Set a timer for fifteen minutes…tell us what you can do in that time. Can you prepare a delicious breakfast? Can you go for a quick trip to the market? Can you make a business proposal in that period? Can you take a quick break from work to call your loved one?
And doing all these ordinary things is now a privilege in the besieged Gaza. The fifteen minutes we use in leisure claims one child’s life in Gaza. From October 7 to 18, more than 1,000 children were killed with merciless airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
Each passing day exhibits the ugliest side of war with the most inhumane side of humanity.
While doctors from across Palestine volunteered to treat patients at Gaza Hospital, no one would have predicted that a place of healing would be the locus of one of the deadliest attacks. On one usual day on October 17, thousands of patients were being treated at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital when 500 innocent people were killed as an air missile struck the parking lot.
This incident sent shockwaves across the globe, condemning the vicious attacks on the hospital. Within a day, massive protests erupted in the Middle Eastern countries, including Israeli-occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco and Iran.
These protests condemned the influential Western countries who propagated the war agenda further by declaring ‘unwavering’ support to Israel and supplying military aid, which has led to the absolute destruction of Gaza. The protestors also criticized US President Biden’s visit to wartime Israel on October 18.
While the protests caught global media attention, one particular entity has ignited an online discourse.
On October 18, 2023, several images were circulated on X that show a black flag hoisted above the Razavi Shrine in Iran. This raised speculations over the meaning and intentions of the flag, where some claimed that Iran was declaring war. However, the fake information was soon debunked when users noted that the black flag symbolizes grief, mourning, and solidarity. The flag represented the protestors mourning the death of 50 people in the Gaza Hospital bombing.
What Does the Black Flag Mean Islam?
Every year on Muharram, Muslims hoist a black flag on mosques or sacred places, the month of mourning for Imam Hussian’s martyrdom. Here’s a brief history of the flag–
- Khorasan, a region that includes Persia and Central Asia, first used the black flags. It is believed that people should overcome all challenges and follow them, even if it entails traversing across borders.
- This tradition began with the arrival of Mahdi, the Caliph of Allah.
- The black flag is hoisted in the first ten days of Muharram in honor of Imam Hussain, who was martyred during the battle of Karbala.
- The flag is a sacred emblem for Twelver Shia Muslims, signifying religious pilgrimage.
What Is the Black Flag in Iran?
The Imam Reza mosque in Mashhad, Iran, is a shrine for Imam Reza, also known as Ali al-Rida. It is one of the most legendary sacred sanctity and is the largest mosque in the world by area. People from all over the world who follow Islam visit the shrine per their faith.
The Astan Quds Razavi Foundation, with its custodian, Ahmad Marvi, a prominent Iranian cleric, manages the mosque that hosts large gatherings.
It was for the first time that a black flag was hoisted above the Razavi Shrine outside of Muharram to mourn the death of 500 innocent lives taken in the brutal attack on the Gaza Hospital.
In this context, the flag also represents Iranian solidarity with the people of Gaza and condemnation of the genocide.
Is the Black Flag in Iran a Call for War?
Claim: Many misinformed netizens (and some trolls) propagated that the Black Flag in Iran is a call for war. This claim is also derived from the speculations that Iran was funding Hamas attacks on Israel.
Fact: This claim is absolutely false, as the black flag represented grief, sorrow, and solidarity for the people of Palestine, killed, displaced, and living in a complete blackout in Gaza. The black flag was raised after Israel allegedly bombed Gaza Hospital, killing 500 civilians. Israel has yet to give a proper response/ confirmation on these strikes.
One user explained the meaning of the black flag, stating–
“It resonates deeply with Islamic prophecy, echoing a Hadith about Khorasan. The flag, a symbol of mourning in Shia Islam, is traditionally raised to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. But today, it stands as a potent symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian people, mourning the lives lost in an Israeli strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip.”
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think social media is walking on a dangerously thin line while spreading unverified speculations amidst such a critical war?
Let us know in the comments section below.
