Littell's Living Age/Volume 137/Issue 1765/The Green Flag of the Prophet
THE GREEN FLAG OF THE PROPHET.
Since the commencement of the war between Russia and Turkey, the world has several times been startled by the announcement that the "flag of the Prophet" was about to be unfurled in the streets of Stamboul. Such an event, if it should happen (which may Heaven avert), would proclaim a crusade in which all true Mussulmans would be bound to take an active part, and to fight against Christianity in every part of the world. They may be in India, Arabia, Egypt, or wherever else their scattered race has found a home: the raising of the green standard is a call which none may disobey, without, as the Koran lays it down, sacrificing all his hopes of Paradise.
This fearful appeal to all the worst passions of the Eastern races hangs like a menace over the Mohammedan world; and if the word was once uttered and the dread flag unfurled, there is no telling to what sanguinary excesses it might lead an enthusiastic and half-savage people. It may be of interest to our readers if, under these circumstances, we endeavor to make them acquainted with the origin and history of a banner which has not seen the light of day since the empress Catharine of Russia attempted to reinstate Christianity in the city of the sultans, and which, once unfurled, would set a whole world ablaze.
There have been many flags or signals used by various nations at different crises in their history to incite the peoples to battle on behalf of religions, dynasties, and ideas; but none has attained to the fearful notoriety which appertains to the terrible flag of the Prophet, which is really a banner of blood, for it dispels the idea of mercy from the minds and hearts of its followers, and gives no quarter to man, woman, or child.
The red cross banner of the Christian Crusaders was an emblem of chivalry, mercy, gentleness, and love; but under its folds many a dark deed and many a shameless act were committed; and it was understood by the members of the Mohammedan faith to mean nothing less than the utter extermination of their race. This feeling, with its consequent hatred of Christianity, shows itself even at this advanced period in the world’s history, by the recent refusal of the Turkish government to allow its ambulance corps and hospitals to bear the red cross of the Geneva Convention (a sign which is entirely neutral, and is designed to protect its wearers while they are engaged on their errands of mercy to the sick and wounded of both sides), adopting instead thereof their own emblem of the crescent. Thus we see these rival emblems once more waving over the field of battle, though, happily, to mitigate rather than increase the horrors of war.
In France the "oriflamme," or golden sun upon a field of crimson, signified "no quarter;" but this celebrated flag of the Prophet means infinitely more than this. It is a summons to an anti-Christian crusade, a challenge of every believer in the Prophet to arms; a war-signal in fact, which, like the fiery cross of Scotland, would flash its dread command through the domain of Islam. In the interests of humanity, however, we may hope that the "commander of the faithful" will never utter the dreadful word; for then indeed would the whole soul and strength of Christendom turn against the enemy of all civilized laws, human and divine.
The Prophet himself predicted that one day when his followers should number a hundred millions—which they do now, with twenty millions more added to it—his flag should fly against the advancing power of the northern races; and the Koran, or Mohammedan Bible, says that when its silken folds are flung forth "the earth will shake, the mountains melt into dust, the seas blaze up in fire, and the children’s hair grow white with anguish." This language is of course metaphorical; but it is easy to conceive, by the light of very recent history, that some such catastrophe might take place, as the displaying of this terrible symbol would raise a frenzy of fanaticism in the breasts of the Mohammedan race all over the globe.
The origin of the insignia is a curious one. Mohammed gazing out upon a vast prospect of fields, said: "Nature is green, and green shall be my emblem, for it is everlasting and universal." In course of time, however, it lost that innocent significance; and, amid his visions, the great dreamer saw the green flag floating as a sign that all true believers should take up their arms and march against the infidel; in fact the green turban was the sacred head-dress of the pilgrim or perfected Islamite who had gone to Mecca; and hence the sanctity of this formidable standard.
When once unfurled, it summons all Islam by an adjuration from the Koran that the sword is the solitary emblem and instrument of faith, independence, and patriotism; that armies, not priests, make converts; and that sharpened steel is the "true key to heaven or hell." Upon that fearful ensign are inserted the words which are supposed to have been written at Mecca itself—namely, "All who draw it [the sword] will be rewarded with temporal advantages; every drop shed of their blood, every peril and hardship endured by them, will be registered on high as more meritorious than either fasting or praying. If they fall in battle, their sins will be at once blotted out, and they will be transported to Paradise, there to revel in eternal pleasures in the arms of black-eyed houris. But for the first heaven are reserved those of the faithful who die within sight of the green flag of the Prophet." Then follow the terrible and all-significant words, the fearful war-cry against God and man: "Then may no man give or expect mercy!"
This is the outburst of barbarism with which the world is threatened in this year of grace 1877; and the reader cannot do otherwise than mark the cunning nature of the portentous words inscribed on the Prophet’s banner. What would not most men do, civilized or savage, for "temporal advantages"? While to the Eastern peoples fasting and praying are looked upon as of so meritorious a nature that to find something else, which, in the eyes of Allah, would be deemed of greater value still, would be a desideratum which none would fail to grasp, by any means whatever, if it came within their reach. But Mohammed’s wonderful knowledge of human nature, and more especially of Eastern human nature, is shown in his picture of Paradise as prepared for the Faithful who fall in battle; while his declaration that the highest heaven in this so-called Paradise will be reserved for those who die within sight of the green flag, is a masterpiece of devilish policy unequalled in the annals of mankind.
It scarcely needed the fearful words which follow to add emphasis to this dreadful appeal to the passions of a semi- barbarous race. Another motto on this sacred flag is not without significance at the present time: “The gates of Paradise are under the shade of swords;" and this alone would, if the flag were unfurled in the holy mosque of Constantinople, give to the Turk a moral power over his subordinates the effect of which it would be vain to calculate. Civilized though he partially is, he still firmly believes in the old doctrine of kismet or fatality, and in angels fighting on his behalf; not less implicitly than did his ancestors at the battle of Beder, where this formidable green standard was first unfurled. "There," says the historian, "they elevated the standard, which Mohammed from his height in heaven blessed."
Thus arose the great tradition of this sacred war-emblem, which it is a Turkish boast was never yet captured in battle, though it was once in extreme peril in a fight between hill and plain; when Mohammed himself had it snatched out of his hands. Ali, his kinsman, however, thrust himself in front of a hundred spears, and won the victory with the immaculate flag flying over his head.
It is scarcely to be wondered at that a race so superstitious as the Turks should attach an almost miraculous value to such a symbol of their past history and their present power. It is a spell wherever their race or religion flourishes, and its invocation in the serious form now menaced cannot be regarded without anxiety. The day of the military apostles of Mohammed may be past, it is true; but the tradition survives; and the unfurling of this flag might be the spark which would set fire to the latent enthusiasm of the Mohammedan race and involve the world in a religious war.
We have referred to the great French banner, the oriflamme; and it was that which led the French Crusaders through the Holy Land and headed the royal armies of France in the campaigns of the sixteenth century, while it also divided the Blue from the White in the Burgundian civil wars; but this flag of the Prophet to-day exercises a magical influence over one hundred and twenty millions of the human race, scattered about in Arabia, Syria, Asia Minor, Persia, and Egypt, over the Nile and the Ganges, and from Jerusalem to the Red Sea.
The desire of Mohammed, however, was, that while all pilgrims whose task had been duly fulfilled should wear the green turban, no sovereign in his succession should unfurl the green flag of the faith unless Islam were in imminent peril. The unfurling of the banner would be performed with great religious ceremony, and in the presence of the commander of the faithful, who is himself supposed to carry it at the head of his army; while a fearful curse would be called down upon the head of every Mohammedan who, capable of bearing arms, failed to rally round it.
The standard itself is not a very handsome one, and is surpassed both in value and appearance by many of the banners which belong to the various benefit societies and other mutual associations of men in this country. It is of green silk, with a large crescent on the top of the staff, from which is suspended a long plume of horsehair (said to have been the tail of the Prophet’s favorite Arab steed), while the broad folds of the flag exhibit the crescent and the quotations from the Koran already mentioned.
The state color of one of our regiments of the Guards is a much prettier and more expensive standard than the great banner of Islam; but (to such small things is man's enthusiasm attached) if the latter were the veriest "rag" in existence, nothing could mar the beauty which the prestige of more than a thousand years has given to it in the eyes of a Mussulman.
The flag of the Prophet is kept in the mosque of St. Sophia at Constantinople, and is in the custody of the Sheik-ul-Islam, or Mohammedan chief priest, where all well-wishers of humanity may sincerely trust it will ever remain.