Dab solver - Star and crescent

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<gallery  widths="150px">
File:Coa Croatia Country Illyria History.svg|The unofficial coat of arms of "Illyria" from the [[Fojnica Armorial]]. "Illyria" being an early concept of a , [[...|Yugoslav]] state. At the time, the white-crescent-on-red was not yet used by the Ottoman Empire, which used [[...|an entirely different flag]]. It was preserved in a [[...|Franciscan monastery]], and is not specifically associated with Islam.
File:Ottoman1798.svg|Ottoman Naval Flag, flying on all military vessels 1793-1844
File:Ottoman Naval Flag.svg|The late [[Ottoman Navy]] flag with an eight-pointed star and crescent was used between 1793 and 1844
File:Ottoman flag alternative 2.svg|The last flag of the [[Ottoman Empire]] from 1844 to 1923 was adopted with the [[Tanzimat]] reforms as the first official Ottoman national flag
</gallery>

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[[File:Star and Crescent.svg|right|thumb|A typical presentation of the star and crescent.]]
A [[star]] (or stars) and [[crescent]] featuring in some combination form the basis of [[symbol]]s widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern [[Mediterranean]] and [[Central Asia]].<ref>In the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean, see for example the '[[Ur-Nammu stela]]' of ca. 2100-2200 BCE: "Over the king's head, at the top of the stela, is a very large star or radiant sun-disc, floating free within a crescent." Jeanny Vorys Canby, ''The "Ur-Nammu" Stela'', University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology, 2006, p18; In Central Asia and India see, for example, a coin issue of [[Chashtana]] (probably dating to the late first or early second century AD): "A rare type with crescent and star alone on the reverse is probably Chashtana's earliest issue, struck before he extended his power into Malwa." H.H. Dodwell (Ed.), ''The Cambridge Shorter History of India'', Cambridge University Press, 1935, p83; early Mesopotamian and, much later, Sassanian examples of the 'star and crescent' motif are of course well known.</ref>

The early Muslim community did not have a symbol. During the time of Prophet Muhammad, Islamic armies and caravans flew simple solid-coloured flags (generally black, green, or white) for identification purposes. In later generations, the Muslim leaders continued to use a simple black, white, or green flag with no markings, writing, or symbolism on it.<ref>http://islam.about.com/od/history/a/crescent_moon.htm</ref>

During the 19th century, it represented the [[Ottoman Empire]], figuring on the [[Ottoman flag]] from 1793. The Ottoman flag of 1844 with a white "''Ay-yıldız''" ([[Turkish language|Turkish]] for star-crescent) on a red background continues to be in use as the flag of the [[Republic of Turkey]]. Other successor states of the Ottoman empire also used the symbol, including [[Flag of Libya|Libya]] (1951–1969 and after 2011), [[Flag of Tunisia|Tunisia]] (1956) and [[flag of Algeria|Algeria]] (1958).

The same symbol was used in other [[national flag]]s introduced during the 20th century, including the flags of [[List of Azerbaijani flags|Azerbaijan]] (1918), [[Flag of Pakistan|Pakistan]] (1947), [[List of Malaysian flags|Malaysia]] (1948), [[Flag of Mauritania|Mauritania]] (1959).

During the 1950s to 1960s, the symbol was re-interpreted as symbolic of [[Islam]] or the [[Ummah|Muslim community]].<ref>The symbolism of the star and crescent in the flag of the [[Kingdom of Libya]] (1951-1969) was explained in an English language booklet, ''The Libyan Flag & The National Anthem'', issued by the Ministry of Information and Guidance of the Kingdom of Libya (year unknown, cited after Jos Poels at [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/Flags/ly_1951.html FOTW], 1997) as follows:
"The crescent is symbolic of the beginning of the lunar month according to the Muslim calendar. It brings back to our minds the story of [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]] (migration) of our Prophet Mohammed from his home in order to spread Islam and teach the principles of right and virtue. The Star represents our smiling hope, the beauty of aim and object and the light of our belief in God, in our country, its dignity and honour which illuminate our way and puts an end to darkness."</ref>

By the 1970s, this symbolism was embraced by movements of [[Arab nationalism]] or [[Islamism]] (even though it was not originally an Arab symbol), such as the proposed [[Arab Islamic Republic]] (1974) and the US [[Nation of Islam]] (1973).<ref>Edward E. Curtis, ''Black Muslim religion in the Nation of Islam, 1960-1975'' (2006), [http://books.google.com/books?id=VdcQNcJZoSgC&pg=PA157&lpg=PA157&dq=%22Nation+of+Islam%22+crescent+flag&source=bl&ots=hzMvulHS36&sig=VTO6UgKnCpwL4hC__hW7Agqk1xc&hl=en&ei=AI3zTNmdE4vOswb2yb2WCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CF0Q6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22Nation%20of%20Islam%22%20crescent%20flag&f=false p. 157].</ref>

In [[Unicode]], a "star and crescent" symbol is encoded at U+262A: {{unicode|☪}}

==Use in antiquity==
===Ancient Near East===
The star and crescent appear in combination in finds from in and around ancient [[Palestine]]. It has been associated with the [[Moab]]ites (14th or early 13th – 6th century BC<ref>A.H. van Zyl, ''The Moabites'', Brill, 1960, pp 111-112, pp 157-158</ref>), as the symbol or symbols appear on what are thought to be Moabite name seals.<ref>Othmar Keel, Christoph Uehlinger, ''Gods, Goddesses, and Images of God in Ancient Israel'', Fortress Press, 1998, p322</ref> Crescents appearing together with a star or stars are a common feature of Sumerian iconography, the crescent usually being associated with the moon god [[Sin (mythology)|Sin]] (Nanna to the Sumerians) and the star (often identified as [[Venus]]) with [[Ishtar]] ([[Inanna]] to the Sumerians). However, in this context, there is a third element often seen, that being the sun disk of [[Shamash]]. Academic discussion of a star or stars together with crescents in Sumerian representations does not always clearly indicate if they appear in isolation (the "star and crescent" as such) or as part of a ''triad'' of symbols, "the three celestial emblems, the sun disk of [[Shamash]] ([[Utu]] to the Sumerians), the crescent of Sin (Nanna), and the star of [[Ishtar]] ([[Inanna]] to the Sumerians)"<ref>Irving L. Finkel, Markham J. Geller, ''Sumerian Gods and Their Representations'', Styx, 1997, p71</ref> or "the crescent of Sin (the moon god), the star of Ishtar and the ray of Shamash".<ref>André Parrot, ''Sumer: The Dawn of Art'', Golden Press, 1961</ref> Nevertheless, later use of the star and crescent by the [[Parthian Empire|Parthians]], and other Iranian dynasties is often traced to earlier use in [[Mesopotamia]]. As one scholar observed, "[t]he Parthian king [[Mithradates I]] conquered Mesopotamia around 147&nbsp;BC, and [[Susa]] in about 140&nbsp;BC A later Parthian king, [[Orodes II]] (58-38&nbsp;BC), issued coins at Susa and elsewhere which display a star and crescent on the obverse. The succeeding ruler, [[Phraates IV]] (38-3/2&nbsp;BC), minted coins showing either a star alone or a star with crescent moon. In representing the star and crescent on their coins the Parthians thus adopted traditional symbols used in [[Mesopotamia]] and [[Elam]] more than two millennia before their own arrival in those parts."<ref>John Hansman, "The great gods of Elymais" in ''Acta Iranica, Encyclopédie Permanente Des Etudes Iraniennes, v.X, Papers in Honor of Professor Mary Boyce'', Brill Archive, 1985, pp 229-232</ref> Along these lines, some scholars maintain that later use of the symbol arose from [[Babylonian mythology]] in which the juxtaposition of [[Sin (mythology)|Sin]] (moon god, father of time) and [[Shamash]] (supreme ruling sun god, judge of heaven and earth) was a metaphor for the cosmic powers given to the [[Babylon]]ian king to rule.<ref>Michael R. Molnar, ''The Star of Bethlehem'', Rutgers University Press, 1999, p78</ref></blockquote>

===Iran, Mithra and Mithradates===
[[File:E3 7 1 2c oriental coins.jpg|thumb|Queen [[Purandokht]], daughter of Khosrau II, the last woman and one of the last rulers on the throne of the Sassanid dynasty, 7th century.]]
The star and crescent was also the emblem of [[Mithradates VI Eupator]]. "His royal emblem, an eight rayed star and the crescent moon, represented the dynasty's patron gods, [[Zeus]] Stratios, or [[Ahuramazda]], and Men Pharmacou, a Persian form of the native moon goddess."<ref>Andrew G. Traver, ''From Polis to Empire—The Ancient World c. 800 B.C.–A.D. 450'', Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002, p257</ref> Other scholars have suggested that the star and crescent are more directly related to the cult of the god [[Mithra]]. Ustinova associates the star and crescent motif attested in a number of finds in the [[Bosporan Kingdom]] (which date from the 5th century BC to the 1st century AD) with the cult of Mithras, and indicates the star and the crescent together constituted the emblem of Pontus and its kings, asserting that it was introduced to the Bosporus by Mithradates and his successors, where it is attested on coins, locally produced jewelry and other objects. She suggests that this emblem indicates "the possibility of an earlier association of the Pontic dynasty with the cult of mounted Mithra. Mithra in fact must have been one of the most venerated gods of the Pontic Kingdom, since its rulers bore the theomorphic name of Mithradates […] although direct evidence for this cult is rather meager."<ref>[[Yulia Ustinova]], ''The Supreme Gods of the Bosporan Kingdom'', Brill, 1998, pp 270–274</ref> McGing also notes the association of the star and crescent with Mithradates VI, discussing its appearance on his coins, and its survival in the coins of the Bosporan Kingdom where "[t]he star and crescent appear on Pontic royal coins from the time of Mithradates III and seem to have had oriental significance as a dynastic badge of the Mithridatic family, or the arms of the country of Pontus."<ref>B.C. McGing, ''The Foreign Policy of Mithradates VI Eupator, King of Pontus'', Brill, 1986, p 97</ref>

As a Turkish scholar has observed:

<blockquote>
The significance of the star and crescent on royal coins has also been frequently debated. Many scholars have identified the star and the crescent as royal symbols of the Pontic kingdom. Their appearance on every royal issue suggests they were indeed important symbols, and the connection of this symbol to the royal family is definite. The nature of it, however, is still uncertain. Kleiner believed they were symbols of an indigenous god and had their origins in Persia. He associated the star and crescent with the god Men and saw them as representations of night and day (the star may be considered the sun here). Ritter, on the other hand, suggested that the star and crescent symbols derived from Perseus, just as the star symbol of the Macedonians did. […] Ma and Mithras are two other deities with whom the star and crescent symbol are associated. Olshausen believed that the star and crescent could be related to a syncretism of Pontic and Iranian iconography: the crescent for Men and the star for Ahura Mazda. Recently, Summerer has convincingly suggested that Men alone was the inspiration for the symbol on the royal coins of the Pontic kingdom.<ref>Deniz Burcu Erciyas, "Wealth, Aristocracy, and Royal Propaganda Under The Hellenistic Kingdom of The Mithradatids in The Central Black Sea Region in Turkey", ''Colloquia Pontica'' Vol.12, Brill, 2005, p 131</ref>
</blockquote>

A combined star and crescent motif is commonly found on later coins minted by the [[Sassanid]]s.<ref>"The star and crescent are common Persian symbols, being a regular feature of the borders of Sassanian dirhems." Philip Grierson, ''Byzantine Coins'', Taylor & Francis, 1982, p118</ref> This has led some researchers to suggest that Muslims adopted the [[symbol]] in the context of its use by Sassanian rulers. After describing the crowns of a number of Sassanid kings, which featured a crescent, sphere and crescent, or star and crescent, H. Ayatollahi remarks, "Sasani coins remained in circulation in Moslem countries up to the end of the first century ([[Islamic calendar|Hijra]]). This detailed description of Sasani crowns was presented because the motifs mentioned, particularly the crescent and star gradually changed into Islamic symbols and have often appeared in the decorative patterns of various periods of Islamic art." This author asserts that "The flags of many Islamic countries bear crescents and stars and are proof of this Sasani innovation.".<ref>Habibollah Ayatollahi (trans. Shermin Haghshenās), ''The Book of Iran: The History of Iranian Art'', Alhoda UK, 2003, pp 155–157</ref>

===Hellenistic and Roman===
By the late [[Hellenistic civilization|Hellenistic]] or early [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] period, the star and crescent motif had been associated to some degree with [[Byzantium]]. If any goddess had a connection with the walls in [[Constantinople]], it was [[Hecate]]. Hecate had a cult in Byzantium from the time of its founding. Like [[Byzas]] in one legend, she had her origins in Thrace. For example, some Byzantine coins of the 1st century BC and later show the head of [[Artemis]] with bow and quiver, and feature a crescent with what appears to be a six-rayed star on the reverse. According to accounts which vary in some of the details, in 340&nbsp;BC the Byzantines and their allies the [[Classical Athens|Athenians]] were under siege by the troops of [[Philip II of Macedon|Philip of Macedon]]. On a particularly dark and wet night Philip attempted a surprise attack but was thwarted by the appearance of a bright light in the sky. This light is occasionally described by subsequent interpreters as a meteor, sometimes as the moon, and some accounts also mention the barking of dogs. However, the original accounts mention only a light in the sky, without specifying the moon.<ref>"In 340&nbsp;B.C., however, the Byzantines, with the aid of the Athenians, withstood a siege successfully, an occurrence the more remarkable as they were attacked by the greatest general of the age, Philip of Macedon. In the course of this beleaguerment, it is related, on a certain wet and moonless night the enemy attempted a surprise, but were foiled by reason of a bright light which, appearing suddenly in the heavens, startled all the dogs in the town and thus roused the garrison to a sense of their danger. To commemorate this timely phenomenon, which was attributed to Hecate, they erected a public statue to that goddess [...]" William Gordon Holmes, ''The Age of Justinian and Theodora'', 2003 p 5-6; "If any goddess had a connection with the walls in Constantinople, it was Hecate. Hecate had a cult in Byzantium from the time of its founding. Like Byzas in one legend, she had her origins in Thrace. Since Hecate was the guardian of "liminal places", in Byzantium small temples in her honor were placed close to the gates of the city. Hecate's importance to Byzantium was above all as deity of protection. When Philip of Macedon was about to attack the city, according to he legend she alerted the townspeople with her ever-present torches, and with her pack of dogs, which served as her constant companions. Her mythic qualities thenceforth forever entered the fabric of Byzantine history. A statue known as the 'Lampadephoros' was erected on the hill above the Bosphorous to commemorate Hecate's defensive aid." Vasiliki Limberis, ''Divine Heiress'', Routledge, 1994, p 126-127</ref> To commemorate the event the Byzantines erected a statue of Artemis (or [[Hecate]]) ''lampadephoros'' (light-bearer or bringer). This story survived in the works [[Hesychius of Miletus]], who in all probability lived in the time of [[Justinian I]]. His works survive only in fragments preserved in [[Photius]] and the 10th century lexicographer [[Suda|Suidas]]. The tale is also related by [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], and [[Eustathius of Thessalonica|Eustathius]].

<blockquote>
Devotion to [[Hecate]] was especially favored by the Byzantines for her aid in having protected them from the incursions of Philip of Macedon. Her symbols were the crescent and star, and the walls of her city were her provenance.<ref>Vasiliki Limberis, ''Divine Heiress'', Routledge, 1994, p 15</ref>
</blockquote>

Later, under the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], cities in the empire often continued to issue their own coinage. "Of the many themes that were used on local coinage, celestial and astral symbols often appeared, mostly stars or crescent moons."[6] The wide variety of these issues, and the varying explanations for the significance of the star and crescent on Roman coinage precludes their discussion here. It is, however, apparent that by the time of the Romans, coins featuring a star or crescent in some combination were not at all rare.

==Middle Ages==

The use of the [[crescent]] symbol on Muslim flags is first seen by Europe during the [[Crusades]]. Flags showing crescents appear in depictions of flags from the 14th century, in the [[Libro de Conoscimiento]] and the [[Catalan Atlas]].

In these early examples, the crescent mostly pointed upward. 14th-century Muslim flags with an upward-pointing crescent in a monocolour field included the flags of [[Gabes]], [[Kingdom of Tlemcen|Tlemcen]] (Tilimsi), [[Damas and Lucania]], [[Cairo]], [[Mahdia]], [[Hafsid dynasty|Tunis]] and [[Buda]].<ref>
Znamierowski ''Flags through the ages: A guide to the world of flags, banners, standards and ensigns'', (2000) section 'the Muslim crescent', cited by Ivan Sache, [http://www.allstates-flag.com/fotw/flags/tn-hist.html#14th FOTW], 11 March 2001
</ref> Evidence of crescent use is also found in the 14th century blue ensign of [[Nubia]]/[[Dongola]] and yellow ensign of [[Mamluks]] of [[Egypt]].<ref>http://www.hubert-herald.nl/SudanI.htm</ref> Flags with crescents facing the fly are attested from the 17th century.

Before the 14th century, the ''star'' next to the crescent does not seem to have been associated with Islam, and appears in Christian iconography.<ref>"The earliest church in the Morea to include a saint holding a shield marked by the crescent and star may be St. John Chrysostom, which has been dated on the basis of style to ca. 1300 [...]" Angeliki E. Laiou, Roy P. Mottahedeh, ''The Crusades From the Perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim World'', Dumbarton Oaks, 2001, p 278</ref>
<ref>"when we come to examine the history of the crescent as a badge of Muhammadanism, we are confronted by the fact that it was not employed by the Arabs or any of the first peoples who embraced the faith of the prophet" 
<blockquote>The truth is that the crescent was not identified with Islam until after the appearance of the Osmanli Turks, whilst on the other hand there is the clearest evidence that in the time of the Crusades, and long before, the crescent and star were a regular badge of Byzantium and the Byzantine Emperors, some of whom placed it on their coins. William Ridgeway, "The Origin of the Turkish Crescent", in ''The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland'', Vol. 38 (Jul. - Dec. 1908), pp. 241-258 (p 241)</ref>

==Use in the Ottoman Empire==
{{see|Ottoman flag|Flag_of_Turkey#History}}
[[File:Tengrian crescent.svg|thumb|90px|The [[Tengrian]] crescent]]
The star and the moon are two sky elements symbolizing the [[Tengriism|Tengriist]] beliefs of the sky-worshiping ancient [[Turkic peoples|Turks]]. In [[Mythology of the Turkic and Mongolian peoples|Turkic Mythology]] four colors are associated with four [[Cardinal_direction#Cardinal_directions_in_world_cultures|cardinal directions]] such as "gök-blue" (east), "ak-white" (west), "al-red" (south) and "kara-black" (north). These colors represent the direction towards the [[zenith]] where the [[Tengri]] is residing in the sky. Red and white colors on the flag of Turkey symbolize the south-western branch of [[Turkic people|Turks]] called [[Oghuz Turks|Oghuz]]es who are the founders of present-day [[Turkey]] as well as [[Azerbaijan]], [[Turkmenistan]] and [[Gagauzia]]. [[Black Sea]] and [[:tr:Akdeniz|Turkish]]/[[:crh:Aq deñiz|Qırımtatar]] names of [[Mediterranean]] (''Akdeniz'') got their name from the same mythology; '''Kara'''deniz being in the north and '''Ak'''deniz being in the west respectively. [[East Turkestan|Turkestan]]'s flag is similar to Turkey's, with only difference being blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yayinlar.yesevi.edu.tr/index.php?action=show_article&bilig_id=43&article_id=499 |title=Ahmet Yesevi Üniversitesi |publisher=Yayinlar.yesevi.edu.tr |date=2010-07-19 |accessdate=2011-11-25}}</ref><ref>http://yayinlar.yesevi.edu.tr/view_file.php?file_id=408</ref><ref>Fevzi Kurtoğlu, Türk Bayrağı ve Ay Yıldız, Page 49</ref>

It has been suggested that the star-and-crescent had been adopted from the Byzantines.
[[Franz Babinger]] (1992) suggests this possibility, noting that the crescent alone has a much older tradition also with Turkic tribes in the interior of Asia.<ref>"It seems possible, though not certain, that after the conquest Mehmed took over the crescent ''and'' star as an emblem of sovereignty from the Byzantines. The half-moon alone on a blood red flag, allegedly conferred on the Janissaries by Emir Orhan, was much older, as is demonstrated by numerous references to it dating from before 1453. But since these flags lack the star, which along with the half-moon is to be found on Sassanid and Byzantine municipal coins, it may be regarded as an innovation of Mehmed. It seems certain that in the interior of Asia tribes of Turkish nomads had been using the half-moon alone as an emblem for some time past, but it is equally certain that crescent and star ''together'' are attested only for a much later period. There is good reason to believe that old Turkish and Byzantine traditions were combined in the emblem of Ottoman and, much later, present-day Republican Turkish sovereignty." Franz Babinger (William C. Hickman Ed., Ralph Manheim Trans.), ''Mehmed the Conqueror and His Time'', Princeton University Press, 1992, p 108</ref> 
Parsons (2007) considers this unlikely, as the star and crescent was not a widespread motive in Byzantium at the time of the Ottoman conquest.<ref>John Denham Parsons, ''The Non-Christian Cross'', BiblioBazaar, 2007, p 69:

{{quote|Moreover, the question is what the symbol of Constantinople was at the time it was captured by the Turks. And an inspection of the coins issued by the Christian rulers of that city during the thousand years and more it was in their hands, will reveal to the enquirer that though the crescent with a cross within its horns appears occasionally upon the coins of the Emperors of the East, and in one or two instances we see a cross of four equal arms with each extremity piercing a crescent, it is doubtful if a single example of the so-called "star and crescent" symbol can be found upon them."|[[John Denham Parsons]]|The Non-Christian Cross}}
</ref>
 
Turkish historians tend to stress the antiquity of the ''crescent'' (not star-and-crescent) symbol among the [[Turkic expansion|early Turkic]] states in Asia.<ref>"It is clear, however, that, whatever the origin, the crescent was used by Turkish states in various regions of Asia, and there is absolutely no reason to claim that it passed to the Ottomans from Byzantium" [[Mehmet Fuat Köprülü]], Gary Leiser (Trans.), ''Some Observations On The Influence Of Byzantine Institutions On Ottoman institutions'', Türk Tarih Kurumu, 1999, p 118</ref>
In Turkish tradition, there is an Ottoman legend of a dream of the eponymous founder of the Ottoman house, [[Osman I]], in which he is reported to have seen a moon rising from the breast of a [[Muslim]] [[Qadi|judge]] whose daughter he sought to marry. "When full, it descended into his own breast. Then from his loins there sprang a tree, which as it grew came to cover the whole world with the shadow of its green and beautiful branches." Beneath it Osman saw the world spread out before him, surmounted by the crescent.<ref>Lord Kinross, ''The Ottoman Centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire'', Morrow Quill Paperbacks, 1977, pp 23-24.</ref>

<gallery widths="150px">
File:Coa Croatia Country Illyria History.svg|The unofficial coat of arms of "Illyria" from the [[Fojnica Armorial]]. "Illyria" being an early concept of a <<link:0>>, [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslav]] state. At the time, the white-crescent-on-red was not yet used by the Ottoman Empire, which used [[:File:Ottoman Empire1517-1844.svg|an entirely different flag]]. It was preserved in a [[Franciscan monastery in Fojnica|Franciscan monastery]], and is not specifically associated with Islam.
File:Ottoman1798.svg|Ottoman Naval Flag, flying on all military vessels 1793-1844
File:Ottoman Naval Flag.svg|The late [[Ottoman Navy]] flag with an eight-pointed star and crescent was used between 1793 and 1844
File:Ottoman flag alternative 2.svg|The last flag of the [[Ottoman Empire]] from 1844 to 1923 was adopted with the [[Tanzimat]] reforms as the first official Ottoman national flag
</gallery>

===Successor states of the Ottoman Empire===
A number of Ottoman successor states adopted the design during the 20th century, including the [[Emirate of Cyrenaica]] and the [[Kingdom of Libya]], [[Algeria]], [[Tunisia]] and the proposed [[Arab Islamic Republic]].

==Usage in the Mughal Empire==

Islamic flags containing the calligraphy of the [[Quran]] were commonly used by the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Akbar]], it was the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Shah Jahan]], who is known to have inlaid the Crescent and Star symbol upon his personal shield, his son [[Aurangzeb]] is also known to have used similar shields and flags containing an upward Crescent and Star symbol. Various [[Nawab]]s also preferred to utilize the Crescent and Star symbols such as the [[Nawab of the Carnatic]].

<center><gallery>
File:The Surrender of Kandahar.jpg|A miniature painting from the ''[[Padshahnama]]'', depicting [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Shah Jahan]] (note: The upward Crescent and Star symbol, inlaid upon the imperial [[shield]]).
File:Taj Mahal finial-1.jpg|The finial upon the [[Taj Mahal]] is topped on the main spire with the combined [[spear]] and crescent representing the official military standard of the [[Mughal Emperor]].
File:Mather-brown-lord-cornwallis-receiving-the-sons-of-tipu-as-hostages-1792.jpg|The Crescent military standard of the [[Sultanate of Mysore]] (note: in the background), during the rule of [[Tipu Sultan]].
[[File:Nawab flag.GIF|The emblem of [[Zulfikhar Ali Khan|Zulfiqar Ali Khan]] the first [[Nawab of the Carnatic]] and serviceman of the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Aurangzeb]].<ref>http://www.san.beck.org/2-9-MughalEmpire1526-1707.html</ref>]]
[[File:Prince Awrangzeb (Aurangzeb) facing a maddened elephant named Sudhakar (7 June 1633).jpg|A painting from ''[[Padshahnama]]'' depicts Prince [[Aurangzeb]] facing a maddened [[War elephant]] named Sudhakar. (note: The upward Crescent and Star symbol, inlaid upon a [[Sowar]]'s [[shield]])]]
[[File:Indu-Islamic Shield or Indu- мусульманский щит.jpg|thumb|150px|Mughal Shield (note: the upwards crescent on the shield)]]
[[File:Elephant in Battle.jpg|thumb|250px|Armored elite [[War elephant]] from the battalion of [[Shah Shuja]] (note: the upwards crescent on the shield).]]
</gallery></center>

==Contemporary use==
Today the flag is also used by Muslim-majority states which are not successor states of the Ottoman Empire. These include  [[Azerbaijan]] (1918), [[Pakistan]] (1947), [[Mauritania]] (1959)  and [[Malaysia]] (1950).

Different designs that also involve a crescent and stars are found in the flags of the [[Comoros]] (1963), [[Uzbekistan]] (1991) and [[Turkmenistan]] (1992).

===Contemporary flags===
Contemporary national flags (used by [[List of sovereign states|sovereign states]]) displaying the star-and-crescent symbol:
<gallery>
File:Flag of Azerbaijan.svg|[[Flag of Azerbaijan]] (1918)
File:Flag of Malaysia.svg|[[Flag of Malaysia]] (1963)
File:Flag of Mauritania.svg|[[Flag of Mauritania]] (1959)
File:Flag of Pakistan.svg|[[Flag of Pakistan]] (1947) ''See also: [[List of Pakistani flags]]''
File:Flag of Turkey.svg|[[Flag of Turkey]] (1923)
File:Flag of Algeria.svg|[[Flag of Algeria]] (1962)
File:Flag of Tunisia.svg|[[Flag of Tunisia]] (1831, 1956)
File:Flag of Libya.svg|[[Flag of Libya]] (1951, 2011)
</gallery>

Other flags with the symbol, used by separatist and political movements or [[partially recognized state]]s:
<gallery>
Image:Tatar Nationalist Flag.svg|Unofficial flag used by [[Tatarstan]] nationalists (1980s)
Image:Kokbayraq_flag.svg|[[Flag of East Turkistan]] (Uyghur separatist movement, 1933)
Image:Nation of Islam flag.svg|Flag for the [[Nation of Islam]]
Image:Flag of Western Sahara.svg|[[Flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic]] (1976)
File:Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg|[[Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]] (1983)
</gallery>

Flags with variant symbols, involving a crescent and several stars
<gallery>
Image:Flag of the Comoros.svg|[[Flag of Comoros]]
Image:Flag of Turkmenistan.svg|[[Flag of Turkmenistan]]
Image:Flag of Uzbekistan.svg|[[Flag of Uzbekistan]]
Image:Flag of Singapore.svg|[[Flag of Singapore]]
Image:Flag of Maghreb.svg|Flag of the [[Arab Maghreb Union]]
</gallery>

===State emblems===
<gallery>
Image:Coat of arms of Pakistan.svg|[[State emblem of Pakistan]]
Image:Coat of Arms of Maldives.svg|[[Emblem of Maldives]]. The ensign of the sultan of the Maldives from 1954 to 1968 showed a star-and-crescent. While not kept in the [[flag of the Maldives]], the symbol still appears as part of the state emblem.
Image:TurkishEmblem.svg| The Turkish Emblem
Image:Coat of arms of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.svg|[[Coat of arms of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic|State emblem of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic]]
</gallery>

===Other===
Some star-and-crescent designs appearing in other contexts, unrelated to either the Ottomans or Islam. 
The [[People Nation]] street gangs have been known to use a star and crescent.<ref name="sets">{{cite web|author=Florida Department of Corrections |url=http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/gangs/sets.html |title=People and Folk Nation Sets - Gang and Security Threat Group Awareness |publisher=Dc.state.fl.us |date= |accessdate=2011-04-16}}</ref> The [[Leliwa coat of arms]], one of Poland's many coats-of-arms adopted by several families, used the star and crescent. One of the families that adopted it was the [[Tarnowski family]], and its usage is reflected on the arms of several Polish and Ukrainian towns, including Przeworsk, Tarnów, Tarnobrzeg and Ternopil.

<gallery>
Image:Coat of arms of Croatia.svg|[[Coat of arms of Croatia]]
Image:Coat of arms of Zagreb.svg|[[Coat of arms of Zagreb]], [[Croatia]].
Image:COA Varnsdorf.png|Coat of arms of [[Varnsdorf]], [[Czech Republic]].
Image:Wappen von Grabow.png|Coat of arms of [[Grabow]], [[Germany]].
Image:Coat of arms of Halle (Saale).svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle an der Saale]], [[Germany]].
Image:Wappen Oelde.svg|Coat of arms of [[Oelde]], [[Germany]].
Image:Schleswig-Coat.svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein|Schleswig]], [[Germany]].
Image:AlphaThetaSigma.JPG| [[List of fraternities and sororities in the Philippines|Alpha Theta Sigma]], [[Philippines]].
Image:POL Mińsk Mazowiecki COA.svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Mińsk Mazowiecki]], [[Poland]].
Image:POL Przeworsk COA.svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Przeworsk]], [[Poland]].
Image:POL Tarnobrzeg COA.svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Tarnobrzeg]], [[Poland]].
Image:POL Tarnów COA.svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Tarnów]], [[Poland]].
Image:SNT.png|Municipal coat of arms of [[Sintra]], [[Portugal]]. Crescent and star represent Moorish heritage.
Image:Ronneby vapen.svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Ronneby Municipality|Ronneby]], [[Sweden]].
Image:Ödeshög vapen.svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Ödeshög Municipality|Ödeshög]], [[Sweden]].
Image:POL Trembowla COA.svg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Terebovl]], [[Ukraine]].
Image:Ternopilgerb.jpg|Municipal coat of arms of [[Ternopil]], [[Ukraine]].
Image:Arms-portsmouth.jpg|Arms of [[Portsmouth City Council]], [[United Kingdom]].
Image:Arms of Viscount Arbuthnott.svg|Arms of the [[Viscount of Arbuthnott]], [[Scotland]], [[United Kingdom]].
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[New Orleans Police Department#New Orleans Police Badge|The badge]] of the [[New Orleans Police Department]] is an inverse star and crescent, representing [[New Orleans|the city]]'s shape

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

* [http://www.volker-doormann.org/the0.htm Meaning for Crescent Moon - Dates to Pre Mohamed Era]

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wiktionary|☪}}
* Charles Boutell. "Device of Star (or Sun) and Crescent". In: ''[[The Gentleman's Magazine]]'', Volume XXXVI (New Series). London: John Nicols & Son, London, 1851, pp.&nbsp;514–515. http://books.google.com/books/pdf/The_Gentleman_s_Magazine.pdf?id=ffMMN_clKR4C&output=pdf&sig=0SnjgHBVzek_Y7Hk4Ing5nJyH6I

{{DEFAULTSORT:Star And Crescent}}
[[Category:Star symbols]]
[[Category:Islamic symbols]]
[[Category:National symbols of Algeria]]
[[Category:National symbols of Azerbaijan]]
[[Category:National symbols of the Maldives]]
[[Category:National symbols of Mauritania]]
[[Category:National symbols of Malaysia]]
[[Category:National symbols of Tunisia]]
[[Category:National symbols of Turkey]]

[[nl:Ster en halve maan]]

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