Most established religions have their own symbols. In Christianity, for example, it is a cross symbolizing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. But the crescent and the star are traditionally considered Muslim symbols. These religious signs began to be used in the design of architectural structures about a thousand years ago.
The history of the appearance of the symbol of Islam
The crescent moon has been used as a symbol of Islam for a long time. Most often they were used to decorate mosques. Religious scholars, however, have not yet found a religious justification for the need to use such a symbol. Some researchers believe that the reference to the crescent moon reflects the Muslim commitment to the lunar calendar. A memorable symbol made it possible to distinguish religious buildings from other buildings.
Scientists associate the introduction of the Muslim symbol with the events of the history of the Ottoman Empire. There is a legend according to which in the middle of the 15th century Sultan Mohammed II, preparing for the attack of Constantinople, observed a unique phenomenon in the sky in the form of an inverted crescent moon with a nearby star. The Sultan considered this vision a good omen. Indeed, the next day he managed to make a successful assault on the city.
Over the years, the meaning of the symbol has changed somewhat. The crescent moon and the star located next to it began to symbolize the power of the supreme power, abundance and wealth. It is for this reason that these symbols of Islam began to be used in the national flags of some Muslim states, for example, Pakistan.
Islam and its symbols
Researchers of Islam argue that the special designations of this religion actually appeared several millennia before its emergence, but they find it difficult to accurately trace the path of development of such symbolism. It is only known that the heavenly bodies were widely revered in antiquity by the peoples of Siberia and Central Asia, who worshiped deities associated with heaven. The crescent moon was also one of the symbols of the Greek goddess Artemis.
At the initial stage of the formation of Islam, there were no special symbols in it. In this capacity, monochromatic banners of white, black or green colors were usually used. The Qur'an, the holy book of Muslims, does not contain any indication of the need to use special symbols to denote Islam. It can even be argued that any symbolism is alien to the very idea of Islam, which Muslims already consider to be a universal and global religion.
The attitude towards the crescent moon among the adherents of Islam is rather contradictory. Those who are familiar with the history of the appearance of symbols in Muslim culture often reject the crescent, considering it a pagan symbol of ancient peoples. The most consistent preachers teach fellow believers that Allah forbade the creation of any cults, including the cult of people, animals and heavenly bodies.
