Sunday, January 22, 2006

Flags at Half Mast

I know, its been a while since I last posted. Been through alot lately. Anyways, I have a inquiry to throw out there. Driving yesterday, I noticed something very unusual. In respect to the passing of the Emir of Kuwait, Skeikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, flags around the country are lowered at half-mast. Half-Mast describes the act of flying a flag approximately halfway up a flagpole as a symbol of respect, mourning, or distress. What I noticed is that usual places that have all the GCC flags (such as hotels, international institutions, etc), have all their flags lowered at half-mast, with the exeption of one....the Saudi Arabian flag. The Saudi Arabian flag is always still waving in the wind at the top of the pole. I saw this in three different places in Kuwait. What does that mean? So my question is:

Is there a specific reason for the Saudi Arabian flag not lowered at half mast? or is it just a sheer coincidental mistake that three places neglected to lower the flag?

16 Comments:

At 10:45 AM, Blogger Papillona ® said...

Saudi's flag is concidered as a 'holy flag' 'cause it has the name of Allah on it and that's why it's never lowered at half-mast.

But hey! Haifa Wehbi covered her half-naked body with that flag. holy crap!

 
At 11:22 AM, Blogger Tooomz said...

Does that mean an Iraqi flag would never be lowered at half-mast either Papillona?

Curious...

 
At 12:15 PM, Blogger shosho said...

papillona is right, the Saudis don't lower their flag half-mast even when their king dies, we took that in ejtema3iyaat lessons. It's the only flag that is never lowered in cases of mourning.

As for the Iraqi flag, interesting question, we have to wait until someone dear to them dies to see for ourselves.

 
At 12:17 PM, Blogger MiYaFuSHi said...

That is quite interesting.

Shosho, maybe when saddam dies? :P

 
At 1:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What about the Iranian flag?

 
At 1:35 PM, Blogger Entrepreneur said...

lol


theyre prob doing it as a piss take... want to see how long its going to be until someone realises.. call em up n complain!

I saw some african embassy with its flag flying high... thought maybe they forgot they had one

;)

 
At 1:56 PM, Blogger Amunki said...

About the Saudi flag, yeah, it's because of the content... "Al Shahadatayn" is basically written on it, so yeah..

You guys bring up good points though (about the flags of Iran and Iraq) Both bearing the name of "Allah" on them...

Hmmmmmm...

Guess we'll find out sooner or later...

 
At 2:05 PM, Blogger Papillona ® said...

Good question Tooomz
The answer is YES.
It's one of the reasons Saddam added "Allaho Akbar" on Iraq's flag.

 
At 2:35 PM, Blogger Tooomz said...

That's pretty cool..The things you learn online ;)

I have another question..Is the Saudi flag never at half-mast only in the Middle East? Or is it respected worldwide?

 
At 2:54 PM, Blogger Papillona ® said...

definitely world wide

 
At 3:54 PM, Blogger Kleio said...

JC, no comment from my end - you know why! ;)

 
At 5:30 PM, Blogger Jazz Central said...

Wow, just like Toomz said...the things we learn online :)

papillona: SO just becasuse it has the name allah...it can;t be lowered? Hmmm...interesting.

Toomz: Good question about the Iraqi flag.

shosho: But still...why don't they lower it becasue of the name Allah? It's still a flag...it's not like its being dragged on teh floor.

Miyafushi: True

mujtaba: another good question

Entrepreneur: Could be

Amunki: Yeah we'll see if those countries will lower their flag at some point. Then this way, it will either confirm or reject that theory, or fact for that matter.

Kleio: Yeah I know why :)

 
At 10:03 PM, Blogger Mother Courage said...

le2anah feeh she3ar il islam( shahadat itaw7eed) " la ilah illa allah mo7ammad rasoul allah"

bs =)

 
At 1:07 AM, Blogger DareDevil said...

good Q?

 
At 9:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

great visuals

 
At 4:30 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The flag should be lowered. It isn't lowered because Saudi Arabia thinks it's higher than everyone and everywhere else on the planet. Its arrogance makes me want to poke my eye out. But what would that get me really?

 

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