Dr. Hüseyin Kami BÜYÜKÖZER
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Hagia Sophia is neither a church nor a museum. Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after the Conquest of Istanbul and it remained as a mosque for centuries. With the permission of Allah (SWT), it will continue to be so also in the hearts of Muslims. It is a legacy of Conqueror Fatih Sultan Mehmet to our Ummah.
Status of Hagia Sophia Mosque was suddenly changed to a museum in 1934, probably by the pressures of West powers and Islamic Youth have been rising up from time to time with the slogans “Chains shall be broken! Hagia Sophia shall be opened! The hands making Hagia Sophia a museum shall be broken!” back to its mosque status.
I remember I published an article in 2015 about some incidents I joined about 50 years ago. Because of the importance of the matter, I want to republish the same article.
“THERE WAS A HISTORICAL RISE IN FRONT OF HAGIA SOPHIA IN THIS MORNING…
50 years ago, we also gathered in front of Hagia Sophia for a rise like this morning. “Chains shall be broken!” Hagia Sophia shall be opened! The hands making Hagia Sophia a museum shall be broken!”… These words were coming out from the mouths of thousands of young people. As like today…
50 years ago (1965) and same as today, people from every city of Turkey gathered in front of Hagia Sophia. The security army and police were also on duty. They were taking the ones, who seemed the possible leaders of the rise to the custody quietly. The rest were not getting into a panic, but on the contrary, continuing shouting out their slogans. “Hagia Sophia shall be opened! The hands making Hagia Sophia a museum shall be broken!”…
I enthusiastically remember our rise of 50 years again. I was one of the arrested. At that time, I was a young engineer working in a small city. I went there with busload brothers from Karabük. I still believe the police considered me as one of the leaders of the protests and they took me to the custody as well.
By the help of Allah, I happened to meet a devout police officer at the police station, where we had a long chat with him about these national matters all until the morning. Next day I was taken to the court. We were acquitted for lack of evidence and the judge released all of us.
Alhamdulillah, the youth gathering in front of Hagia Sophia in this morning is no more thousands but tens of thousands. There were police officers again, but not to arrest at this time.
Despite all the efforts, this Ummah did not give up their cause. This faith breaks all the chains of bondage one by one. Hagia Sophia will be opened for prayers with the help of Allah. I believe in it from my heart.”
It seems that this day (which I mentioned in 2015) is very close to come insha’Allah. The opening of the Hagia Sophia Mosque with the Eid al-Adha will provide our Ummah with a second holiday. In this auspicious decision, we respectfully present to the public that we are supporting our state and our president.
