Hanging a Flag that has a Cross
Fatwa No: 375037

Question

SalamCan a muslim hang a flag in his room that contains a cross shape (like the Swedish or Norwegian flag) if he is from those countries? And he only hangs it for the intention of love of his country not because of the cross. Is that allowed?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is not permissible to hang something on which there is a cross whether it is a flag of a person's own country or a flag of another country, or hang anything else on which there is a cross.

This is because it is confirmed that the Prophet used to destroy the cross.

‘Aa’ishah narrated that the Prophet never used to leave in his house anything containing images of the cross except that he destroyed it. [Al-Bukhaari, Ahmad, and Abu Daawood]

The Fatwa of the Standing Committee reads:

"Making a cross is forbidden, whether it is three- dimensional, engraved, drawn, or anything else, and whether it is on a wall, furniture, or anything else.

It is not permissible to bring the cross into a mosque, a house, schools or institutes. It is also not permissible to keep it, and one must destroy it and deface it in a way that eliminates its characteristics, such as breaking it, obliterating it, destroying it, and so on. Also, it is not permissible to sell it or to pray on it." [End of quote]

Allah knows best.

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