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[Tajir]

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Answer Resolved.

[Sher Khan]

What flag Muhammad used isn't actually important - several are noted anyway. What's important is the cultural history behind a given choice.

Terror groups don't pick black flags because Muhammad did, they pick black flags because it's the original symbol of righteous rebellion initially raised by the Abbasid forces against the corrupt Omayyad caliph (the Abbasids in turn picked black to connect themselves with Muhammad and the Quraysh). Such groups may not even agree or accept the Abbasid caliphs (like the Shi'a groups), which doesn't matter. All that matters is that, since then, the black flag has been a symbol of rebellion against a corrupt regime for the modern Middle Eastern Muslim. The symbol is evoked even for non-violent protests, black-flag-marches and sit-ins demanding some political prisoner's release or pardon.

That you haven't heard of it growing up only means that its current usage is a modern phenomenon. Sure, black flags were used in history by several rebellions or brigand outbreaks throughout the Middle East, but only today has the concept taken a memetic and viral turn.