Istanbul, Jul 11: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Friday that the Hagia Sophia, one of the architectural wonders of the world, would be reopened for Muslim worship, sparking fury in the Christian community and neighbouring Greece.
His declaration came after a top Turkish court revoked the sixth-century Byzantine monument's status as a museum, clearing the way for it to be turned back into a mosque.
The UNESCO World Heritage site in historic Istanbul, a magnet for tourists worldwide, was first constructed as a cathedral in the Christian Byzantine Empire but was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
The Council of State, Turkey's highest administrative court, unanimously cancelled a 1934 cabinet decision to turn it into a museum and said Hagia Sophia was registered as a mosque in its property deeds.
The landmark ruling could inflame tensions not just with the West and Turkey's historic foe Greece but also Russia, with which Erdogan has forged an increasingly close partnership in recent years.
'Millions of Christians not heard'
Greece swiftly branded the move by Muslim-majority Turkey an "open provocation to the civilised world".
"The nationalism displayed by Erdogan... takes his country back six centuries," Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement.
The Russian Orthodox Church was equally scathing.
"The concern of millions of Christians were not heard," Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida told Interfax news agency.
The decision "shows that all pleas regarding the need to handle the situation extremely delicately were ignored," he said.
UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay said she "deeply regrets" the decision made without prior dialogue with the UN's cultural agency.
The move was also condemned by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, which said it was an "unequivocal politicisation" of the monument.
Hagia Sophia, which stands opposite the impressive Sultanahmet Mosque -- often called the Blue Mosque, has been a museum since 1935 and open to believers of all faiths.
Transforming it from a mosque was a key reform under the new republic born out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.
Sharing a presidential decree which named Hagia Sophia as a "mosque", Erdogan announced its administration would be handed over to Turkey's religious affairs directorate known as Diyanet.
"May we be blessed," he commented. The decree was published on the official gazette.
Erdogan has in recent years placed great emphasis on the battles which resulted in the defeat of Byzantium by the Ottomans, with lavish celebrations held every year to mark the conquest.
Muslim clerics have occasionally recited prayers in the museum on key anniversaries or religious holidays.
"The decision is intended to score points with Erdogan's pious and nationalist constituents," said Anthony Skinner of the risk assessment firm Verisk Maplecroft.
"Hagia Sophia is arguably the most conspicuous symbol of Turkey's Ottoman past -- one which Erdogan is leveraging to strengthen his base while snubbing domestic and foreign rivals," he told AFP.
'Chains broken'
A few hundred Turks carrying Turkish flags gathered outside Hagia Sophia shouting "Chains broken, Hagia Sophia reopened".
Police heightened security measures around the building, according to AFP journalists.
"It's been a dream since we were kids," said Erdal Gencler, an Istanbul resident.
"(Hagia Sophia) finds its true purpose again. We are very excited, proud, and hopeful that there will be beautiful services here," he added.
Fatma, a woman with tearful eyes, said: "Of course I am crying. (Hagia Sophia) belongs to us."
Ahead of the court decision, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul shared a picture of Hagia Sophia on his official Twitter account, with a message: "Have a good Friday."
Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Erdogan's son-in-law, tweeted that Hagia Sophia would be reopened to Muslim worship "sooner or later", referring to a quote from Turkish poet Necip Fazil Kisakurek.
The Council of State had on July 2 debated the case brought by a Turkish group -- the Association for the Protection of Historic Monuments and the Environment, which demanded Hagia Sophia be reopened for Muslim prayers.
Since 2005, there have been several attempts to change the building's status. In 2018, the Constitutional Court rejected one application.
Despite occasional protests outside the site by Islamic groups, Turkish authorities had until now kept the building as a museum.
Comments
Muslims worship allah and don't want to say vandemataram.
Christians worship Jesus only still they do not have problem in singing vandemataram.
Bhudhist worship bhudha only still they do not have problem in singing vandemataram.
Jains worship mahavir only still they do not have problem in singing vandemataram.
why it is only problem for muslim to sing vandemataram.-
Please everyone try to know, that Islam has codes to follow. Islam strongly and strictly has to follow the God’s rule. No human interference is allowed to complement to God’s rules. Islam has 2books. Quran and Hadees the sayings of the prophet Muhammad (peace upon him PBU)
Muslims are not allowed to introduce new things which are contradictory to Islam.
Because Islam is flexible enough to allow allowable things. These things will suffice the needs. No need to invent the wheels. Islam is purely based on 1God and Message came thru prophet Muhammad PBU.
This is called 1ness of God. Nothing should be worshipped other than 1 the true God. We worship only the God and we seek all our requirements with this 1God. This is the important message. Anyone contradicting and violating it by worshiping others or praying others for our requirements is a unforgivable offense which leads to hell fire. it is command to us to be careful of this error.
30% of the teaching of Islam is repeatedly discouraging to worship or attribute others with the God. What a serious teaching we have to be careful of. This is repeated in Quran and hadees. Nothing is allowed even in a minute level to equate into the Quality of the God. This is oneness of God. Things against is called as doing shirk(associating to the God). May the God save us from this error.
1.VANDE MATARAM : We can not sing this song because its meaning contradicts the above oneness of the God.
2. Celebrating other festival
Muslims are allowed to observe 2eids (Eid ul Fitr. This is after end of Ramadan fasting, 2nd is Eid us Adha)
Even we don’t celebrate the birth day of anyone including our prophet.
Patriotism
We are not against national interest. We have to fight for the right of our nation as long as we are not offending others. If required we are commanded to fight and sacrifice our lives. What a great teaching. Is it in taught in any other books.
So we don’t celebrate even National independence day. No need for celebration but we are ready to sacrifice to defend the nation.
Mr bogi , from last year rss nagpur headquartes started hoisting indian flag , from 1947 our madrasas hoisting clelebrating indipendence day , you sangis were with british when indians were fighting for freedom , now its time for indians to fight against sangh parivar .
To Yogi and his chela Mohsin: - Do you want the video that I'm Celebrating Ind. Pen Day and Fl-ag hosting in bathroom..........
Mr Yogi's statement is a proof for his trust in minorities, for video recording... Its better to send those Usthads who all attended the MRM meet yesterday in Bantwal constituency.
Yogi ji could you please request your headquarters in Nagpur to hoist national flag above RSS's Saffron flag,
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