لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ

"You have an excellent model in the Messenger of Allah, for all who put their hope in Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much."

(Al-Ahzab: 21)

The Islamic State has a flag (Alam); whether it is a Liwaa' or Rayah, as deduced from the flags (Alwiyah) and banners (Rayat) of the first Islamic State, which the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم in al-Medina al-Munawwarah. The flag (Liwaa) is white, on which it is written "La Ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah" with black script. It is tied to the leader (Amir) of the army and is used as a sign ('alam) to him. The evidence for this is what was narrated by Ibn Majah:

«أن النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ دخل مكة يوم الفتح ولواؤه أبيض»

"That the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم entered Makkah on the day of its conquest while raising a white flag."

Al-Nasaa'i also narrated that:

«أنه صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حين أمَّر أسامة بن زيد على الجيش ليغزو الروم عقد لواءه بيده»

"When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم appointed Usama ibn Zayd as amir to the army for invading the Romans, he tied his flag with his own hands".

The banner (Rayah) is black, on which it is written "La Ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah" with white script. It is carried by the leaders of the army divisions, battalions, detachments, and other army units. The evidence for this is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, while being the leader of the army in Khaybar, he said:

«لأعطين الراية غداً رجلاً يحب الله ورسوله، ويحبه الله ورسوله، فأعطاها علياً»

"I will give the Raya tomorrow to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him; and he gave it to Ali." (Hadith is agreed upon)

Thus, Ali, may Allah bless him, was considered then a leader of a division or a battalion in the Army. As for the evidence for the color, it is narrated by al-Tirmidhi, that Albaraa ibn 'Aazib said when he was asked about the banner of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم:

«كَانَتْ سَوْدَاءَ مُرَبَّعَةً مِنْ نَمِرَةٍ»

"It was black squared from Namira".

It is spread amongst the soldiers and the people when the soldiers return back victorious. The evidence for that is narrated by Bukhari in the Great History "At-Tareekh Al-Kabeer" who said Abu Bakr told me, said Thana Salam Bin Sulaiman Abu Mundhir told me Asim Abu Wael from Al-Harith ibn Hassan ibn Kaladah Al-Bakri said:

«دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَائِمًا عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يَخْطُبُ وَفُلانٌ قَائِمٌ مُتَقَلِّدٌ السَّيْفَ فَإِذَا رَايَاتٌ سُودٌ تَخْفِقُ! قُلْتُ: مَا هَذَا؟ قالوا: عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ قَدِمَ مِنْ جَيْشِ ذَاتِ السَّلاسِلِ»

"We came to Medina and we saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on the Mimbar, with someone standing in front of him wearing his sword. There were black banners (rayaat) in front of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. I asked 'what are these banners?' They said, 'It is Amr ibn al-Aas who has just arrived from an expedition".

They had returned victorious and the banners were many to celebrate the victory...

Moreover, the adoption of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم of a black banner which he tied it to the brigades and a white flag which he tied it to the armies' leaders is an act of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that we must follow his example. It is not exceptional to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, because just as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم entered Makkah with the flag (Liwaa), he also tied a flag to Osama, and also recognized the banner (Rayah) of Jafar and his brothers in Mu'ta. The Messenger Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said mourning to the people the death of Zayd, Ja'far and Ibn Ruwahah before the soldiers brought the news

«أَخَذَ الرَّايَةَ زَيْدٌ فَأُصِيبَ، ثُمَّ أَخَذَهَا جَعْفَرٌ فَأُصِيبَ، ثُمَّ أَخَذَهَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ فَأُصِيبَ»

"Zayd took the banner (raya) but he was hit; and then Ja'far took it and he was hit; and then Ibn Ruwahah took it and he was hit" (Reported by Bukhari from Anas ibn Malik (ra)).

The banner is of great significance in Islam, it was taken as a motto of Muslims to gather under it, and by it their ranks are distinguished. It is chosen for it the brave forefront in their people and in the army to keep it lifted apparent for the people to see it, and if it falls they lift it and show extreme courage to prevent it falling, as the Sahaba, may Allah be pleased with them, did in Mu'ta...

This is in regards to the flag and banner in the era of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and by his approval. Muslims should follow the example of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and make this flag their flag, and this banner their banner in the Islamic State, the Khilafah Rashidah that they will establish soon, Allah willing, and if they do not follow the example of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم there will be sedition (Fitnah)... And this is what is perceived and evident in the torn Ummah's body; as a result of multiple flags for the ripped states and factions!

This is the approved official flag of the state in Islam, as well as its banner... This is what is tied to the army leaders, lifted by the leaders in the wars and spread out amongst the soldiers... It is raised in the state institutions and departments... and is spread out amongst people in their festivals and in victory processions... This is the banner and the flag of the Islamic State following the example of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم.

As to the fact that some tribes used to take a flag with a special color in their wars to distinguish themselves, this is permissible. For example in war, the army of al-Sham can take a flag with a different color in addition to the black flag, and the army of Egypt can take also a flag with a different color in addition to the black flag... And this is from the permissible (Mubah). It was narrated in at-Tabarani in al-Kabeer on authority of Mazeeda al-Abdi' saying

«إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَقَدَ رَايَاتِ الْأَنْصَارِ فَجَعَلَهُنَّ صُفَرًا»

"The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has knotted the flags of al-Ansar and made them yellow."

And it was narrated from Ibn Abi Asem in al-Aahad and al-Mathani on the authority of Kurz bin Sama who said:

«...وَإِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَقَدَ رَايَةَ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ حَمْرَاءَ»

"....And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم knotted the flag of Bani Suleim red".

So this is from the permissible (mubah). Army brigades nowadays use badges to differentiate themselves other than the official flag of the state, and it is permissible also to differentiate the armies by their names, as if numbering each army of its armies, so it is called: the first army, the third army for example, or naming it by its wilayah from the wilayat, or a province from its provinces, so it is called: Al-Sham Army or the Aleppo Army for example, and it is permissible for these divisions to have a special flag that distinguishes them administratively, raised in addition to the state's flag.

Thus, the banner of the Islamic state has specific descriptions, which is the legitimate (Shari') banner, which under which Dar al-Islam is sheltered, and by which the armies of Islam are shielded, so you escape from the death of ignorance that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم described in his Hadith which was narrated by Muslim:

«... وَمَنْ قَاتلَ تَحْتَ رَايَةٍ عِمِّيَّةٍ، يَغْضَبُ لِعَصَبَةٍ، أو يَدْعُو إِلى عَصبَةٍ، أو يَنْصُرُ عَصَبَة، فَقُتِلَ فَقِتْلَةٌ جَاهِليَّةٌ»

"...and whoever is killed while under a banner of ignorance, getting angry for the sake of tribalism or fighting for the sake of tribalism or calling to tribalism then his death is that of jahiliyya".

In this case, he صلى الله عليه وسلم called it the banner of ignorance (Amiyah), "from the word "Ta'miyah" meaning blinding, which is disguising and is interpreted as misguiding (Dhalal)". The rest of the Hadith interpreted it as the one fighting for the sake of tribalism, without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book, for people or for a class or a tyrant or any issue other than for Allah, like the fighting of ignorance. Or fighting not in order to support the Deen and establish the rule of Allah or for Jihad to uphold the word of Allah, but fighting under the banner of ignorance as the Hadith mentioned, and then if he is killed, then his death is that of Jahiliyya. This Hadith had related the banner to the meaning and not to the form only. What supports this meaning is what came of the meaning of the flag as the purpose for the fighting. It was narrated from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about the Romans, where he said:

«... هُدْنَةٌ تَكُونُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ بَنِي الأَصْفَرِ، فَيَغْدِرُونَ فَيَأْتُونَكُمْ تَحْتَ ثَمَانِينَ غَايَةً»

"....a treaty will be between you and the Romans, then they will betray you and march against you with eighty aims....", i.e. eighty banners. Hence the flag carries the idea and the purpose of which the fighting is for.

It is well known that states usually adopt flags to symbolize them and include slogans, drawings or words expressing their ideas and beliefs. They give them a kind of sanctity, and request from their citizens to have the symbol of loyalty to their homeland as their loyalty symbol. This is one of the international norms. From this aspect, the wrath of the West and their agents, the rulers of the damage, were provoked when the Muslims in Syria Ash-Sham adopted the flag; "Rayah or Liwaa", of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Some scholars embarked on issuing Fatwa to some factions on the doctrine of the rulers that it is permissible to take any form of banner or flag, and not necessary to commit to the banner of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and that it can be multiple. Thus, they were justifying for them to take the flags of Sykes-Picot, "Al-Amiaya" (ignorance), that was developed by the French and the British to entrench the concept of nationalism. So they made for each country of the Islamic countries a flag to be symbolized by. Thus these flags became a symbol of fragmentation and division, and a substitute for Al-Okab; the banner of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. As these Kaffir colonists, the enemies of Islam have asked their agents, the Muslim rulers, to maintain the banners of division; because they know that the loyalty of these flags mean loyalty to the Kaffir colonists. And since the flag is a symbol of what it is put for; they are particularly keen to ensure that they are not touched except by their will. Thus, the fundamental problem with the West is that it rejects the Islamic flag; because it means that it was the flag of the State of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and because of it is afraid that it will be the flag of the promised Khilafah Rashidah State which brings together Muslims under its rule. The root of the problem with these scholars is that their thought was not built on dissociation (Bara) from these rulers, and missed their minds that the Khilafah State is a state that gathers Muslims under its presidency, and where loyalty is to Allah alone...

O Muslims: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has taken for the first Islamic State a banner and flag with clear and specific descriptions indicated by the text, and that Hizb ut Tahrir invites you to follow the example of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم so that you would succeed...

فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

"Those who oppose his command should beware of a testing trial coming to them or a painful punishment striking them."

(An-Nur: 63)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Media is streamed through a specific and unique lens depending on the views it holds regarding society and life.  Media in all of its forms; print or broadcast all strive to promote a certain perspective to the masses.  This is most evident in media geared towards females of all ages.  We all feel the tangible effects of the media on both genders.  However, we are yet to feel the direct effects of Islamic media.  There are several stark differences between Islamic media and western media.

The detrimental effects of the media have a ripple effect on society. Western media has distorted the image and role of the female to extreme unrealistic standards and impressions.  Affecting both man and woman in this warped concoction of acting and looking like a so-called woman.  She is to be a sexual object that takes great advantage of her femininity and sensuality to further her social and financial status.  This is all done without anyone, whether it be the industry or any activist right campaign, condemning or reprimanding her or the people who exploit her.  This is the very thing that destroys her as a human being.  It is surely a double-edged sword or a double jeopardy of sorts. A woman, often times a very young woman, is encouraged to display her body in all of its beauty yet is stunned when she is attacked by the very people who she tries to lure.

Another problem is self-inflicted through a slow and direct stream of poison being injected into young naïve females of the ideal female persona.  This false portrayal of the young attractive woman has been the source of widespread epidemic of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia being linked to low self-esteem.  Causing a warped sense of false beauty including long term effects on her health.   The numbers are phenomenal resulting in hundreds of support groups and health campaigns against these disorders all the while billboards and magazines are still flashing erotic images.  They only address the symptoms and not the root of the disease.  Women are hopelessly chasing after unattainable ideals while jeopardizing their mental, emotional, and physical health.  Thus, resulting in failed relationship with their partners and families.
There is an easy solution but many will quickly reject it as this type of media is a multi-billion dollar industry which capitalizes on the human desires.

The solution lies within the system .... Islam holds a very direct and clear perception of a woman not as an object but as a dignified human being.  Islam plays a vital role in lifting one's character emphasizing on the best of Islamic values while upholding the highest code of ethics and discipline.  It is indeed an unfortunate absence in today's society, one that is sorely needed to free ourselves from the constant stream of poisons.  Islamic media as a result would greatly differ as a result of this viewpoint and concept. 

Islamic media would encourage good and noble deeds and reject the vices of society like violence towards women in its many forms.  It would educate and inform the general public in their actions, elevate their thoughts, purify their emotions leading a correct positive viewpoint. Therefore leading to a great revival steering society towards greatness, enveloping non-Muslims as well.  Obscene and derogatory material will be forbidden in all types of media.  There will not be this type of freedom of expression as this destroys society as a whole including its individuals. Men will be reminded of how to properly view women in public and how to treat them as honorable respectable persons.  Most certainly, men's minds/concepts will be re-trained on how to treat and speak to their counter-parts. Thus influencing how the masses view and process the image of a woman. Islamic media will promote a positive welfare environment eradicating feelings of racism, discrimination, and nationalism, that leads towards a spiral of decline something we as Muslims feel and realize the catastrophic results today.

It will inspire young females to be great role models as mothers, wives, and dawah carriers.  Therefore building self-esteem and the confidence something that is desperately needed to wash away all the corrupt ideas thus promoting a healthy self-image of themselves. Take the sahabiyaat and the Prophet's wives (ra) as their role-models. Allowing them to be a successful and beneficial part of society's fabric.  Indefinitely, the great number of social problems will diminish to a bare minimum. Inshallah.

(( يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا فَتَعَالَيْنَ أُمَتِّعْكُنَّ وَأُسَرِّحْكُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا (28) وَإِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْمُحْسِنَاتِ مِنْكُنَّ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا)) الأحزاب 28،29

((28. O Prophet! Say to Thy Consorts: "If it be that ye desire the life of this world, and its glitter, - then come! I will provide for your enjoyment and set you free in a handsome manner. 29. but if ye seek Allah and His Messenger, and the home of the Hereafter, Verily Allah has prepared for the well-doers amongst you a great reward.)) 33 (29, 28)

Manal Bader
Bayt Al-Maqdes, Palestine