneim Al-Rifai said:

"Thrilling in glory and glory, Arabic in shadows and years, in the peaks and heights above the head of men, bright and majestic, alive in the morning and evening, in the smile of shame and shame, O emblem of majesty and shining beauty, and pride in the Lord."

Today we look at our flag, whose redness was stained by the blood of martyrs, and whose greenness was watered by dew drops mixed with the sweat of peasants. His blackness showed signs of seriousness and loyalty to his past and future. Its whiteness revealed pure, loving hearts that dreamed of a free homeland and would sacrifice it with everything they had.