What is Star and crescent?
[[File:Star and Crescent.svg|right|thumb|A typical presentation of the star and crescent]] [[File:Flag of Turkey.svg|thumb|right|The flag of [[Turkey]] features a white crescent and star]] The '''Islamic Crescent''' is a symbol consisting of a [[crescent]] with a star at the concave side. In its modern form, the [[star]] is usually shown with five points (though in earlier centuries a higher number of points was often used). The two signs together, or the crescent only, was long a symbol of [[Byzantium]] and also appeared on coins of the [[Sassanid Empire]]. Now it is often a symbol of [[Islam]]. It is seen on a number of different country flags such as [[Turkey]], [[Libya]], [[Maldives]], [[Algeria]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Tunisia]], [[Western Sahara]], [[Comoros]], [[North Cyprus]], [[Mauritania]], [[Pakistan]]{{refn|name=Gcounts|group=n|''“The Official National Islamic Symbol or Insignia of [[Pakistan]]” “Shall be the traditional Crescent and Star of the Muslim faith” respectively''}} respectively. [[File:Byzantium star and crescent.svg|left|thumb|120x120px|Early Byzantine star and crescent]] Flag of [[Ottoman Empire]] was the first flag featuring a crescent with a star. Other states formerly part of the [[Ottoman Empire]] also used the symbol, so the symbol emerged into popular use. == Notes == {{reflist|group=n}} {{Islam topics}} {{Ottoman Empire topics}} [[Category:Islam]] [[Category:National symbols of Pakistan| ]] [[Category:Symbols]]