Since mainstream analysts routinely downplay or ignore altogether the existence of political Islam, they will miss the implications of this. That could be just as disastrous as the dismissal of Mein Kampf by European analysts in the 1920s, who never took seriously the possibility that in it, Hitler had provided a precise articulation of his sinister goals.
“Turkey vows to ‘liberate Al-Aqsa’ after turning Hagia Sophia to mosque,” by Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, July 11, 2020:
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to “liberate al-Aqsa mosque” from Israel after “resurrecting Hagia Sophia” as a mosque on Friday.
The decision to change the status of the ancient Hagia Sophia church, which had been transformed into a mosque in 1453 and then into a museum in 1934, was made controversially last week.
It follows an increasingly religious authoritarian agenda from Ankara that has made Turkey the world’s largest jailer of journalists, seen dissidents imprisoned for “terrorism” and witnessed increasing military invasions of neighboring countries by Turkey.
The resurrection of Hagia Sophia heralds the liberation of the al-Aqsa mosque, the Turkish Presidency website says. “The resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the footsteps of the will of Muslims across the world to come… the resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the reignition of the fire of hope of Muslims and all oppressed, wrong, downtrodden and exploited.”
The speech, which was in Turkish, was translated slightly differently to Arabic and English, apparently as a way to hide part of Ankara’s full views on how it has linked Hagia Sophia to a wider agenda.
In Arabic the speech says that turning Hagia Sophia into a mosque is part of the “return of freedom to al-Aqsa,” essentially meaning Israel should be ejected from controlling Jerusalem’s Old City where al-Aqsa is located.
Turkey’s president linked the decision to reviving Islam from Bukhara in Uzbekistan to Andalusia in Spain. This terminology, linking al-Aqsa in Jerusalem to Hagia Sophia and Spain, is a kind of coded terminology for a wider religious agenda. In the Turkish translation the same reference to Spain does not appear to be included as in the Arabic….
Tuvia Fogel says
Before speaking of ‘liberating al-Aqsa’ the new Sultan should consider that Israel has some 300 nuclear warheads and he, for the moment, has none. Attacking Jerusalem would probably end up turning Istanbul back into Constantinople and Haja Sofia into the Greek basilica it was for 1000 years.
john smith says
True Tuvia,at the moment he has none,but Nato’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons are deployed there.It would be a frightening thought if could crack the codes and get his hands on them.
owensgate says
If you are Greek, waiting at the Athens Airport for a flight to Istanbul (why would you?), you listen for the “Flight to Constantinople” to be called.
GreekEmpress says
+1!!!
Tony Naim says
Today it’s Hagia Sophia, tomorrow the Jerusalem Temple and after tomorrow St Peter’s Cathedral.
To Hell with the west if this event is going to end up simply with verbal condemnation. Russia, Europe and the Americas must clip the nails of that beast. Er dog is a fanatic radical animal who deserves no mercy, Like the rest of them, who understand only one language and one language alone, that of overwhelming power. This is a continuation of the Same old religious war from 1400years ago, with IGNORANT STUPID “multicultural” sympathizers inside every western nation.
Eugene Leady says
Amen
Vinay says
He is going to take the technology to make fusion bomb from either Pakistan or China.
Russia has already sold it S-400 system
So he is very clear about his goals it will be foolish on our part to imagine that he is going to be deterred so easily.
Westman says
I must have missed something. Muslims are going freely in and out of the al-Aqsa mosque and declaring death to Israel and the West. Has Israel set up a ticket booth and begun charging admission?
The latest from the Vatican: Pope Francis had a mental ressurection over Hagia Sophia and is now, “Deeply Pained”. Maybe he can kiss Erdogan and all will be better. Which kissable part likely determined by Erdogan.
Edmund says
Erdogan knows that he like Adolf can speak and do a lot of things and others will be at most express concern.
Even if he took some of the ex. Greek islands by force, he would have to reckon with some political and economic sanctions, becouse nobody would militarily help Greece.
Time will pass and with a lot of Europan countries filled with Muslim population, even more political and military conquest will be possible. Probably some day St. Paul’s Cathedral will be turned into Mosuqe too, and this day could be an official “holiday of diversity” in EU union.
I think everything is going in this direction and Erdogan knows well about it.
mortimer says
Edmund, I believe foreign troops from the EU are headed to the region right now.
Political Oracle says
Turkey must be expelled from NATO immediately! Erdogan is another hitler, another oppressive dictator trying to govern with islam. He is a tyrant that should have never made his way into office. Get our nuclear facilities out of Turkey immediately! I have been saying all along that edogan is no good for world peace! So, here we go! WW!!!
cynthia curran says
Looked I have a Greek Orthodox friend that is conservative that cares less if it becomes a mosque. He has see it as a political football with the liberal orthodox leaders in Constanople.
gravenimage says
Cynthia, a lot of Infidels don’t care about the spread of Islam and the plight of non-Muslims around the world. That doesn’t mean that this is a good thing.
And even if your friend cares nothing about Hagia Sophia, would he be OK if Islam reconquered huge swaths of Europe? This would certainly cause a great deal of real suffering.
mortimer says
The main reason for these supremacist speeches is that Erdogan’s party is losing support and he wants to rally the rural voters to vote for him. This is what Hitler did as well. The strategy may work.
gravenimage says
Certainly part of it, Mortimer. But Erdogan has been re-Islamizing Turkey ever since he first took power in 2003. This has been his main focus all along.
gravenimage says
Political Oracle, Turkey should have been kicked out of NATO long since. They are no allies of ours.
mortimer says
Erdogan is no ally of Europe or NATO. He is positioning himself as the destroyer of Christianity and future conqueror of Europe.
This is a THEOLOGICAL argument to unite Muslims.
gravenimage says
+1
James Lincoln says
The U.S. Air Force needs to remove the roughly 50 B61 nuclear bombs at the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.
I’m not sure how secure they are.
Attached is an excellent feature article:
“Urgent: Move US Nuclear Weapons Out Of Turkey”
https://fas.org/blogs/security/2019/10/nukes-out-of-turkey/
mortimer says
But, JL, the military base can also be used AGAINST Erdogan if the rest of NATO agrees.
James Lincoln says
mortimer,
Yes, it’s important to keep the military base as a platform to launch operations against Erdogan – if backed by NATO.
I just think that it would be a smart move to at least get rid of the nukes – and perhaps move them to a friendly country like, say, Poland.
I cannot independently verify, but this type of strategy is likely already in the works.
GreekEmpress says
I’ve said it for a long time. Erdogan is the most dangerous man on the planet.
Verk says
The millions of inbred, brain-dead, retarded Turks that vote for him and drool at the mouth at the prospect of killing, stealing and raping for him are (perhaps) just as dangerous.
ELI says
OK so once again here is my question. What is the rule in such cases? is it wrong to turn another;s religious temple into something else? if everyone agrees that it is then do you also agree that it is wrong in cases when Muslim religious sites are changed in the same manner?
For example the Mosque of Cordoba becoming the cathedral of Cordoba. I am quite sure that most of you are just fine with that but I could be wrong.
If you don’t agree then tell us why so we can have a clear rule. For the time being it seems to me that we have a case of a double standard where it’s only wrong when the Muslims do it but it’s fine when we do it to them
Note for gravenimage: Yes I am plotting to kill and rape all infidels. I have admitted to it in front of everyone so we all know that I am a disgusting monster islamic apologist. Now that we have that out of the way, let us deal with the argument I presented.
Note for gravenimage 2: yes I am a hypocrite full of falacies and biases but let’s stick to the argument on this one.
gravenimage says
Muslims invaded Spain, and were eventually expelled by the native peoples there after over 700 years of defensive fighting. Muslims invaded Anatolia, and have never been expelled.
As for the Mosque of Cordoba, the Visigothic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins originally stood on this site, and was seized and turned into a Mosque in 784 by Abd al-Rahman I.
In other words, ELI’s example of the ‘filthy Infidels’ turning a Mosque into a Church is actually originally a story about–you guessed it–Muslims seizing a Church and turning it into a Mosque.
Of course, ELI desperately hopes we don’t know this.
And does ELI agree with Erdogan that turning Hagia Sophia back into a Mosque heralds violently forcing more Infidels back under the Muslim heel? Does he approve? Would he like to see Islam reconquer Spain, Portugal, southern France, southern Italy, Sicily, Greece, the Balkans, and Israel? Note that he studiously ignores this.
As for the parts of his comment aimed directly at me, this from ELI is utter claptrap. I have never once said that he is plotting to rape and kill all Infidels. Many apologists for Jihad do not go beyond written or spoken apologia, and I have no reason to think that ELI has, either–nor have I ever said that I did. What calumny.
Then, I never once said that ELI was a hypocrite–I think he is quite sincere in his apologia for the horrors of Islam and his excoriation of the free West.
Does he have citations for his implications? Of course not.
Note also how obsessed ELI is with me–he is ranting about me before I even posted on this thread. *Good grief*.
Donovan Nuera says
This “ELI” guy sounds like a stupid Yalie.
Of topic, have you all noticed that a lot of bad guys or convicted terrorists in the news over the last several decades are named ‘Abdulrahman”???
gravenimage says
Well, it does mean “Servant of Allah” so no surprise there, Donovan.
ELI says
Thanks Mate, I am guessing this counts as a sound argument in this place
James Lincoln says
gravenimage,
As I’ve said before, ELI is way out of his league in his futile attempt to match wits with you.
You are highly intelligent, knowledgeable, and use factual, evidence-based logic – backed up with appropriate citations when appropriate.
ELI is not in your league intellectually and cannot handle this – and responds with attacks and deflection.
This is typical behavior of a muslim or islam apologist – but you knew that already…
Keep up your takedowns, they are informative in exposing the truth.
gravenimage says
Thank you, James.
Andrew Walker says
Three cheers for your courage and integrity.
gravenimage says
Thank you, Andrew.
And are you new to Jihad Watch? If so, welcome!
SAFI says
That’s an interesting question, but I wonder if you’ve ever bothered to ask a Muslim (preferably a Turk) the exact same thing, especially considering how Muslims tend to make a much a bigger fuzz when their holly places are “desecrated” (or even when someone draws a cartoon of their prophet) despite the fact that today no European would dare convert a Mosque into a Chuch or even into a museum or for that matter draw a cartoon of Muhammad (lessons learned…) In fact the best person to address this question would be Erdogan himself(or one of his many supporters, the overwhelming majority of Turks supported this conversion, and I’m guessing the same probably goes for muslims worldwide) who says that after “liberating” the Hagia Sophia “Mosque” the time has now come to liberate Al-Aqsa and even Al-Andalus (see the link in my other comment).
By the way the Cordoba Mosque you mentioned which the Spaniards converted to a Church, upon driving out the Moorish conquerors, almost 800 years ago, is actually built on the site of a former Christian Cathedral which the Moors demolished.
Incidentally this isn’t the first(though it is certainly the most historically significant) “Hagia Sophia” which Erdogan “liberates”, there’s is for instance this one from just a few years back https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia,_Trabzon and a few more which I can’t remember at the moment. No Christians burning embassies or even protesting at all as far as I can remember, but then again let’s be honest, Christians don’t even care when islamic radicals are slaughtering their correligionists in Africa. Heck, you will probably find many more westerners caring about the Rohingyas and the Palestinians than for the Christians ISIS was ruthlessly slaughtering until about a year ago (while destroyng/converting their churches of course)
ELI says
“By the way the Cordoba Mosque you mentioned which the Spaniards converted to a Church, upon driving out the Moorish conquerors, almost 800 years ago, is actually built on the site of a former Christian Cathedral which the Moors demolished.”
Good point, so this would be justified.
mortimer says
Eli, your comment is an example of kitman. You understand that the issue is not ‘seizing’ a church, but the stated mission of RE-IGNITING the OTTOMAN WORLD SUPREMACY.
Erdogan is declaring AGGRESSIVE WARFARE against peaceful nations … you know that. We have observed you, Eli.
I hope you stay here at JW, Eli. If you read these depressing stories about Islam every day, eventually, you will lose your faith. We are praying for you to see how evil your death cult is, Eli.
m says
Eli, HOW WOULD MUSLIMS FEEL IF WE TURNED THE KAABA INTO A CATHEDRAL???
This ain’t no itty-bitty church … it’s the LARGEST, most important church of its time, and the center and seat of the Orthodox Church.
Vladimir says
As an Orthodox, I can say that we have no one seat as such, the Head of the Church being Christ Himself. All Orthodox Bishops are equal, while certain Dioceses of Bishops, the ”Patriarchates”, are more notable and honored and usually head up the local synod of bishops in a nation or region. Constantinople fell to the Turks, and the Patriarchal Bishop there lost the spiritual leadership of the Greeks and the other Balkan Christians in the Church by the 1920’s. The remaining Greeks in Istanbul (Constantinople) live mainly in a district called the ”Phanar”, and the Bishops there became a chess piece long ago between the control of the Vatican (the Phanar would send ”Orthodox” students to Rome to learn Roman Catholicism and come back east to lead the local Orthodox…) and the Ottoman Turks (who would have to be bribed to allow them to have a Bishop, they often killed, imprisoned or replaced many Bishops if they didn’t get enough money or some other reason. This is ”Simony”, and makes the election of a Bishop uncanonical under Orthodox church rules), so their record is not impressive to other Orthodox Christians.
ELI says
I have said I don’t agree with it but nobody seems to give a shit. Here it is again, I don’t agree with turning the chutch into a Mosque. I visited the place myself.
gravenimage says
This means there are some aspects of Jihad and Shari’ah that ELI would stick at. We should all be so grateful…
Martin says
Church of St. Mary of Justinian (Temple Mount, Jerusalem)
The Church of St. Mary was a Byzantine church that was built in Jerusalem during the reign of Justinian and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The church was located on the Temple Mount.
History
Byzantine historian Procopius wrote that the church was built in 560 AD and burned down by the Persians in 614. Later after the Muslim conquest of the Holy Land, this church eventually was converted into what is the present day Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque was built 20 years after the Dome of the Rock, which was built in 691-692 by Khalif Abd El Malik (the name “Omar Mosque” is therefore false). Therefore, in or around 711, or about 80 years after Mohammed died, Malik’s son, Abd El-Wahd (who ruled from 705-715) reconstructed the Christian- Byzantine Church of St. Mary and converted it into a mosque. He left the structure as it was, a typical Byzantine “basilica” structure with a row of pillars on either side of the rectangular “ship” in the center. All he added was an onion-like dome on top of the building to make it look like a mosque. He then named it El-Aqsa, so it would sound like the one mentioned in the Koran.
https://orthodoxwiki.org/Church_of_St._Mary_of_Justinian_(Temple_Mount,_Jerusalem)
SAFI says
Here’s Erdolf’s rant with english subtitles (twitter link)
https://twitter.com/abdbozkurt/status/1281929161800585217
FYI says
Erdolf..love it!
The same cult of personality,the same hatred of Jews,the same delusions of grandeur and endless victory as hitler.
And yes: Stay Away From islam
sage advice.
SAFI says
He’s known as Erdolf in Germany, Erdowank in England and Merdogan in France (you need to speak french or italian to get it)
FYI says
Erdowank[in England] is quite good as Erdogan is obviously a follower of muhammed whose companions you will be delighted to hear..
…..were a shower of wankers{LITERALLY}.
“It is narrated that the companions of the prophet used to masturbate while they were on military expeditions or travelling”
Bada’i al-fuwa’id of Ibn Qayyim[islamic scholar]pg 129
It was always my belief that muhammed’s moronic followers,his ‘companions’, were a bunch of wankers: amazingly,islamic sources actually confirm it to be true.
muhammed and his masturbating marauders:mo’s wankers
SAFI says
Hahaha that’s hilarious indeed. I hadn’t heard of that hadith before, now it all makes sense 😀
FYI says
I love the ‘it was narrated’ bit;it was KNOWN that mo’s companions did that.People talked,people noticed and so it was recorded for future posterity.
{Speculation this, but That might be where the tune for “Old McDonald had a farm” came from.
“old muhamed had a gang,eey eye eey eye oh
with a wank wank here and a wank wank there and a wank wank pretty much everywhere..”
Quazgaa says
In France, the indigenous Macrogan can only rot with jealousy.
gravenimage says
I got the references, SAFI–including the French one. A lot of people who speak little or no French are still familiar with this handy French word. 🙂
And Erdogan *really does* admire Hitler:
“Erdoğan cites Hitler’s Germany as example of effective government”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/01/turkish-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan-hitlers-germany-example-effective-government
Hitler is very popular in Turkey in general:
“Hitler honored in upscale mall in modern, moderate Turkey”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/01/hitler-honored-in-upscale-mall-in-modern-moderate-turkey
gravenimage says
Erdogan: “Resurrection of Hagia Sophia” heralds “return of freedom to al-Aqsa,” revival of Islam Uzbekistan to Spain
……………..
Yes–this is what this is for.
mortimer says
Erdogan is declaring war on the world and threatening to make AGRESSIVE WAR against other nations.
Immediate sanctions should be imposed and an emergency session of the Security Council should be convened.
Russia, Europe and the United States all have reasons to stop Erdogan. This calls for a diplomatic coalition.
James Lincoln says
Agree, mortimer.
Immediate sanctions, but perhaps using the NATO North Atlantic Council for an emergency session.
The UN Security Council, like the rest of the UN, is heavily Islamic.
But you knew that already…
mortimer says
Erdogan doesn’t actually mean ‘freedom for Al Aqsa’. He means TURKISH CONTROL over the Middle East.
mortimer says
What sort of hypocrite is Eli? I’m glad you asked.
SINCE TURNING HAGIA SOPHIA BACK INTO A MOSQUE, MUSLIMS CAN NEVER AGAIN SAY THEY RESPECT OTHER RELIGIONS.
Islam started by disrespecting other religions. First they seized the Kaaba, destroyed the religious art in it and then smashed the place with 200 lb. catapult stones. Next they seized Temple Mount and built a Muslim shrine on top of it. Then they seized wrecked the Church of St. John the Baptist in Damascus and turned it into a mosque. Then they wrecked churches all across north Africa and destroyed practically every church in southern Spain using their materials to build mosques, while turning the cathedrals of Spain into mosques, then they seized and wrecked most of the Hindu temples in India, smashed many hundreds and built mosques on top. Then they seized the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople dedicated to Jesus ‘The Wisdom of God’.
Muslims demand respect, but history shows they don’t give it anyone themselves. What hypocrites. Right, Eli?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4NuMemZB0I
FYI says
So muslims will be ‘praying’ in a mosque that is in effect a STOLEN church that was dedicated to Hagia Sophia and to Jesus Christ.
muslims won’t get this but..
If they really understood what Hagia Sophia is,if they had access to the Holy Spirit{which allah MISSED see koran 4:171,koran 5:116}they would see the worthlessness of their islamic ‘prayers’ anyway,dedicated to ‘al lah’ an Arab god who calls himself the ‘Best of deceivers’ koran 3:54{allah khayru -i-makireena}whose greatest enemy is a MAN called the ‘King of kings'{Sahih muslim vol 5 hadith # 5611},a god who CURSES Christians for believing in Jesus Christ{koran 9:30},a god whose teachings violate the teachings of the Torah and the Gospel,a god who discriminates and who has a Doctrine of HATRED towards all infidels{al walaa wal baraa}
allah is the diabolus simius Dei :with his plagiarized “holy” book the koran and self-confessed false prophet muhammed{pbuh,actual Prophecy Be Unknown to him}
This MAN called the ‘king of kings’ will of course will be the very one who judges their souls,not ‘allah’.
So muslims shall ‘pray’ in a church dedicated to the One who will judge them and dedicated to the essential Wisdom source that allah MISSED in his koran,the Wisdom that will condemn them for the rejection of the Truth{see 2 Thessalonians 2 v 10-12}
muslims won’t get that of course:all that OCD like wudu washing,the daily butt-in-the air show of False piety,the virtue-signalling preening of the beards,the hajj to kiss the black pagan stone{mwah}because a STONE has the power to take sins away doesn’t it?.. all in honor of a god who ADMITS to being a champion deceiver {koran 3:54}and a prophet who ADMITS to being a false prophet{al tabari 6:111}:worthless devotion to a demonstrably FALSE god!
Go “pray’ all you like muslims in your ‘mosque’ which in reality is a stolen church:go ahead!
you follow a false god,a false prophet, a false scripture:YHWH help you because your al lah,the god with TWO RIGHT HANDS,won’t.
Did you know your Arab god allah does not even permit final penitence{koran 4:18}?
The Biblical YHWH does:no matter how devout you are in islam allah can still send you to hell anyway..so you must live in endless fear of allah the UNMERCIFUL…
OLD GUY says
Believe him, Erdogan is stating the islamic goal of world domination. The muslim world is invading the countries of the world through the migration invasion of the EU and west.
Brian Hoff says
You all are over reaction. Turkey didnot declare war on the world.
Quazgaa says
Turkey is useless to humanity.
So is islam.
gravenimage says
Actually, Erdogan *did* say that he wants Islam to re-conquer all the places that have become free from the horrors of Islam. He specifically mentions targeting Israel and Spain.
But then, “Brian Hoff’–really, “DefenderofIslam”–not only agrees, but wants to see place that have never been under the Muslim heel like the United States conquered, and to have brutal Shari’ah law imposed there.