Arab American Heritage Month

Learn More About the Crescent Moon in Arab American Culture

The Crescent Moon is a symbol that has historically existed in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures, as well as in many religions, including Christianity and Islam. 

In Islam, the lunar calendar is used, defining months by moon cycles rather than sun cycles like the Gregorian calendar.  The holy month of Ramadan, which includes prayer, fasting, charity, and community, lasts a full lunar cycle, from new moon to new moon, making the crescent moon a symbol used to honor and celebrate Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr that follows.

In Christianity, the moon symbolizes many concepts, most notably the Virgin Mary. Arabian Christians also use the crescent moon in a non-religious context; it can be found throughout Arabian art and architecture as a form of cultural expression separate from religious significance.

The crescent moon and star are often found together. Symbolically, they complement each other, with the crescent moon often representing progress and new beginnings and the star symbolizing the light of knowledge. 

Other religions represented by Arab Americans include, but are not limited to, monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, including sects of Islam such as Sunnis, Shiites, Druze, Alawites, and Sufis, along with sects of Christianity, including Catholics, Protestants, Egyptian Copts, Yazidis, and Judaism. Minority religions represented also include the Baháʼí Faith, Bábism, Agnosticism, and others.