In 1923, a new flag was approved in Turkey, which is still in force today: a bright scarlet canvas is decorated with a white crescent with a star nearby. For many hundreds of years, the star was located inside the crescent, which from an astronomical point of view is incorrect, otherwise the star would not be visible. At the beginning of the XX century, astronomers persuaded to take the star beyond the moon.
Red has been the color of the Ottoman Empire since the XIV century - the color of passion, strength, courage. The crescent on the flag appears in the XV century after the capture of Constantinople and carries several meanings:
- Muslims use the lunar calendar, where the crescent is a traditional symbol.
- On the emblem of the conquered Constantinople was a crescent
- The crescent and star are a symbol of the family of Sultan Osman.
The image of the star on the flag of Turkey appears only in the XIX century. The five-pointed star symbolizes the five pillars of Islam:
- Monotheism – Recognition of the Mission of the Prophet Muhammad
- Namaz is a rite of prayer that believers perform 5 times a day
- Fasting in Ramadan - refusal to eat during daylight hours for a month
- Pilgrimage to Mecca is the dream and life goal of every Muslim
- Zakat is a mandatory tax of believers in favor of the needy.
The white color of the crescent and star is a symbol of purity and holiness for Muslims. It is the color of wisdom, spirituality and the divine principle.