Religious symbols are symbols associated with a particular religion and carry the essential meanings of that religion.
The life of modern man is full of symbols and signs which direct him towards various contents, and without which his life would be reduced to numerous misunderstandings and disagreements.
Just look at a computer keyboard and you will see that without knowing the characters and symbols that are on certain keys, you will not be able to use that device.
This is just one example of the modern use of symbols.
It is not surprising that since ancient times, people have used various signs to express and record the reflexes specific to them and the times in which they lived.
By a simple definition, a sign is something that points to something else.
Religions are an integral part of human philosophy of life and freedom of belief is considered a fundamental right of every person in the world.
The following properties are regularly attributed to religious symbols:
- They refer to the transcendent and the divine, to the supernatural.
- Symbols emphasize what is significant, important in revealing the meaning of life to people.
- They have the designation and connotation of something positive.
- Their role is educational, encouraging, comforting and ethical.
- Their role is social, ecclesiastical and ritual.
Religious symbols thus defined and established have a positive meaning and purpose.
The use of symbols of religion for non-religious purposes leads to inappropriate identification of religion, leading to a range of negative interpretations.
1. The cross
The cross is at the heart of Christianity and one of the most famous religious symbols in the world.
The Bible is full of descriptions of what it symbolizes.
Books have been written on the meaning of the cross, and its meaning is still preached.
But why is the cross so important?
In ancient times, the cross was an object on which slaves and criminals were hanged or nailed as punishment.
In Roman law, crucifixion was a particularly shameful and dishonorable punishment for rebels and pirates.
Finally, in Christianity, the cross is the intersection of God’s love and justice.
By his crucifixion, Jesus took upon himself all the sins of believers.
2. The Star of David
The Star of David is also known as the Shield of David.
It is a common and recognizable symbol in Judaism today, but in fact it appears to be a relatively new symbol in Judaism.
It is thought to represent the shape of King David’s shield, or perhaps just an emblem on it.
But such claims are not supported by ancient rabbinic writings.
In fact, this symbol is so rare in ancient Jewish literature and art that even antiquarians question the originality of a work that describes and cites the Star of David.
The Star of David generally symbolizes the fusion of the energy of Heaven with the energy of Earth.
It is known both as a protective symbol and as an alchemical symbol and even as a decorative element.
The Star of David did not become popular as a symbol of Judaism until it was adopted in 1897 as the emblem of the Zionist movement, a movement that called on all Jews to return to their country.
3. The Menorah
The Menorah is one of the most recognizable and well-known symbols of the religion of Judaism.
Not only is it the oldest Jewish symbol, it is also the oldest religious symbol in continuous use in the West.
The Menorah features on the coat of arms of the State of Israel, is central to the holiday of Hanukkah, and can be seen in synagogues around the world.
It is the only object in the temple made entirely of gold.
Gold is a symbol of permanence, immutable and intact.
The shape of the Menorah is reminiscent of a tree: at its base there is a trunk from which seven branches emerge, three on each side and one in the middle.
The seven branches represent the diversity of human wisdom, visible in all areas: philosophy, medicine, art, science, technology, etc.
All this diversity is harmoniously combined in the form of the Menorah, which consists of a single piece of gold.
4. The Crescent
The Crescent is one of the oldest symbols known to humanity.
It is a symbol of the Mesopotamian moon god Nanna.
The Crescent was also known in the Middle East and was used in the 8th century BC. transmitted by the Phoenicians.
The Crescent is a symbol associated with Indian/Hindu iconography, particularly Tantric Hinduism.
The most obvious example is Shiva, whose forehead is decorated with a crescent moon.
The moon occupies a special place in Islamic tradition and today the crescent moon is considered a symbol of this religion.
The appearance of the new moon marks the beginning of each of the twelve lunar months of the Islamic calendar.
The moon is mentioned 26 times in the Quran, one Quranic surah is even called the moon (Al-Qamer), in which the splitting of the moon is described as a sign of the Last Judgment.
The crescent and star symbol was first used by the Ottomans in the 15th century on military and imperial flags, then as a state symbol by the newly formed states of the Middle East and North Africa. , from South and Southeast Asia.
5. The Word of Allah
Allah is the name of God Almighty in Arabic.
The word Allah is never used to refer to any other being or any other matter.
The names of God in other languages are attributive or descriptive and are often used in the plural, but the word Allah is never used in the plural.
This is because Islam is a belief in the absolute unity of God.
For Western man, the thought of God may conjure up the image of an angry, punishing old bearded man in heaven.
For the Muslim, Allah is an omnipotent, omniscient, faceless being.
But there is more to this word than meets the eye.
The word “Allah” appears thousands of times in the Quran and is the simplest form of God’s name.
According to Muslim scholars and theologians, the name Allah is best defined as “the proper name of Him who necessarily exists in Himself and to whom all merit is due.”
6. Main de Fatmah (Hamsa)
Hamsa means five in Arabic (like five fingers on a hand), and it was a magic number for the ancient Semites.
This five-fingered hand originates from Mesopotamia, where it was dedicated to the Assyro-Babylonian goddesses Ishtar and Inana as a sign of protection.
Abrahamic religions are a collective term for monotheistic religions that trace back to the common tradition of the “progenitor” Abraham (Abraham or Ibrahim).
Abrahamic religions worship the Hamsa, an amulet in the shape of a human hand.
A small number of Christians respect this symbol, and these are mostly believers from the Levant region.
According to some Eastern interpreters, the hand of Fatmah represents the entire Islamic religion and its five main pillars on which it rests.
It also symbolizes the family of the Prophet Muhammad.
7. The Swastika
The swastika is a sacred symbol in several religions – Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.
The Hindu version contains points in each quadrant.
In Buddhism, the Swastika is a symbol of happiness, prosperity, abundance and eternity.
It is directly linked to the Buddha and is found engraved on the statues at his feet and on his heart.
It is said to contain the mind of the Buddha.
It is ironic and unfortunate that the symbol of life and eternity, sacred for thousands of years, has become a symbol of hatred in just 12 years.
8. Om
The Indian word Om is a symbol of the religion of Hinduism.
Om is the primordial fundamental sound or Nada Brahma, the symbol of the universal, the absolute, the primordial sound of the creation of the universe, the sum of all Vedic teachings about God.
All creation is born from this primordial sound.
Therefore, it is present in everything and permeates the entire universe.
The Om symbol consists of four parts: three curves (1, 2, 3) and a semicircle with a point (4).
Curve (1) marks the waking state of consciousness, in which consciousness is external and which is most often the main state of human consciousness.
Curve (2) marks the state of deep sleep without dreams.
Finally, curve (3), which is located between deep sleep and the waking state, marks the dream state.
These three curves therefore represent the entire physical phenomenon.
The dot marks the fourth state of consciousness, known in Sanskrit as turiya, the transcendental state of consciousness, the state of pure bliss; complete silence.
9. Ganesh
Ganesh is one of the most famous and revered deities in the Hindu pantheon or temple. His image is found throughout India.
All Hindus worship him.
The worship of Ganesha is widespread and extends to Jainists, Buddhists and all of India.
Ganesha is easily identified as having the head of an elephant, with a curved trunk and large ears, as well as a huge human belly.
His head symbolizes the atman or soul which is the highest ultimate reality of human existence and his human body represents maya or the earthly existence of human beings.
The head of the elephant represents wisdom and its trunk represents OM.
He is worshiped for removing obstacles, as the protector of art and science, and as the deity of intellect and wisdom.
In his upper right hand, Ganesha holds a staff which helps him to advance people on the eternal path and remove obstacles from their path.
As the god of beginnings, he is worshiped at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesha is a destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride.
In fact, Ganesha is one of the five major Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga).
Depictions of Ganesha show great variation and different patterns over time.
He may depict himself standing, dancing, heroically fighting demons, playing with his family as a boy, sitting on the ground or on a raised seat, or participating in contemporary activities.
10. Buddha Statue
Buddha statues throughout Asia represent the teachings and journeys of Gautama Buddha.
Each statue shares common physical attributes, poses and positions that define its purpose and meaning.
Likewise, each posture of the Buddha has a specific meaning.
The Buddha is generally represented in three positions: sitting, standing or lying down.
Although less common, there are also several depictions of the walking Buddha.
The Reclining Buddha depicts the Buddha lying on his right side with his head supported by a pillow or arm and elbow supported.
Although this depiction of the Buddha may indicate sleep or rest, it is primarily a depiction of the final moments at the end of the Buddha’s life.
The seated Buddha is the most common representation of the Buddha.
These Buddha statues can represent learning, meditation, or attempting to achieve enlightenment.
A standing Buddha indicates that he is still with both feet next to each other.
11.Yin-Yang
Yin-yang is a Taoist concept whose symbol, Taijitu, is presented in the West as the symbol of yin-yang.
Ancient Chinese philosophy describes yin-yang as a paradox of simultaneous unity and dualism.
The fusion of seemingly opposing cosmic forces determines the order and change of all that exists.
The symbol forms a circle in which there are yin (dark part) and yang (light part).
The circle itself symbolizes the whole, the source of infinite possibilities and pure knowledge.
Moreover, the circle symbolizes the continuity and cyclicality of each change.
Resembling tadpoles, the yin and yang signs touch each other along a curve and seem to constantly chase each other.
We can see this as our life, which is a magical dance that never follows strict rules, but meanders like a stream in nature.
When the sun is at its highest point, yang is also at its highest position, its maximum.
At the same time, Yin is at its minimum.
12. Torii
Shintoism is a purely Japanese religion that has its origins in ancient Japanese history.
In fact, it is one of the oldest religions in the world.
The symbol of the Shinto religion is the torii.
A torii marks the entrance to a Shinto shrine.
The Torii are said to embody a deity that exists in nature, including sacred mountains and the ocean.
This belief is called animism, a popular Japanese belief that has a long history.
In Buddhism, red is a color that represents the sacred atmosphere and life force.
Therefore, in the Middle Ages, people began to paint the torii that stand at Shinto shrines red.
Red is also believed to drive away evil spirits.
Moreover, it is often used for the Inari shrine, which represents the divinity of the harvest.
