# Iraqi Flag

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 25, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642 "2002-09-25T17:13:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642/1 "2002-09-25T17:13:30Z")

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Sorry if this is a repeat. I tried submitting before, and my machine locked up. A quick search didn’t find it.

Does anyone know what the Arabic on the Iraqi flag says?

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642/2 "2002-09-25T17:18:30Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Max \*  
> \*\*Sorry if this is a repeat. I tried submitting before, and my machine locked up. A quick search didn’t find it.
> 
> Does anyone know what the Arabic on the Iraqi flag says? \*\*

Allah(u) Akbar.

Not particularly good script either, oddly enough. Cheap appeal to religious sentiment by an otherwise highly irreligious socialist.

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**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642/3 "2002-09-25T17:30:16Z")

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Am I right in thinking that this was only added after his invasion of Kuwait? As you say, a cheap appeal.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642/4 "2002-09-25T17:53:04Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Bromley \*  
> \*\*Am I right in thinking that this was only added after his invasion of Kuwait? As you say, a cheap appeal. \*\*

Correct.

The Baath party was traditionally a secular, socialist (in a vague sort of way) party with an aim at secularizing society.

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**Author:** ![mazzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mazzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazzer)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642/5 "2002-09-25T19:59:32Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Collounsbury \*  
> **Allah(u) Akbar.**

I know about Allah … but what does that phrase mean?

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642/6 "2002-09-25T20:51:46Z")

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Allah(u) Akbar

God is Great // God is the Greatest.

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642/7 "2002-09-25T21:15:43Z")

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The same phrase is also repeated 22 times on the flag of [Iran](http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/ir.html), in a stylised form - 11 times each at the top and bottom of the central white stripe. It’s not immediately obvious - to me, anyway - that it is writing and not just decoration.

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-flag/129642/8 "2002-09-26T18:35:46Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by r\_k \*  
> It’s not immediately obvious - to me, anyway - that it is writing and not just decoration.

[tangent]Arabic script in religious writings has become very ornate primarily because of a prohibition in the religion of representational art of religious figures. It is sort of an extension to the extreme of “Thou shalt not worship graven images.” So Islam has developed some very amazing calligraphy in Arabic.[/tangent]