Colors of Islam

QURAN VERSES ABOUT COLOURS

While referring to the infinite diversity of colours and shades of various objects and events in nature – in inanimate, animate and human world, the Quran insistently calls on us to observe the beauty and depth of this diversity (e.g. And all that He has multiplied for you in the Earth of diverse colours; verily there is a message in this for a people who recollect.

See you not that God sent down water from Heaven? With it We then bring out products of various colours. And in the mountains are streaks of whites and reds, of various colours, and intense blacks. 35:27

And so amongst men and animals and livestock, are they of various colours. As such, only the knowledgeable among His servants stand in awe of God: surely God is Mighty, Forgiving. 35:28

COLOUR MEANING AND SYMBOLISM IN VARIATION

This scarf colors option has their symbolic meanings, such as:

Black Gold – Aswad : The color of modesty in Islam

During the period of the Islamic Caliphate, warring factions took on certain colors to represent themselves. When the Abbassid Caliphate revolted against the Umayyads, they wore black clothing and carried black battle standards as it was thought that the coming of the messiah would be signified by a man with a black banner. Today in Iran, devout Shiite women wear black chador and ayatollahs wear black cloaks, while certain descendants of the Prophet Muhammad wear black turbans.

Green – Akhdar : Associated with Jannah (Heaven) and life

The color most strongly associated with Islam is green because it has represented Islam for centuries. Many Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran feature the color green on their national flags. Some believe that green was the Prophet Muhammad’s favorite color, and it is mentioned in a number of verses in the Quran as the color that will be worn by the inhabitants of paradise. Green enables a person to feel at bliss, happy joyful and new growth. It is the color of nature and the natural environment. A number of hadith was found to describe the significant meaning of green. Besides white, the Prophet PBUH also loved green clothing.

White Cream – Abyad : Used to symbolize purity and peace

White is perhaps the second-most associated color with Islam. The color white symbolizes purity and peace and so it is often worn by Muslims attending Friday prayers. Muslims also wear it when performing sacred rites of pilgrimage. According to the observation of Muslim scholars, white is the best color as it is chosen by Allah for the Prophet PBUH. It is reported that most of the Prophet’s clothing were white as observed by his companions. White is also associated with the angels, where Imam al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih al-Bukhari that the colour of the dress of an angel is white. It is highly recommended for men to wear white clothes and to shroud the dead with white cloth

Yellow – Asfar : It’s a happy, youthful color, full of hope and positivity

All over the world, yellow is associated with the sun and its life-giving warmth. Yellow also stands for caution, and it’s used for traffic warning signs and traffic signals in nearly every country. Yellow is optimism and the cheerfulness of a sunny day. Yellow, when golden bright, is a very attractive colour that tempts greed and materialistic pursuits. But when it is a colour of fiery flame, it is a terrifying reminder of nature’s law of recompense. Then yellow, when it appears in the parable of fading plants, is also a colour of decline and degeneration (incl. spiritual degeneration)

Maroon – Ahmar : Symbolizes the life force

Although red is often also associated with Islam, it does not have any particular religious significance. Red was featured on Muslim battle standards, which may be why it appears on some national flags today. The color red may also have come to be associated with Islam because in Muslim countries the International Red Cross has used the red crescent symbol on its flags since 1876