Answer
It is debatable. It is believed to be an ancient pagan symbol that was adopted by the Ottoman empire. It was suggested by them that the five points of the star stood for the five pillars of Islam.
The following taken from Religionfacts.com:
The Star and Crescent Symbol
The star and crescent is a well-known symbol of Islam. It features prominently on the flags of many countries in the Islamic world, notably Turkey and Pakistan.
Contrary to popular belief, 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 keep in mind that Islam has few traditional symbols, and the crescent moon and star are not ones that are recognized by as traditional symbols by Muslims. The symbol is due to cultral diffusion and the spread of Islam to the Ottoman turks who ruled a large area and also put the crescent moon and star symbol on their flag. It has since become associated with Islam.
First answer by Ithillion. Last edit by Ithillion. Contributor trust: 76 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 15 [recommend question]






