# Was it right for Turkey to turn the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque?

*Turkey's conversion of Hagia Sophia back into a mosque*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/wce73zqci_i/s/37/
- Date: 2020-07-10 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Shaykh Omar Baloch | Cynicism, Consumerism & the Catch 22 of Riba | Mindtrap with Mufti #30 (2:25:24–2:27:20)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCe73zqCi_I&t=8724s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/wce73zqci_i/

**Topics:** Middle East and the wider world; Christians and other faiths

**Question as asked:** What is your view on Turkey converting the Hagia Sophia back to a mosque?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth would not issue a fatwa against praying in the Hagia Sophia, but says Muslims should stop being insecure and be comfortable in their skin.

## Longer summary

Answering a chat request for views on Turkey converting the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque, the guest says he thinks it is wrong, that some have defended it in Islamic law, but that he goes back to what Umar [?] did at a church, out of a fear he shares, and that Greece and Russia are unhappy. After a break in the connection, the guest says that changing it from a museum into a mosque means, he personally feels on the basis of the Quran, that prayers there will not be accepted. Mufti Abu Layth says he would not personally issue that fatwa but agrees with the sentiment, and asks why Muslims, almost two billion of them, feel so insecure that they must Islamise everything, take back what used to be a mosque or stop Hindus from building, saying Muslims should be comfortable in their skin.

## Sources and names cited

- Shaykh Omar Baloch
- the reconversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque (2020)
- Umar ibn al-Khattab
- fatwa

## Transcript (machine tier, 2:25:24–2:27:20)

[2:24:46] are connected yeah you have to understand that obviously what is time and space what what are these things we right so right somebody said easy with the humor the English humor share his American he does not necessarily get all the humor yeah yeah and then I think there is something definitely British humor and then on top of that I've got another crazy sense of humor so I do apologize for my joke shift though so view on Turkey converting the Hagia saw

[2:25:23] the Hagia Sophia back to a mosque I think it's very wrong and I I agree with you share but what it would do that and I know that some people have defended this in terms of Islamic law but I go back to what Olmec did when he went and prayed in in the the church and he was afraid and I'm afraid of the same thing and does not have its Creek a bad environment for Turkey well sorry the connection slightly was intermittent

[2:26:02] there's the the last part that you said I said Greece is not happy Russia is not happy and you know how does Sophia like their God but you know it's like the god of the Christians literally no I changed it from you know into a museum but now changing it from museum to a mosque I personally will feel based upon the Quran that your prayers will not be accepted if you pray there subhanAllah Wow Wow um even though I wouldn't personally issue that fatwa but I agree with the sentiment but I agree

[2:26:42] with the sentiment I feel that we as Muslims why do we feel insecure why do we like I honestly do not get you know there's almost 2 billion of us in the world like why are we so insecure like oh I need to islamís eyes everything I need to that used to be a must or you know that belongs in a Muslim land it used to be let's take it back just Ernie don't let Hindus build something don't let yeah we should be comfortable in our skin like that so I totally 100% agree with you on the sentiment share guys with that I think we taken up enough of Chef

[2:27:19] Omar almost kind of time I know damn you know what we have to get you back and do an episode on just the qarnain because that was actually one of the main reasons I was breaking the Sheikh on but the conversations got so exciting and so interesting share if people want to connect with you and reach out to you where can they find you on social media would you like to be a guest on my show now oh sure it's a flush it will do that

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment wCe73zqCi_I/s/37. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/wce73zqci_i/s/37/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.