Turkey President Erdogan’s Hagia Sophia Conquest: Church, Museum Or Mosque?

The passionate man’s spirit bogs down when he sees an immediate failure but his spirits soar the sky when he witnesses a spot of triumph. 

MEHMED II TO HIS ARMY: 29 TH MAY 1453 :

My own father faltered at these walls as did many of your fathers who fought alongside him. Tonight we will avenge them. ALLAH has willed it. The Prophet said “ You shall conquer Constantinople. What a wonderful leader will she be? And what a wonderful Army will that be. Let us now fulfil our destiny. The Red Apple (Constantine) will be given to faithful. Allah-hu-Akbar”

When twenty-three armies tried to conquer this city and failed, how Sultan Mehmed II conquered the city, so young? What bagged down in the strength that gave a boost to his destiny to call himself Kaiser-i-Rum (Ceaser)?

When Sultan Mehmed II of the ottoman empire was 19-20 years, he laid siege in-front of an extraordinary piece of Constantinople military engineering of Five layered of walls built by Emperor Theodosius II in 5 century, he was ambitious and headstrong. Roger Crowley an author described, “The walls of Constantinople have been there for 1100 years in that form. The walls divided the outer moat, then there is an open area that troops had to run across for killing field, then there is an outer wall with towers on it, then there is another killing field and then there is an inner wall. The whole system is about 200 feet deep; from the bottom of the moat to the top of the walls it’s about 100 feet high. Nobody has found a way across it”. The dream of Sultan Mehmed II which led this expedition of acquiring Constantinople has changed the fate of Hagia Sophia.

The magnificent architecture standing which soars the height of 180 ft above ancient marble floor has seen many clashing of religious empires for 1500 years in the history of Constantinople which in present-day known as Istanbul. Hagia Sofia was built by Emperor Justinian I of Byzantine, the Roman Empire in 537 A.D. 

The beckoning history of the Ottoman Empire reclaiming its power to the throne is believed to be a consequence of some prophecy seen by Mehmed II. Among the many signals of prophecy Hagia Sophia was its most significant part of the prophecy. Henceforth, to claim the possession on the empire the other had to fall. 

In the documentary, “The Rise Of The Ottoman Empire”, John Bodwin- author of The Lords Of The Horizons, narrated the plight of Romans, he said “last Emperor Constantine couldn’t surrender. He couldn’t give up because he bore on his shoulders more than his dignity and his hopes for himself and his family”. He continued, “ he was the embodiment that had been set in train a thousand years before of something that with the foundation of that city by his namesake, Constantine I the great.” Therefore, the imperial rule of Christianity doomed by the hands of the Ottoman.

Hagia Sophia wasn’t abandoned, it is said, it was purchased by the sultan in 1453 and it’s prices were paid to Byzantines. Historians believed Hagia Sophia was a design of a church in the time of the roman empire and later converted to a mosque after the conquest of the Ottoman Constantinople. Bringing the structure in line where four minarets were established according to the Islamic traditions. In addition, to this mihrab (niche position in the direction of mecca), minabar (pulpit) and madrasah( Islamic school) were also built reported by Britannica.

The controversies levied into many forms and Hagia Sophia was suggested to be a museum to protect the bridge between two religions. This was considered the restoration of friendship by modern democrats. 

But, it is open for tourists to welcome all faiths, and the fare is reduced to zero. Also, the separate sections are divided for the men and women for Friday prayers. Alongside, recitation of the Holy Quran went on for 24 hours.

Aljazeera reported that the UN’s cultural agency UNESCO deeply regretted the decision which was taken without any prior dialogue. Therefore, the question which would pop-up in mind of nationalist, when Hagia Sophia is under the jurisdiction of the Islamic Regime for several years why is there a need for any dialogue? 

Erdogan insisted, however, “It was Turkey’s historical and sovereign right”.

Consequently, the latitudes of opinions clustered confusion of the secular state. The emotional foundation of other states has been dismantled but the constitution favoured facts. The new adjustment of minority sects residing in Turkey probably be in the dilemma of their existence as a nationalist. But, as humanity to be answered of keeping the analysis of Hagia Sophia conversion, how can this change be taken into consideration – A moral indignation of the despicable event for Christianity or the noble cause for the Muslim Regime?  

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