Saudi Arabia is celebrating its third consecutive Flag Day on Monday, following a royal decree issued by King Salman bin Abdulaziz on March 1, 2023.
The decree designated March 11 as an annual observance, commemorating the same date in 1937 when the Saudi flag was formally adopted in its current form.
The Saudi flag has undergone several transformations throughout history, with its evolution marked by significant events and stories that extend beyond being a simple piece of fabric.
Adnan Al-Turaif, a researcher specializing in Saudi heritage and history, has extensively documented the evolution of the Kingdom’s flag—also known as the Alam or Bayraq—across the three eras of the Saudi state.
Al-Turaif is also the custodian of the original flag of the First Saudi State, along with dozens of other historical banners, which he has preserved in his private museum among a collection of rare artifacts showcasing Saudi Arabia’s 300-year flag heritage.
The Saudi flag has flown green for three centuries, undergoing several transformations before taking its current form during the late reign of King Abdulaziz, according to Al-Turaif.
Citing historical sources, Al-Turaif explained that early versions of the flag were crafted from silk and brocade, bearing the inscription “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger” in elegant script, and mounted on a simple pole.
This design remained unchanged throughout the reigns of the First Saudi State’s founding rulers—Imam Muhammad bin Saud, his son Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad, and their successors Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz and Imam Abdullah bin Saud.
European travelers and orientalists also documented the Saudi flag’s significance.
Spanish explorer Domingo Badía y Leblich—who posed as a Muslim under the alias Hajj Ali Bey Al-Abbasi while spying for Napoleon III—described witnessing Imam Saud’s army entering Makkah in 1807.
He noted that 45,000 soldiers, clad in white pilgrimage garments, marched in unison behind a large green flag adorned with the Islamic creed in bold white script.
Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who adopted the name Ibrahim Abdullah after converting to Islam, also provided accounts of the Saudi flag during his travels across Arabia around 1810.
He observed that each emir within the Saudi military carried a distinct banner, while Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz commanded multiple flags, underscoring his authority over the Arabian Peninsula.
Al-Turaif traces the origins of the first Saudi flag to 1727, when it was raised by Imam Muhammad bin Saud, the founder of the First Saudi State. During his 40-year rule, the flag was either carried by one of his sons or held by the ruler himself, symbolizing authority and unity.
Al-Turaif cites the writings of Ibn Bishr, a noted historian, who documented that Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad and his son Imam Saud—the second and third rulers of the First Saudi State—would send envoys to tribal leaders, instructing them to gather at a predetermined time and location.
The flag would be raised at the meeting site, serving as a rallying point where no tribal leader dared to be absent.
Ibn Bishr also recorded that Imam Saud was undefeated in battle, and his banner was regarded as a symbol of triumph and divine favor.
When discussing Imam Turki bin Abdullah, founder of the Second Saudi State, Ibn Bishr noted that before launching a military campaign, the ruler would notify tribal chiefs and regional governors of the date and location of their assembly.
Fifteen days prior to setting out, he would prepare military supplies, horse fodder, and battle gear. Shortly before departure, the flag would be hoisted near his palace gates, signaling the imminent march.
His son, Imam Faisal bin Turki, continued this tradition, ensuring the flag always led the way in military expeditions and was displayed prominently at the palace before mobilization.
King Abdulaziz initially used the same flag design as the First and Second Saudi States before introducing modifications, according to Al-Turaif.
Ameen Al-Rihani, in his historical accounts, described the early flag of King Abdulaziz as square-shaped, featuring a green section with the Islamic creed (“There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger”), a white portion near the flagpole, and two crossed swords above the text.
The design later evolved, reducing the swords to a single, straight sword placed beneath the inscription.
In 1925, King Abdulaziz ordered a new version of the flag, and in 1937, the Shura Council established official dimensions—150 cm in length and 100 cm in width.
That same year, a decree standardized the use of different flags for the king and crown prince, the military, the air force, the navy, and the merchant fleet.
Further modifications came in 1952, when the Shura Council revised the flag’s dimensions and specifications. In 1973, the Council of Ministers formally approved the current design.
Under King Fahd, the Basic Law of Governance, issued in 1991, officially defined the Saudi flag’s characteristics: a green field with a width two-thirds of its length, featuring the Islamic creed in white Arabic script, with a white sword positioned beneath the text—a design that remains unchanged to this day.
