The secret of Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani’s use of the black flag is four things:

Firstly, it is Sunnah; because the flag of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, was black; as ibn Abbas and Buraydah and Jabir and Aisha and others have narrated it, and Yunus ibn Ubayd Mawla Muhammad ibn Qasim has said: «بَعَثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ إِلَى الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ رَايَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: كَانَتْ سَوْدَاءَ مُرَبَّعَةً مِنْ نَمِرَةٍ»[1]; “Muhammad ibn Qasim sent me to Bara’ ibn Azib to ask him about the flag of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, so he said: It was black and square, being made of a woolen rug”, and it has been narrated from Abu Huraira that said: «كَانَتْ رَايَةُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قِطْعَةٌ قَطِيفَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ كَانَتْ لِعَائِشَةَ»[2]; “The flag of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, was a black velvet cloth belonging to Aisha”, and Amrah, daughter of Abd al-Rahman, has narrated: «كَانَتْ رَايَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَوْدَاءَ مِنْ مِرْطٍ لِعَائِشَةَ مُرَحَّلٍ»[3]; “The flag of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, was an unsewn and painted black cloth belonging to Aisha”, and Sa’id ibn Musayyib has also narrated something similar to it[4], and Harith ibn Hassan has narrated: «قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَإِذَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ وَبِلَالٌ قَائِمٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مُتَقَلِّدًا سَيْفًا وَإِذَا رَايَاتٌ سُودٌ فَقُلْتُ: مَا هَذِهِ الرَّايَاتُ؟ قَالُوا: هَذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ وَجْهًا»; “I came to Medina, so I saw that the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, was on the pulpit, while Bilal was holding a sword in front of him, and some black flags were raised high, so I said: What are these flags? They said: The Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, wants to send Amr ibn al-As to somewhere”, and it has been said in another narration: «عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ قَدِمَ مِنْ غَزَاةٍ»[5]; “Amr ibn al-As has returned from a war”, and ibn Sa’d has narrated from his men that said: «بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فِي خَمْسِينَ وَمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ عَلَى مِائَةِ بَعِيرٍ وَخَمْسِينَ فَرَسًا وَمَعَهُ رَايَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ»[6]; “The Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, sent Ali ibn Abi Talib to war with one hundred and fifty men from helpers riding a hundred camels and fifty horses, while he was carrying a black flag”, and Qatada has narrated from Anas that said: «إِنَّ ابْنَ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ كَانَتْ مَعَهُ رَايَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي بَعْضِ مَشَاهِدِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ»[7]; “Ibn Umm Maktum had a black flag with himself in some of the wars of the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, which was for the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family”. Also it has been narrated that Zubayr ibn al-Awwam entered Mecca on the day of the conquest with five hundred Arab emigrants and tribes, while he was carrying a black flag[8], and Yazid ibn Abi Habib has said: «كَانَتْ رَايَاتُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ سُودًا»[9]; “The flags of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, were black”, and Hasan has said: «كَانَتْ رَايَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَوْدَاءَ تُسَمَّى الْعُقَابَ»[10]; “The flag of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, was black and called the Eagle”, and this has been narrated from Abu Huraira too[11], and it has been narrated from Urwah ibn Zubayr that said: «كَانَتْ رَايَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَوْدَاءَ مِنْ بُرْدٍ لِعَائِشَةَ تُدْعَى الْعُقَابَ»[12]; “The flag of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, was black from a cloth belonging to Aisha, which was called the Eagle”, and it has been narrated from Umm Husain, daughter of Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husain, who said in a narration: «قَالَ لِي عَمِّي جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ! هَذِهِ رَايَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْعُقَابُ، ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَ خِرْقَةً سَوْدَاءَ، ثُمَّ وَضَعَهَا عَلَى عَيْنَيْهِ، ثُمَّ أَعْطَانِيهَا فَوَضَعْتُهَا عَلَى عَيْنَيَّ وَوَجْهِي»[13]; “My uncle Ja’far ibn Muhammad said to me: O my daughter! This is the Eagle, the flag of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family. Then he took out a black cloth and put it on his eyes and then gave it to me, and I, too, put it on my eyes and on my face”. Moreover, the flag of Ali ibn Abi Talib in his wars was also black; as Hurayth ibn Makhsh has narrated: «إِنَّ رَايَةَ عَلِيٍّ كَانَتْ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ سَوْدَاءَ»[14]; “Indeed, the flag of Ali on the day of Jamal was black”, and it has been narrated form Ali, peace be upon him, that on the day of Siffin, pointing at the owner of his flag, Abu Sasan Hudhayn ibn Munzar al-Raqashi, he said:

«لِمَنْ رَايَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ يَخْفِقُ ظِلُّهَا ... إِذَا قِيلَ قَدِّمْهَا حُضَيْنُ تَقَدَّمَا

يُقَدِّمُهَا لِلْمَوْتِ حَتَّى يُزِيرَهَا ... حِيَاضَ الْمَنَايَا يَقْطُرُ الْمَوْتَ وَالدَّمَا

أَذَقْنَا ابْنَ حَرْبٍ طَعْنَنَا وَضَِرَابَنَا ... بِأَسْيَافِنَا حَتَّى تَوَلَّى وَأَحْجَمَا

جَزَى اللَّهُ قَوْمًا قَاتَلُوا عَنْ إِمَامِهِمْ ... لَدَى الْمَوْتِ قُدْمًا مَا أَعَفَّ وَأَكْرَمَا»[15]

“For whom is the black flag whose shadow is casted? When it is said, O Hudhain, bring it forth, it is brought forth. So he sends it toward death to bring it to the wells of death, from which destruction and blood drip. We had ibn Harb taste our spears and blows, with our swords, until he turned away and fled. May God reward the group who fought alongside their Imam to the death, how honorable and noble they were”.

Some scholars have considered it probable that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, liked the black flag because he took it as a good omen; as they have said: «إِنَّ الْحِكْمَةَ فِي إِيثَارِ الْأَسْوَدَ يَوْمَ الْفَتْحِ الْإِشَارَةُ إِلَى مَا مَنَحَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ مِنَ السُّؤْدُدِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّفِقْ لِأَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلَهُ، وَإِلَى سُؤْدُدِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَأَهْلِهِ»[16]; “The wise reason for preferring the color black (سود) on the day of the conquest of Mecca was to refer to «سؤود», meaning victory and dignity, which was not achieved for any of the previous Prophets, as well as the victory and dignity of Islam and its people”, and it is not unlikely; because«السّؤدد» means greatness, glory and honor, and «الْمُسَوَّدُ» means “Sayyid” in the sense of master and leader; as it has been said in the narration of Qays ibn Asim: «اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَسَوِّدُوا أَكْبَرَكُمْ»[17]; “Fear God and make the greater one among you as the master”, and it has been said in the narration of ibn Umar: «مَا رَأَيْتُ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَسْوَدَ مِنْ فُلَانٍ»[18]; “After the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, I did not see anyone to be more Sayyid than such and such ”, and it has been narrated that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, liked to take things as good omens, and took good names as good omens[19]. Therefore, Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani’s use of the black flags is based on the Sunnah of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, and the Sunnah of his guided Caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, and this is not strange; because he follows their Sunnah in everything and continues their blessed movement in order to establish the pure religion and fill the earth with justice, and there is no doubt that the most proper flag for the one who does so and invites people to “Return to Islam” and prepares the ground for Mahdi to come to power, is the flag of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, and the flag of Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him.

Secondly, the use of the black flag is more beneficial to believers on the day they gather and fight in the way of God; as al-Sarakhsi has said in Sharh al-Sair al-Kabir: «إِنَّمَا اسْتُحِبَّ فِي الرَّايَاتِ السَّوَادُ لِأَنَّهُ عَلَمٌ لِأَصْحَابِ الْقِتَالِ، وَكُلُّ قَوْمٍ يُقَاتِلُونَ عِنْدَ رَايَتِهِمْ، وَإِذَا تَفَرَّقُوا فِي حَالِ الْقِتَالِ يَتَمَكَّنُونَ مِنَ الرُّجُوعِ إِلَى رَايَتِهِمْ، وَالسَّوَادُ فِي ضَوْءِ النَّهَارِ أَبْيَنُ وَأَشْهَرُ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ خُصُوصًا فِي الْغُبَارِ، فَلِهَذَا اسْتُحِبَّ ذَلِكَ»[20]; “The color black on flags is recommended because it is a symbol for warriors, and each group fights under their own flag and can return to it whenever they are scattered during the war, and black is brighter and more visible in daylight than other colors, especially in dust, and is therefore recommended”.

Thirdly, the use of the black flag is a common and conventional work among those who have been afflicted with a great tragedy; to the extent that it conventionally indicates the occurrence of an important and unfortunate event, and is considered a kind of announcement of calamity, and it is probably one of the things that have encouraged Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani to use the black flags; because he has been afflicted with a great tragedy that has never happened since God made the children of Adam dwell on the earth, and it is the absence of the Caliph of God on the earth, which has led to the filling of the earth with ignorance, disbelief, oppression and sins, and this is the tragedy that people are unaware of, despite its extensiveness and greatness, and for this very reason, Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani has used the black flags to draw people’s attention to it, and therefore, he will not lower these flags until this tragedy ends, Insha’Allah.

Fourthly, the use of the black flag is a clear opposition to an oppressive and corrupt group called “ISIS”; because they emerged in the Levant and Iraq shortly before the emergence of Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani in Khorasan, and used the black flags to invite toward the government of a misguided and misleading man called Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. So when Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani noticed it, he used the black flags to invite toward the government of Mahdi in order to stand against this great and dangerous deviation from the path of Islam; as he himself has said in a part of his honorable book Return to Islam, referring to this wicked group:

“Therefore I wanted to prevent from this sedition and take away the battle field from such individuals. Yet I heard that a voice of the wrong is rising from the west, therefore I wanted that a voice of the truth also be heard from the east so that only one voice is not heard in the world, lest Muslims gather around the wrong and God’s wrath falls down on them. Because sovereign ruling only belongs to God and He will bestow that to anyone of His servants who He wills, and He has not willed anybody other than Mahdi Fatimid with whom household of Prophet Mohammad and all Muslims are content”[21].

This is the secret of Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani’s use of the black flags.