Somali praises Turkey’s reopening of Hagia Sophia mosque

By: Staff Writer 

Mogadishu (Horndiplomat)- Somalia’s on Wednesday welcomed a recent decision by Turkey to reconvert Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia into a mosque after serving decades as a museum. Horndiplomat reports

a ceremony was held in Mogadishu, Somalia to celebrate the Turkish decision to convert Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia into a mosque .

“We congratulate Turkey and its leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan for converting Hagia Sophia back to a mosque, this decision will open a new page in the Islamic history,” Said Sheikh Abdi Hayi

“Our completely support for you and we are very happy to this decision.” He added

On July 11, Turkey’s highest administrative court unanimously cancelled a 1934 cabinet decision and said Hagia Sophia was registered as a mosque in its property deeds.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship on Friday after a top court ruled the building’s conversion to a museum by modern Turkey’s founding statesman was illegal.

Erdogan made his announcement, just an hour after the court ruling was revealed, despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians and Muslims alike.

“The decision was taken to hand over the management of the Ayasofya Mosque … to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship,” the decision signed by Erdogan said.

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