Editing Religious symbol (section)

==Religious symbolism==
{{expand section|date=February 2018}}

===African Indigenous religions===
{{See also|African diaspora religions}}
In some African Indigenous religions, there are graphical and pictorial symbols representing the actual religion or faith just like the [[Abrahamic]] faith. Each indigenous religion however, has symbolisms which are religious or spiritual in nature. Some of these may be graphical, numerological (as in Serer numerology - see [[Serer creation myth]]) or a  combination of both. However, these graphical images represent the actual religion practice and elements within the faith. 
The Ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion of the [[Yoruba people|yoruba]] people indigenous religion as an example has it graphical and pictorial symbol representing the religion, the symbol explained the philosophical concept of the four cardinal point of the earth.

The very nature of [[African art]] stem from "their themes of symbolism, functionalism and utilitarianism" hence why African art is multi-functional. In the African Indigenous belief system, Africans draw from their various artistic traditions as sources of inspiration.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! [[Traditional African religions]]
! Name
! Symbol
! Notes and references
|-
| rowspan="1" | '''[[Akan religion]]''' {{main|Adinkra symbols}}
| [[Gye Nyame (Adinkra)|Gye Nyame]]
| [[Image:Gye Nyame (Adinkra Symbol).svg|center|50x50px]]
| The [[Adinkra symbols|Adinkra]] symbol representing the omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and immortality of [[Nyame]] (the [[Akan people|Akan]] sky god).<ref>[[Molefi Kete Asante|Asante, Molefi Kete]], Mazama, Ama, ''Encyclopedia of African Religion, Volume 1'', SAGE (2009), p. 39, {{ISBN|9781412936361}}
 [https://books.google.com/books?id=B667ATiedQkC&pg=PT39]</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Serer religion]]''' <br> (a ƭat Roog)
| [[Serer religion#Cosmology|Yoonir]]
| [[Image:Yooniir (Serer cosmological star).jpg|center|50x50px]]
| Yoonir is a religious symbolism in the traditional faith of the [[Serer people]]. It symbolizes the universe as well as the Serer people. In the Serer worldview, it represents good fortune and destiny and was used by Serer illiterates to sign their names. The peak of the star represents the Deity [[Roog]]. The other four points represent the cardinal points of the Universe. The crossing of the lines pinpoints the axis of the Universe, that all energies pass. The top point is "the point of departure and conclusion, the origin and the end".<ref>Madiya, Clémentine Faïk-Nzuji, ''Canadian Museum of Civilization'', Canadian Centre for Folk Culture Studies, ''International Centre for African Language, Literature and Tradition'', (Louvain, Belgium), p. 27, 155, {{ISBN|0-660-15965-1}}</ref><ref>[[Henry Gravrand|Gravrand, Henry]], ''La civilisation sereer,'' vol. II  : ''Pangool'', Nouvelles éditions africaines, Dakar (1990), p. 20-21, {{ISBN|2-7236-1055-1}}</ref> 
|-
| [[Ndut initiation rite|Mbot]] 
| [[Image:Serer Religious Ceremony.jpg|center|50x50px]]
|The mbot is the symbol of the [[Ndut initiation rite|Ndut rite of passage]] (a circumcision rite) that every Serer male must go through. The female equivalent is ''Ndom'' (the [[Tattoo|tattooing of the gums]]). It is in Ndut classical teachings where Serer boys get to learn about themselves, the importance of teamwork, good citizenship and the secrets and mysteries of the universe.<ref>Dione, Salif, ''L’appel du Ndut ou l’initiation des garçons seereer'', Dakar, [[Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire]] / Enda-Editions (2004), p. 46-7, 148, 159 {{ISBN|92 9130 047 0}}</ref><ref>Gravrand, Henry, ''La civilisation sereer,'' vol. II  : ''Pangool'', Nouvelles éditions africaines, Dakar (1990), p. 98-100, {{ISBN|2-7236-1055-1}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | '''[[Yoruba religion|Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Religion]]'''
|[[Yoruba religion|Ìṣẹ̀ṣe]]
|[[File:Isese religion.png|70px|Isese Religion]]
|The Symbol of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe - Yorùbá indigenous Religion explained the Philosophical concept of the Four Cardinal Points (Igun Mẹ́rin Ayé) and its cosmological meanings as it was arranged and explained by Ọ̀rúnmìlà Baraà mi Àgbọnnìrègún through IFÁ - the esoteric language of OLÓDÙMARÈ, and which is the Centrality of the Existence of Humanity, Divinity, and the Cosmos.
- Iwájú Ọpọ́n

- Ẹ̀yìn Ọpọ́n

- Olùmú Ọ̀tún

- Olùkànràn Òsì

- Àárín Ọpọ́n Ìta Ọ̀run
|}

===Other examples of religious symbolism===
*[[Ayyavazhi symbolism]]
*[[Baháʼí symbols]]
*[[Buddhist symbolism]]
*[[Christian symbolism]]
*[[Jewish symbolism]]
*[[Symbolism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
*[[Symbols of Islam]]