Mu'awiyah Propaganda Symbols in the Battle of Safin

The role, place and use of symbols in human life can not be ignored. Symbols have existed throughout the history and in all the human societies. The symbol is a sign of thought, object, concept, how, and so on, a tangible and observable phenomenon that represents something other than itself or signifies something other than itself. Repetition of symbols and signs reinforces the meaning and sense of a specific cultural and social identity. Advertising is one of the most important cultural tools that can create or reinforce new values by using symbols. By using propaganda symbols, Mu'awiyah was able to change the outcome of the battle of Safin, which was an influential event and a turning point in the history of Islam, in his favor. The results of the present study, which examines Mu'awiyah's propaganda symbols in the battle of Safin with a descriptive-analytical approach, show that Mu'awiyah uses visual symbols such as the Qur'an, the Uthman's bloody shirt and  cut finger, and verbal  symbols such as the Uthman's bloodlust, the sacred texts (narrations and the Qur'an) and the titles for his religious and political legitimacy, which resulted in the division of the Iraqi army and consequently his conquest and victory.