1919–1921, Emirate of Afghanistan, National flag, ratio = 3:5,
Source, by: www.afghan-network.net, 2010, Flags,
Wikipedia (D), Flanker. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
1929–1931, Kingdom of Afghanistan, National flag, ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: www.afghan-network.net, 2010, Flags,
Wikipedia (D)
1931–1974, Kingdom of Afghanistan, National flag, ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: www.afghan-network.net, 2010, Flags,
Derivative work by Orange Tuesday at en.wikipedia based on OpenClipart file is by Andrew Dunhan [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
1928–1973, Flag of the Shah (front), ratio = 3:5,
Source, by: Das Flaggenbuch
1928–1973, Flag of the Shah (reverse), ratio = 3:5,
Source, by: Das Flaggenbuch
1974–1978, Republic of Afghanistan, National flag, ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: www.afghan-network.net, 2010, Flags,
Wikipedia (D), Orange Tuesday (talk) at en.wikipedia. [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons
1978–1980, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, National flag, ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: www.afghan-network.net, 2010, Flags,
Wikipedia (D), Orange Tuesday [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
1980–1987, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, National flag, ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: www.afghan-network.net, 2010, Flags,
Corel Draw 4, Wikipedia (D)
1987–1992, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, National flag, ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: www.afghan-network.net, 2010, Flags,
Wikipedia (D), Orange Tuesday. [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons
1992, National flag, ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: www.afghan-network.net, 2010, Flags
The today's flag of Afghanistan was introduced on 15th of August in 2021 after the Taliban militia regained power in Afghanistan. It is solid white and shows the Shahada, the Islamic creed, in black Arabic script. It leans consciously on the flag of Saudi Arabia, because the ideology of the Taliban goes back to Wahabi Islam in Saudi Arabia. The to 15th of August in 2021 used flag of Afghanistan was introduced on 19th of August in 2013 and showed three vertical stripes, black, red and green, with the coat of arms of the state in the centre. The flag correlated nearly with the model which was valid until 1974 in the Kingdom of Afghanistan. At the top of the coat of arms only the chessada (Islamic creed) was added.
Meaning of the former colors: black stands for the dark past, red symbolizes the in the fights for freedom given blood, and green stands for the Islam. Just as is possible a pure islamic interpretation of the colors: Red is the colour of Omar, the second calif; green stands for the Fatimides, an Ismailitic-shiite calif-dynasty, which goes back to the fourth Calif Ali; and black stands for the Abbasides, a calif-dynasty, which goes back to the Calif Abbas I. Already during the times of the kingdom, 1929-1974, the black-red-green stripes of the flag had been arranged vertically. With the assumption of power by Mohammed Daud Khan, and on the occasion of the formation of the presidial republic they were arranged horizontally. After a communist coup, lead by M. N. Taraki, a red single coloured communist flag was introduced between 1978 and 1980,. After an uprising and internal struggles for the power, B. Karmal took control, Soviet troops marched in, and a horizontally striped flagt was introduced, which contained a coat of arms with the historical elements, completed by a red star and an opened Koran. With the change of regime from B. Karmal to Dr. M. Najibullah in 1987 the coat of arms was also changed. The star and the Koran were removed. After the takeover by the Mudjaheddin in 1992, they decided on new national colours, namely green, white and black. The colour white stood for the future. In the religious-Islamic sense white stands for the Omajiades, a calif-dynasty, which goes back to the fifth calif, Moawija 1st.
The today's coat of arms of Afghanistan was introduced on 15th of August in 2021 after the Taliban militia regained power in Afghanistan. It shows in the colors black and white a wreath of ears between two crossed swords and in the middle a rising sun, an open Koran, a sermon pulpit, the name of the state, the year the state was founded and the Shahada, the Islamic creed, all in Arabic script. The to 15th of August in 2021 used coat of arms of Afghanistan showed, also before and for many years, an open mosque with prayer-niche and sermon pulpit, and on the outside of each side of the mosque stands, obliquely placed, a flag. The mosque was encircled by a bound wreath of grain ears, and since 1996, by the Shakhada as well.
"Afghanistan" literally means "Land of the Afghans". "Afghans" is the historical Persian name for the people of the Pashtuns, first mentioned in 1801, officially introduced in 1919. The Pashtuns with 60% are the majority within the population.
