# Islamic symbols **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927 "2011-12-12T17:46:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/1 "2011-12-12T17:46:42Z")
Does Islam have an object analogous to the Christmas tree and menorah? ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/2 "2011-12-12T18:39:14Z")
Funny, I was just thinking about this the other day, though I was thinking in terms of jewelry. Do people of the Islamic faith wear anything equivalent to a cross or Star of David? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/3 "2011-12-12T18:43:16Z")
How about the [star and crescent](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_and_crescent)? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/4 "2011-12-12T18:52:04Z")
**Foggy** : another great question! **Dewey** : AFAIK no flag has a crucifix or menorah on it. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/5 "2011-12-12T18:54:55Z")
You might also want to note that there are no Christmas trees in the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/6 "2011-12-12T18:55:50Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > Do people of the Islamic faith wear anything equivalent to a cross or Star of David? Like the [Star of David](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexagram#Usage_by_Muslims) :D? Fun flags from the [emirate of Karaman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Karamanid_Dynasty_flag.svg) and the [emirate of Candar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Candar.svg). In modern times the crescent or crescent and star has become associated with Islam, but only through its usage by the Ottomans who adopted it as a national symbol around the 15th century. It has no particular _traditional_ religious significance. Arguably the Star of David as above has more traditional meaning in Islam than the crescent, which if it ever represented religious faith, represented pagan faiths like Mithraism. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/7 "2011-12-12T19:14:17Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > **Dewey** : AFAIK no flag has a crucifix or menorah on it. What about the Swiss flag, or those of Scotland or England? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/8 "2011-12-12T19:24:21Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What about the Swiss flag, or those of Scotland or England? The [Swiss flag](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Switzerland) does have a cross on it, but I don’t believe it’s related to the crucifixion of Jesus (i.e. it’s not a crucifix). The [flag of Scotland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Scotland) does have an X-shaped cross on it, related to the crucifixion of St. Andrew on a cross so shaped. I guess then that this one counts as a symbolic crucifix. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/9 "2011-12-12T19:50:37Z")
Muslims like to decorate with the 99 names of Allah. So you get a lot of Arabic script as the pedants of necklaces and on wall hangings and such. Also, pictures of mosques. And prayer rugs are kind of like other objects that denote faith, but they also serve a practical (ceremonial) purpose. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/10 "2011-12-12T23:24:38Z")
Various motifs like trees (and other plants-- flowers etc carry this sense) of paradise, also the form of mosque lamps. But yeah, lots and lots of stylized calligraphy ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/11 "2011-12-12T23:31:33Z")
This reminded me of the Hannukah/menorah versus Christmas/tree thing. A community outside Denver banned the menorah display (that sits next to the ginormous tree) this year, defaulting to Denver’s no-denominations rule, but Denver’s capitol building has a nativity scene. Are these symbols telling to the Arab world or Islam? Are they ethnic or religious? I can only imagine the reaction if someone wanted to put a star and crescent at the capitol building. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/12 "2011-12-12T23:37:59Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Does Islam have an object analogous to the Christmas tree and menorah? Since the only common link between Christmas tree and menorah is “symbol of winter holiday”, the answer must be no, since Muslim holidays are based on the lunar calendar. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/13 "2011-12-13T00:03:55Z")
In the area I lived in in Oxford, UK, during Eid there are [colored crescent/star lights](http://www.flickr.com/photos/61686932@N00/3162612097/) hanging from the streetlamps. These are reused during Christmas and Diwali. The area is heavily multicultural but with an emphasis on Bangladeshis. ---
**Author:** ![\_mostly\_Harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/9d8465/32.png) [@\_mostly\_Harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_mostly_Harmless)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/14 "2011-12-13T00:16:15Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > Funny, I was just thinking about this the other day, though I was thinking in terms of jewelry. > > Do people of the Islamic faith wear anything equivalent to a cross or Star of David? I used to go to school with a woman who wore a necklace with a pendant in the shape of the Arabic letters Alef-Lam-Lam-Heh which spells “Allah”. ---
**Author:** ![whc.03grady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@whc.03grady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whc.03grady)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/15 "2011-12-13T06:17:33Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > **Dewey** : AFAIK no flag has a crucifix or menorah on it. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark. It’s not a crucifix, but it’s most definitely the Christian cross. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/16 "2011-12-13T07:15:03Z")
What about the hand of Fatimah? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/17 "2011-12-13T07:25:57Z")
The “Christmas tree” isn’t even a Christian symbol, _strictu sensu_… it wasn’t even something that represented Christmas in most of the Christian world until the mid-20th century (and I’m being generous with the date). As for crosses on flags, the Cruz de Oviedo on Asturias’ flag is an actual crucifix. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/18 "2011-12-13T07:26:29Z")
> [@whc.03grady](#): > > Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark. It’s not a crucifix, but it’s most definitely the Christian cross. Also [Malta](http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/zzzflags/mtlarge.gif) which really does look like a crucifix, as well as crosses on the flags of Scotland, England, the United Kingdom, and by extension Australia, New Zealand, and other flags that incorporate the Union Flag ([Fiji, Tuvalu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Flag#Use_in_other_flags) etc.). ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/19 "2011-12-13T08:02:35Z")
> [@J\_Cubed](#): > > And prayer rugs are kind of like other objects that denote faith, but they also serve a practical (ceremonial) purpose. Yes, I think they’re more analogous to a rosary or a tefillin than to a cross or Star of David. They’re an implement of prayer, not necessary but traditional and useful. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927/20 "2011-12-13T11:45:57Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > I can only imagine the reaction if someone wanted to put a star and crescent at the capitol building. About 12–13 years ago, Ramadan coincided with Christmas and Hanukkah time. The South Lawn of the White House displayed a giant menorah and an Islamic crescent alongside its giant Christmas tree. The crescent was light green and looked exactly like a giant unripe banana. It was defaced by vandals, of course, with anti-Muslim slurs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islamic-symbols/605927.md?page=2)