Nishan-i-Lmar-i-Ala

The Order of the Supreme Sun (Nishan-i-Lmar-i-Ala) was a prestigious decoration of the former Kingdom of Afghanistan, established around 1897 by Emir Abdur Rahman Khan. It was later reformed by Emir Habibullah Khan in 1901 and officially reorganized by King Amanullah Khan in 1923. The order was awarded as a personal gift of the sovereign to individuals who had demonstrated exceptional civil or military merit, recognizing distinguished service to the Afghan state in governance, diplomacy, or military achievements.

The order was granted in four grades—Collar, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Classes—along with a Medal of Merit. Originally, its ribbon featured a blue background with a central red stripe until 1960, when it was updated to sky blue with two red lateral stripes. The medal itself consisted of a rectangular gold plaque adorned with fourteen stars and a sun, encircled by a silver laurel wreath. The accompanying plaque displayed a radiant gold star with a silver disc engraved with the name and motto of the order.

Following the coup d’état in 1973 that abolished the Afghan monarchy, the order was discontinued and replaced by the Order of the Sun and Liberty, which carried similar awarding intentions. However, in exile, King Mohammad Zaher Shah reorganized the order in 1977 as a single-class decoration.