MJC-SA happy that Hagia Sophia will be a masjid once again – also pleased that Christian ‘sensitivities’ will be respected

By Al-Qalam Reporter

MJC-SA happy that Hagia Sophia will be a masjid once again – also pleased that Christian ‘sensitivities’ will be respected The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC-SA) has hailed the decision by the Turkish High Court ruling to declare the historical Hagia Sophia to function as a masjid again.

In a press statement, the MJC-SA commended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for wasting no time to transfer authority of the magnificent Hagia Sophia from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture to the Presidency of Religious Affairs. “We are pleased that the public and judicial process, that started in 2005, was respected and allowed to run its course,” said Shaykh Irfaan Abrahams, head of the MJC-SA.

In 1934 the historically significant structure, to both Christians and Muslims, was secularized by former Turkey leader Kemal Atatürk, and was declared a museum in 1935. At the time, the Hagia Sophia was a Masjid for approximately 480 years.

“Places of worship hold great religious and sentimental value to faith communities, and the MJC notes the concerns raised in various quarters around the declaration of the Hagia Sophia as a Masjid since it also holds important religious and historic value to those in the Christian faith.

“To this day, even after its conversion to a Masjid in the 15th century by the Ottoman ruler Sultan Mehmed II, the structure still exhibits historic Christian symbols of the period when it served as a Church.

This is a strong indication of the respect shown to this historic structure by the Turkish government.

“The MJC is confident that the Turkish government will be cognizant of the sensitivities around this declaration and will continue its rich legacy of preserving the history contained within the walls of this architectural landmark,” he added.