The reopening of Hagia Sophia for Muslim worship gave rise to many discussions not only in Turkey but across the globe – as expected. Of course, it was obvious that this decision was going to stir certain emotions in some segments and lead to rage.
It is no surprise that those kicking up a fuss as though Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque today while it was a church only yesterday see this or try to present this as an expression of Muslims’ bigotry and the oppression of Christians. We are, after all, used to those labels Muslims are branded with like “terrorist,” “intolerant bigots” while all of those slaughtered today with Western weapons, interventions and conspiracies in every war in the Middle East are also Muslims. Western propaganda, which adapted the world to this contradiction with all its hypocrisy, could not have been expected to magically understand the reality regarding Hagia Sophia.
However, pandora’s box was opened with this step. In his speech at 8:53 p.m. local time on the night this decision was taken, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “Hagia Sophia’s resurrection is a sign that we have new statements to make to the world as the Turkish nation, as Muslims, and all of humanity.” That whole speech was like a true manifesto of Muslim human rights, freedoms and revival. However, this was the most crucial among all the meaningful responses to be given to the question, “What does Hagia Sophia represent?”
The debates that erupted worldwide with the Hagia Sophia mosque conversion, the historical data and facts that started to emerge on this occasion and presented to the world’s attention, explains what this statement means.
As the world was drowning in its own ideological heedlessness, the Hagia Sophia decision led them to learn how the Muslim world treated churches, synagogues, Buddhist and Hindu temples, and the people worshipping there. As the Western world continues to be educated about all this, it has found – is finding or will find – the opportunity to see how people with different religious faiths were treated throughout history. The more discussions regarding Hagia Sophia intensify, the more this comparative history of civilization and faith comes up on the agenda. Thus, with all its data, striking examples, history, behavior models, the nature of this faith, in which all these examples and data have their origins, is going to start to be questioned.
For example, Muslims converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque aside, what was the state of it when it was a church? What was done to the churches other than Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, a city won and conquered by war? What was done to the Christians who wanted to continue going to those churches and perform their worship? Hagia Sophia will draw attention to this exact Muslim conquest practice and give humanity the most striking universal messages pertaining to the present.
Hagia Sophia is not a matter of settling a score of the past in the present. It is the matter of reviving values that will benefit the present and all of humanity, that will shed a positive light on the matter.
It shows the possibility of world peace, multiculturalism, respect for diversity without discriminating against race, religion, language or color, and doing this all within the law.
Essentially, Hagia Sophia was not converted into a mosque from an active church even at the time Istanbul had been conquered. It is a masterpiece that Sultan Mehmed found in ruins, bereft of its congregation, and converted a mosque after repairing, and almost rebuilding it. Hagia Sophia, which was previously damaged during Catholic attacks, was on the verge of collapse from the lack of care and maintenance. Everybody needs to know that Sultan Mehmed converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque after resurrecting it.
As a result, almost everybody will know that that it is not an Islamic practice to convert a church with an active congregation into a mosque.
This is Turkey and the Muslim world’s clear promise to the world.
Today, Greece is playing the victim with respect to this decision. Yet, it was only a century ago that there were hundreds of mosques in Greece. The Hagia Sophia step leads everyone to ask: What has replaced those mosques now? They were all burned, destroyed or converted into churches – by force, subjecting their congregations to genocide or exile. There is no example of such a practice in the history of any Islamic community. The Hagia Sophia decision reveals the meaning behind why there is not even a single mosque in Athens today.
Let there be no misunderstanding; we are not gaining perverse pleasure by enacting so-called revenge with this decision. On the contrary, we are using this opportunity to talk about a revelation which underlines that we, as Muslims and Turkey, have something to say to the world.
The Hagia Sophia decision reveals the vast Muslim tolerance and justice demonstrated during the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem first by Caliph Omar, and then Salahuddin Ayyoubi.
All that transpired in Jerusalem before Muslims and during the Crusader invasions are inevitably going to be compared and studied. People are going to read these examples with their eyes bright, their hearts tender in today’s ruthless, merciless and racist world, which is in seek of compassion to the same extent.
Turkey and Muslims have a lot to say to the world through the Hagia Sophia decision. There is a mercy and justice Muslims have to bring to today’s ruthless and unjust world. However, some of what there is to say will be said in address to the so-called Muslim world.
The words that will be said on the occasion of this decision to the Muslim world that is at each other’s throats today will be the subject of my next article.
