Images and Symbols of Islam

As in most religions, images and symbols play a big part in the Islamic faith. They help the followers identify common beliefs and rituals as well as remind them of their faith throughout their day. In the religion of Islam, symbols can be a variety of things, such as pictures, script, and colors. These all play a big part in the religion and the faith of the followers. Yet, even though there are some symbols and images in the religion, there is not very many and the followers must be careful about how they view them. Islam is a monotheistic religion in which the worshipping of any symbol as sacred is forbidden and Islamic symbolism is mostly made up of representations which have come to be identified with the religion over time. In the Qu'ran, the holy book of Islam, and Hadith, which are collections of the sayings and actions of the prophet Muhammad and his followers, there are no art works designated as being symbols of Islam. (articleworld.org)

The first symbol and probably the most prominent is the star and crescent image. The star and crescent is the best-known symbol used to represent Islam. It features prominently on the flags of many countries in the Islamic world, notably Turkey and Pakistan. Surprisingly, the symbol is not Muslim in origin. Rather, it was a polytheistic icon adopted during the spread of Islam, and its use today is sometimes controversial in the Muslim world. The crescent and star are often said to be Islamic symbols, but historians say that they were the insignia of the Ottoman Empire, not of Islam as a whole. It is important to know that this image is not a traditional Muslim symbol and is only associated with Islam through cultural diffusion. Regardless, this is still one of the most prominent and influential symbols in Islam. (Religionfacts.com)

Another symbol in Islam is colors and when they can portray. The color white is often believed to symbolize purity and peace. Many Muslims wear the color white when they attend Friday prayers. The color black is considered the color of mourning in Western and Mediterranean countries. It is often worn by Shi'ite Muslims, who mourn the death of Husayn ibn Ali, killed at the Battle of Karbala. Similarly, the color green has also had a special place in Islam. It is used in the decoration of mosques, the bindings of Qur'ans, the silken covers for the graves of Sufi saints, and in the flags of various Muslim countries. Green has been associated with Islam for many centuries. The color green was the color used by Muhammad's tribe on their flags. According to muslims the color green symbolizes nature and life. (Wikipedia.com)

One last image that can be discussed is the script for Allah, meaning god or the holy one. Allah is the highest beging in the Islamic religion and because worshipping of symbols is forbidden it is difficult to represent Allah. That is why it is simply done in script just so that the are able to visually represent