flag;
banner
- Museum number
- Af1953,22.1
- Description
-
Cotton flag, white, with pale blue frame enclosing four lines of Arabic writing appliquéed in beige, red and blue cotton.
- Production date
- 1898 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 120 centimetres (Register 1953: 48 1/2".)
-
Width: 180 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Register 1953:
Cotton flag, white, with pale blue frame enclosing 4 lines of Arabic writing appliquéed in beige, red and blue cotton.
Captured at the battle of Atbara River in 1898 by Capt. Guy de. H. Smith, 8th of 11th Soudanese (45th Sikhs I.A.)
The translation is given in a letter from J.Leveen, of the Department of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts, BM of 9.11.1953. "The banner contains invocations to Allāh, culled from the Koran, but quoting only a few of some four score of epithets which are scattered in that holy book. Here is a literal translation: 'Oh Allāh; Oh Merciful One, Oh Compassionate One. Oh Living One, Oh Ever-Living One, Lord of Majesty and Bounty.
There is no Allāh but Allāh [and] Muḥammad is the Apostle of Allāh.
Muhammad the Mahdū [i.e. the guided one] is the Khalīfah [the successor] of the Apostle of Allāh'.
The form we adopt for the Mahdī's name is : MUḤAMMAD AḤMAD IBN 'ABD ALLĀH, the Mahdī of the Sūdan. "
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Used at: Battle of Atbara (1896)
- Acquisition date
- 1953
- Acquisition notes
- Register 1953:
Captured at the battle of Atbara in 1898 by Capt. Guy de H. Smith, 8th of 11th Soudanese (45th Sikhs I.A.)
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1953,22.1