I think some of us already knew the answer of the topic but I still want to write this article to clarify the truth between the history of Islamic symbol. So let’s consider this as a ‘tazkirah’. This is included in MMP school syllabus. So anyone to correct or add up any relevant info is highly welcomed.

A Christian once questioned “why does Islamic mosque have the crescent moon on its top? Is it Islamic symbol and what is the significance of it?” Crescent moon in Arabic is called the ‘hilal’. It is an internationally-recognized symbol of the faith of Islam. The Christians have the cross, the Jews have the Star of David, and the Muslims have the hilal, is that right?

The early Muslim community did not really have a symbol. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h, Islamic armies and caravans flew simple solid-colored flags (generally green or white) for identification purposes. In later generations, the Muslim leaders continued to use a simple green flag with simple white Arabic writings of “no God but Allah” on it.

It wasn’t until the Ottoman Empire that the hilal became affiliated with the Muslim world. When the Turks conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453, they adopted the city’s existing flag and symbol. Legend holds that the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman, had a dream in which the crescent moon stretched from one end of the earth to the other. Taking this as a good omen, he chose to keep the hilal and make it the symbol of his dynasty.

For hundred of years, the Ottoman Empire ruled over the Muslim world. After centuries of battle with Christian Europe, it is understandable how the symbol of this empire became linked in people’s minds with the faith of Islam as a whole.

It is then implemented on the top of the mosque as a symbol of high respect to the mosque symbolically due to its sky high position. So basically the faith of Islam has historically had no symbol. It is certainly not in uniform use among Muslims.