Turkey: The "liberation" of Hagia Sophia will help to "liberate" Al-Aqsa
Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is one of the most significant places for Muslims.
The Chairman of the Turkish National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş, stated that the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque should serve as a precursor to the liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, according to Ortodox Times.
He emphasized that this is about "ensuring and guiding a new, fair global system".
According to Kurtulmuş, this objective is encapsulated in a statement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: “Just as we reopened Hagia Sophia after years of hope, prayer, and longing, the reopening of Hagia Sophia, the liberation of Hagia Sophia, will pave the way for the liberation of Al Aqsa. It will serve as a harbinger of the freedom of the Al Aqsa Mosque.”
The Al-Aqsa Mosque, which Muslims consider the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina, is located on a hill in the Old City of Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, and to Muslims worldwide as al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary.
As reported by the UOJ, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that the decision to convert the Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque is a symbol of the Turkish era.
