Erdogan has made clear his desire to make the Hagia Sophia into a mosque, and recently the Turks have taken serious steps in that direction. The West generally remains indifferent to or even unaware of the aggressive and supremacist implications of this.
“Is there a plan to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque on the Day of the Fall of Constantinople?,” Orthodox Times, May 12, 2020 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
A post on the account of Turkey’s Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, about Hagia Sophia was the reason why the Turkish press today interpreted this post as a sign that Hagia Sophia was to become as a Muslim mosque.
On his Twitter account, Fahrettin Altun posted a photo of Hagia Sophia – which has been converted from a Muslim mosque into a museum in 1935 – and the following phrase: “We missed it! But be patient. We’ll make it happen together.”
This phrase is displayed in today’s Turkish press with articles on the history of Hagia Sophia and on the “impatience” of the Turkish people to see this historic monument becoming a mosque again. In fact, some speculate that May 29, the day of the Fall of Constantinople (and a day of victory for Muslim Turks) may be the day that Hagia Sophia will open as a mosque and place of prayer for Muslims.
Fahrenheit Altun’s message caused great excitement, today’s Press writes. Those who saw the post began to ask when the mosques would open for prayer or when Hagia Sophia would open for Muslim worship. The Hurriyet newspaper even published a lengthy article on the history of Hagia Sophia from its foundation to the present day….
Templer says
The mosaic in turkey are mostly empty most Turks do not give a monkeys about mosaics just this spaced out santic moron everday Turks could not care
mortimer says
Agree. Mosque attendance in Turkey is very low. They don’t need any more mosques, but fewer.
I would like to ask the mullahs of Turkey why Muslims would pray in a church covered in pictures of Jesus as Pantocrator and Mary as Mother of God?
This is meant by Erdogan as a provocation and as a show of his power both to his followers and and to outsiders. He wants the Muslim world to think he is their champion.
Erdogan is playing with fire.
Brian Hoff says
Many goto firday prayer.
gravenimage says
Why do they have to go to Jihad-preaching Friday prayers in Churches they have stolen from Christians?
Frank Anderson says
According to my understanding of the muslim conquest, any property taken in the war is always muslim property. Once a mosque, always a mosque. Once a single muslim prays in a building it is a mosque. I welcome correction if I am in error.
What does that suggest about allowing muslims to pray in infidel sanctuaries?
mortimer says
Frank, I have not found that in Sharia law. It sounds like a presumptuous claim by certain Muslim supremacists.
Frank Anderson says
I cannot cite my source, but I am sure I have seen such claims in my reading. You know far better than I all the details; and my respect for you is well earned. It is an act of surrender to allow muslims to pray in any other religion’s house.
gravenimage says
Yes–I know that Jihad Watch has cited this, though I do not recall the source.
mortimer says
Frank, the only quote that comes near to your claim is K.2.191 “And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.” This quote refers to the voluntary exodus of the first Muslims from Meccan. Mohammed turned this voluntary move into an unfair expulsion.
If you can find a quote, we will learn something.
Frank Anderson says
mortimer, I have better sense than to argue over your truly superior knowledge of the “books”. I have seen somewhere in the books I have read the statement that once a muslim prays, it is muslim property forever. I will look; but I do not dispute your claim. I have most of the related books together and will look to see what I can find.
One place I remember the proposition being important is the movie Khartoum where the mahdi, played by Lawrence Olivier told Charlton Heston he wanted to pray in a number of major cities.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Frank–and I know that Robert Spencer has cited this, as well. I’m still looking for a quote.
Jim says
Frank Anderson, this is an excellent point. By allowing Muslims to pray in Christian churches, for example, the Muslims will believe that they can claim the church building at a future date as a mosque. It is doubtful in my opinion that they will make such a move at present; but when their numbers get larger, that is, when they make up a larger percentage of the population, they will undoubtedly do their idolatrous worship in some churches and then claim them for their “god”.
Frank Anderson says
Jim, that is exactly my point that the vast, overwhelming majority of deliberately ignorant, delusional patsies don’t want to see when inviting muslims into their communities and congregations. It doesn’t matter if the congregation is presently Christian, Jewish or any other, once a muslim prays there it is immediately the property of islam in the muslim’s mind whether the vile, worthless, suitable only for slavery or death infidels agree or not.
Muslims have no respect or concern for the property or rights of infidels, only what muslims can do to take it and enslave or kill those who do not “Convert or Submit”. Any reform, moderation or change in islam by anyone is prohibited and punishable by death. Those are their, according to them, “final, perfect, complete and unchangeable” rules. “Convert, Submit, Die” or Resist.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
I’ve long wondered that the Hagia wasn’t taken for a mosque, but here we go. Inviting Turkey into NATO gave them a license to steal.
gravenimage says
APF, Hagia Sophia was a Mosque for centuries after the Muslim hordes conquered Constantinople in 1453. Attaturk turned it into a museum (although he did not, of course, restore it as a Cathedral) as a small sop to the West when he was trying to modernize Turkey.
mortimer says
The reconversion of Saint Sophia’s into a mosque is a declaration of war against Christians. The pope will likely not get it. He will no doubt ‘celebrate’ Christedom’s second most important church being turned into a mosque.
The world’s Christian leaders should make a joint statement that this is not acceptable and a very serious insult to all Christians.
Frank Anderson says
Respected Mortimer, I think insulting Christians is a primary goal. Any protest not including painful responses is simply confirmation that the insult has been received and understood by submissive dhimmis. How about turning some EU mosques into churches? Or even better, synagogues? “What’s good for the goose. . . .”
gravenimage says
Yes–this is largely intended to humiliate Christians.
And–a minor point, I am not intending to be pedantic–Hagia Sophia translates not as “Saint Sophia”–it is “Holy Wisdom”. There is also a sister Church, Hagia Irene or Hagia Eirene, which translates not as “Saint Irene”, but as “Holy Peace”. This is one of the very few Churches not turned into a Mosque.
That doesn’t mean that the conquering Muslims left it alone, though. Her cross was ripped down and replaced with an Islamic crescent, and the Church was used as an arsenal by the Janissaries. Later it was used as a military museum for the Turks, and is walled off inside the Topkapi Palace.
Honest Ali says
Greece should consider just destroying the whole thing. God isn’t in buildings anyway.
Honest Ali says
Remember Vlad Tepes kept the Muslims out of Wallachia by destroying everything they could have used. Destroying the Hagia Sophia would remove all leverage the Turks have, and would poop on their plans. The Greeks can build a replica Hagia Sophia Safely in Greece. 🙂
gravenimage says
Honest Ali, Hagia Sophia was the greatest Church in Christendom for over a thousand years, and is one of the great treasures of all mankind besides. The idea that Muslim destruction of Churches is not enough and that we should join in it ourselves is bizarre.
Avenger says
The conquest of Byzantium and the occupation of the Byzantine capital Constantinople gave the backward Turks a foothold into Europe. This is hugely important to the Islamic world especially after the Islamic moors were eradicated from Spain.
Until the final breaching of her land walls, Constantinople has always been a “bone in the throat” for the Turks and Arabs for many centuries.
The destruction of the Hagia Sophia would finalize and legitimize the Turks total takeover and occupation of the Eastern Christian empire and make their removal from Europe much more difficult.
keith O says
When the end game is to turn the Vatican into a Muslim barracks and have world domination, then this is just one more step in their plan.
gravenimage says
Turkey’s Presidential Communications Director hints on Twitter that Hagia Sophia will soon be made into a mosque
……………………….
These thugs keep threatening us with this.
GreekEmpress says
I have a beautiful print of the Hagia Sofia almost identical to the one at the beginning of this thread—only without minarets!!!! It took me months to find one like that. My ancestors worshipped there all the way back to the days of the Byzantine Empire. It will always be a Christian church—it’s just being occupied by squatters—
gravenimage says
Hagia Sophia is truly glorious, GreekEmpress.
Avenger says
Greek Empress,
I hope in our lifetimes Constantinople will rightfully become the capital of a new Byzantine nation.
Many of us are anticipating the day.
Battle says
The date moslems murdered the husbands and took the wives and children.
Battle says
If made a mosque, then tourists boycott Hagia Sophia, and boycott all Turkey.