Rub el Hizb

The Rub el Hizb (Arabic: ربع الحزب rubʿ al-ḥizb) is a Muslim symbol, represented as two overlapping squares, which is found on a number of emblems and flags. In Arabic, Rubʻ means "one fourth, quarter", while Hizb means a group or party. Initially, it was used in the Quran, which is divided into 60 Hizb (60 groups of roughly equal length); the symbol determines every quarter of Hizb, while the Hizb is one half of a juz'. The main purpose of this dividing system is to facilitate recitation of the Qur'an.

The symbol is used as a marker for the end of a chapter in Arabic calligraphy. It is represented by two overlapping squares as in the Unicode glyph ۞ at U+06DE.

Uses

The Rub el Hizb can be seen on:

  • The flag of Saadi dynasty of Morocco
  • The current coat of arms of Turkmenistan
  • The current coat of arms of Uzbekistan
  • Azat party flag
  • The unofficial flag of Kazakhstan in the 1990s, the basis of the modern state flag, light blue with a hollow yellow rub el hizb
  • The fictional flag of Hatay in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
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