Hagia Sophia"Ayasofia"
Hagia Sophia"Ayasofia"
We all heard this Friday about Aya Sofia. Is it a Mosque, a church or a museum? lets talk about it and know every thing about Aya Sofia which attracted the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds' attention these days.
The history of Aya Sofia:
Aya Sofia, is a historic house of worship located on the west European side of Istanbul city, the Turkish city.
It was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Justinian in 537 AD, as a Christian Cathedral, its building and construction took five years, and it was the largest building with a fully suspended dome in the world at that time, and it was given the name of Aya Sofia which means "The divine wisdom".
It was said that it had altered the history of architecture, and was Occupying a prominent position in the Christian world. Furthermore, it was considered as an icon for the Christian orthodox civilization. And it remained in that position for 900 years.
Aya Sofia became a Mosque
After conquering Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Mehmed II who is known as " Muhammad Al-Fatih" ordered that Aya Sofia be converted into a Mosque, and he performed the first Friday prayer after entering the Istanbul city, and it has remained a mosque ever since. In the following century, the architect Sinan added a pulpit, mihrab, and four minarets to the building as he was instructed to add Islamic elements to it, and it was called ( The big Mosque) And it was remained as a Mosque for 481 years.
Aya Sofia became a museum:
And in 1934, it was converted into a museum by an order of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk, the president of Turkey at that time, and since then, it has been opened to visitors. And in the eighties, the museum was included on the World Heritage List of the (UNESCO), and became an important tourist destination in Istanbul.
Aya Sofia today:
On the 10th of July 2020, Aya Sofia returned back as a Mosque, and this decision was met with a sharp criticism, especially by the west. And on the 24th of July, thousands of Muslims performed the first Friday prayer since the Mosque was turned into a museum 86 years ago.
The first Friday speech:
The Imam gave a great speech that was attended by thousands of Muslims, and here is a part of it, as the Imam said:
"Oh, decent Muslims!
Our civilization, is revolved around the Masjid, and our Mosques is the source of our unity and our welfare, and a source of our science and knowledge, Allah Almighty said about those who attends Mosques and Masjids: {Only he shall attend God’s Mosques who believes in God and the Last Day, and observes prayer, and pays the alms, and fears none but God alone, it may be that those will be among the rightly guided}. And our Messenger –peace and blessings be upon him- rejoices at paradise those who exert efforts for building and constructing a Mosque and to protect and preserve its existence, as he said: ( Whoever builds a mosque for god's sake, God would build the same for him in the paradise).
O, Dear Muslims!
Its our responsibility now to revive our Masjids by feeling unity and fraternity, and to make our Masjids to be the center of our lives, and we all; women, men, kids, youth, and elders, be in our Masjids, and live with our Masjids. And also to work vigorously in faith, and with resolve and determination, and to sacrifice more for preserving the holy meanings that Aya Sofia Mosque means.
This was a part of the first speech that was given in Aya Sofia Mosque, So welcome back to Islam world, to rise the call of Allah and to gather Muslims between your walls praying and mentioning Allah Almighty. Welcome back to be a symbol of the honor and the strength of Islam, and to be a big step in the path of returning all the Houses of Allah to Islam and to Muslims, which we all wish and pray that this path ends up with Al-Aqsa Mosque Libration from the hands of usurpers by God's willing and the power of faith of Muslims and their unity.