Why is the crescent moon and star a symbol of Islam?

It is widely believed that the crescent moon and star is an internationally-recognized symbol of Islam. After all, the symbol is featured on the flags of several Muslim countries and is even part of the official emblem for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. read more

The Star and Crescent as a symbol of Islam most directly dates back to the Ottoman Empire. Although symbolism can be found in the star (usually interpreted as the Morning star, with divine connotations) and the crescent, its history as a modern symbol of Islam happened mostly via secular forces. read more

The star, or Sun, is often shown within the arc of the crescent (also called star in crescent, or star within crescent, for disambiguation of depictions of a star and a crescent side by side); In numismatics in particular, the term crescent and pellet is used in cases where the star is simplified to a single dot. read more