Should The Hagia Sofia become a Mosque?

[Guynextdoor2]

man...turkeys doing really well. Can you please not screw things up for them by putting these ideas into their heads?

 

[TMA]

It should be made back into the Cathedral and an apology should be made.

 

[RAMPAGE]

Damn right it should.

I have changed my mind. It should be open to any christian or muslim who wishes to pray to his God in this great tribute of man to his creator.

 

[Kambojaric]

Having been to Istanbul and the Sultan Ahmet area in general I can clearly say there arent any lack of mosques there. The Blue Mosque just across the park from Aya Sofia for example barely gets two rows filled in the daily Namaz. It does get full packed on Jummah and special nights like shab e miraj though.In general however there is no real religious need for another mosque in the area.

Then there is the political aspect to this issue. Aya Sofia of course is far more than a spiritual building, its also a very political building, with the Greeks considering it "theirs", I suppose turning the place into a Mosque is a way for Nationalists and/or Islamists to say "hah, this is ours, what can you do about it?". Personally an interesting solution would be to turn it into a mosque on Friday and church on Sunday, but I doubt that would be very popular with a large section of the Turkish population.

 

[-SINAN-]

Let's put the documentary about Hagia Sophia here.

 

[My-Analogous]

Should The Hagia Sofia become a Mosque?

Turks gather to pray at Hagia Sofia, call to reopen mosque​

The Imam of the Ka'bah, Islam's holiest site in Mecca, Abdullah Basfar, led thousands in a dawn prayer congregation outside of the Hagia Sofia on Saturday morning, before the congregation raised their hands in supplication asking for it to be reverted into a mosque.

World Bulletin / News Desk

It has served as the exalted seat of two faiths since its vast dome and lustrous gold mosaics first levitated above Istanbul in the 6th Century: Christendom's greatest cathedral for 900 years and one of Islam's greatest mosques for another 560.

Today, the Hagia Sophia, or Ayasofya in Turkish, is officially a museum: Turkey's most-visited monument, whose formally neutral status symbolises the secular nature of the modern Turkish state.

An imam of the Ka'bah, Islam's holiest site in Mecca, Abdullah Basfar, led thousands in a dawn prayer congregation outside of the Hagia Sofia on Saturday morning, before the congregation raised their hands in supplication asking for it to be reverted into a mosque.

"This is a serious push to break Ayasofya's chains," said Salih Turhan, head of the Anatolia Youth Association, which has collected 15 million signatures to petition for it to be turned back into a mosque.

"Ayasofya is a symbol for the Islamic world and the symbol of Istanbul's conquest. Without it, the conquest is incomplete, we have failed to honour Sultan Mehmet's trust," he said, citing a 15th Century deed signed by the conquering Caliph and decrying as sin other uses of Hagia Sophia.

Built in 537 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian whose rule stretched from Spain to the Middle East, Hagia Sophia - meaning "Divine Wisdom" in Greek - was unrivalled in the Christian world until Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II conquered the city in 1453 and turned it into a mosque. Modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk decreed it a museum in 1934.

Now, renewed interest in praying at Hagia Sophia taps into a burgeoning sense of Islamic identity that Erdogan has encouraged during a decade as Turkey's dominant politician.

For most of the 20th Century, Western-oriented Turks scorned the imperial past. But Erdogan has promoted celebration of the Turkish conquest that turned Constantinople into Istanbul.

"Conquest is the removal of shackles on doors and in hearts," he said on Thursday to mark the 561st anniversary of the Byzantine defeat. "Civilisation comes with conquest."

A 2012 film depicting the Muslim takeover of the Byzantine capital, "Conquest 1453", attracted an audience of millions. So has the museum's "Panorama 1453" exhibition, which recreates the event in vivid detail.

Ibrahim Kalin, a senior Erdogan adviser, said there were no plans to alter the monument's current status.

"Speculation on changing it into a church or a mosque remains speculation. Hagia Sophia has been open to all visitors from Turkey and around the world and will remain so," he said.

Last year, Erdogan said he would not consider changing Hagia Sophia's status as long as another great Istanbul house of worship, the 17th Century Sultan Ahmed Mosque, remains mostly empty of worshippers. Istanbul boasts more than 3,000 mosques.

But many pious Turks believe turning Hagia Sophia into a museum denigrated the memory of Sultan Mehmet, who strode into the cathedral to pray at its altar.

http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/137796/turks-gather-to-pray-at-hagia-sofia-call-to-reopen-
mosque

Turkish opposition calls to transform Hagia Sofia into mosque
​

Following similar calls from Turkey’s second biggest opposition party MHP, Turkey’s main opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) have also called to transform the Hagia Sofia into a mosque.

World Bulletin / News Desk

Republican People’s Party Ankara minister Sinan Aygun has posedthe question as to why the Hagia Sofia shouldn’t be turned into a mosque in the Turkish parliament, following a call to turn the museum into a mosque by a member of Turkey’s third biggest party MHP.

The Hagia Sofia was originally built as an orthodox church around 1,500 years ago, but was converted into a mosque in 1453 after Sultan Mehmet II conquered Istanbul for the Ottoman Empire. After the Ottoman Empire collapsed, making way for the constitutionally secular Republic of Turkey, the mosque was closed and reopened as a museum in 1935.

MHP minister and historian Yusuf Halacoglu first proposed transforming it into a mosque, claiming that it had no legal basis to remain as a museum. Investigations into the decree that turned the Hagia Sofia into a museum have revealed discrepancies regarding the date the decree was issued, as well as sparking claims that the founder and first president of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s signature was forged.

The signature on the decree dated November 24, 1934 spells K.Ataturk. However, it is well-known that the founder of Turkey and first president had not yet adopted the surname Ataturk on that date, and was back then simply known as Gazi Mustafa Kemal.

Turkish opposition calls to transform Hagia Sofia into mosque | General | Worldbulletin News

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No way it is forbid in Islam and Rasool Allah don't like these things

sure. typical indian trash trolls

Hay Multani you put this picture which was taken by my sister, when we are at Madina during Hajj time.

 

[24 Hours]

1.It is very strange and even unfortunate that this hasn't been returned to its status as a mosque. There are too many museums in Turkey and they can build more but Hagia Sofia must be a mosque that it was centuries back.
2. The Turks and the Muslims must never forget that The Christians have for centuries planned to recapture Constantinople and convert Hagia Sofia back into a church. That will be the Christendom's ultimate victory now that Jerusalem has been taken by the Jews, Baghdad and remain in rubble, and Damascus is about to fall.

How can you have too many museums, especially in a city with as much history as Istanbul? Yes you can build more museums but, none of them can ever replace the current role of Hagia Sophia. Last I recall though, Istanbul is still and will always be in Turkish soil, so how will it ever become a church. If it won't be a mosque it can't be a church either.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

How can you have too many museums, especially in a city with as much history as Istanbul? Yes you can build more museums but, none of them can ever replace the current role of Hagia Sophia. Last I recall though, Istanbul is still and will always be in Turkish soil, so how will it ever become a church. If it won't be a mosque it can't be a church either.

It is all a matter of respect for others.

Hagia Sophia was built by the Orthodox Church, and its proper function is a Church.
To change it to a Mosque is showing disrespect towards Christianity.

To build the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Dome of the Rock is showing disrespect towards the Jewish religion.

ISIS and the Taliban are tearing down Ancient Heritage, again disrespect.

Meanwhile Muslims are whining about Hindu tearing down Babri Masjid,
and about the status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israel has had control over the Area in almost 50 years, and has shown respect,
but then they are civilized, and You are not.

 

[Azad-Kashmiri]

Built in 537 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian whose rule stretched from Spain to the Middle East, Hagia Sophia - meaning "Divine Wisdom" in Greek - was unrivalled in the Christian world until Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II conquered the city in 1453 and turned it into a mosque.

From an Islamic-Sharia point of view, it is forbidden to destroy and convert churches to Masajid. This was wrong of the Ottoman and they should RETURN Hagia Sofia back to the Christians as their Church. It is NOT ours and the Christians deserve an apology. The Christians of the time destroyed Masjid and converted Masjid Al-Aqsa into a stable and we responded in kind, however two wrongs don't make it right. We have our laws and they can't be changed based on how barbaric the enemy treats us.

May Allah forgive us for our mistakes and forgive those who made them. Amin!

 

[24 Hours]

It is all a matter of respect for others.

Hagia Sophia was built by the Orthodox Church, and its proper function is a Church.
To change it to a Mosque is showing disrespect towards Christianity.

To build the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Dome of the Rock is showing disrespect towards the Jewish religion.

ISIS and the Taliban are tearing down Ancient Heritage, again disrespect.

Meanwhile Muslims are whining about Hindu tearing down Babri Masjid,
and about the status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israel has had control over the Area in almost 50 years, and has shown respect,
but then they are civilized, and You are not.

I am fully aware that in today's time changing a place of worship to another is morally wrong. I don't think it should be a mosque again either and it's status a museum is fine. I don't like uncivilized barbarians destroying holy and historic sites, whether it be ISIS, Taliban, and especially the Saudis. How does that make me uncivilized?

 

[TMA]

I am fully aware that in today's time changing a place of worship to another is morally wrong. I don't think it should be a mosque again either and it's status a museum is fine. I don't like uncivilized barbarians destroying holy and historic sites, whether it be ISIS, Taliban, and especially the Saudis. How does that make me uncivilized?

It was wrong even in THAT time.

 

[24 Hours]

It was wrong even in THAT time.

I agree it is, but these conversions aren't something you can easily get away with today copared to the past.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

I am fully aware that in today's time changing a place of worship to another is morally wrong. I don't think it should be a mosque again either and it's status a museum is fine. I don't like uncivilized barbarians destroying holy and historic sites, whether it be ISIS, Taliban, and especially the Saudis. How does that make me uncivilized?

"If it won't be a mosque it can't be a church either."

I agree it is, but these conversions aren't something you can easily get away with today copared to the past.

Happening all the time in the Middle East, where aggressive Muslims try to make Mosques
out of Churches by performing rites.
Many Churches in Egypt was attacked with this purpose.

Several Churches in Sweden has been converted to Mosques,
but this is done in a civilized way, by buying the building first.
No complaints about that...

 

[24 Hours]

"If it won't be a mosque it can't be a church either."

But, that's true. If Turkey doesn't let it become a mosque again what are the chances for it to be a church again? My statement had nothing to do with a subjective belief but, more of an objective observation. I don't think it should be mosque again either.

Happening all the time in the Middle East, where aggressive Muslims try to make Mosques
out of Churches by performing rites.
Many Churches in Egypt was attacked with this purpose.

And it should be condemned. I don't support this kind of mentality.

 

[Azad-Kashmiri]

Several Churches in Sweden has been converted to Mosques,
but this is done in a civilized way, by buying the building first.
No complaints about that...

Stop trying to make it sound sinister. Buying and selling is a legitimate transaction and the buyer can convert it to hotel or whatever he/she sees fit.

This kind of transaction took place when the Christians sold part of the Church to the Muslims and it became part of the Umayyad Masjid, in Damascus. These are legitimate transactions and cannot be faulterred. Sharia Law is very clear on religious places of worship for 'people of the book' (Jews and Christians). They CANNOT be converted (unless sold freely) and destroyed! They have a special status in Islam and their rights have to be protected; and the principles are outlined in the 'Covenant of Umar ibn khathab' (radi'Allahu an).