Turkey's Justice Minister says Hagia Sophia will return to its "origin as a mosque"

Speaking on Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency, Turkey's Justice Minister made bizarre claims that Hagia Sophia's origins are as a mosque.

"This [Hagia Sophia] is a matter of sovereignty for Turkey. Of course, it is a common wish for all of us to see that its [Hagia Sophia's] chains broken and opened for a [Muslim] prayer," said Abdulhamit Gül, adding "I think we are on the eve of a legal and administrative process that excites all of us."

He then highlighted how the Hagia Sophia, built as a Christian Cathedral, had served as a mosque for 500 years.

"So, this will genuinely contribute to its real value once it was restored to its origin," said Gül.

The Justice Minister then explained that in the first week of July, a court hearing will be heard on whether the Hagia Sophia, currently a museum, should be converted into a mosque.

He revealed that the courts decision will be rendered within 15 days, suggesting that it is virtually predetermined that the court will rule that Hagia Sophia should be converted into a mosque.

"Naturally, [converting] Hagia Sophia [into a mosque] has been a dream for all of us," Gül said. "To be able to experience this excites us greatly. God willing, we will see the return of Hagia Sophia to its origin."

Hagia Sophia was built in its present form between 532 and 537 under the personal supervision of Emperor Justinian I. This means that Hagia Sophia's completion was decades before the birth of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, who was born in 571.

This simple historical fact makes a mockery of Gül's claims that Hagia Sophia's "origins" is as a mosque, despite the obvious fact that it was built by Christians for Christians decades before Islam was even founded, and served as a Cathedral from its first manifestation for over 1,000 years.

On Friday, Turkey's Akit TV hosted a debate that raised the question on whether Hagia Sophia should be turned into a brothel on the basis of fake news that Greece turned a mosque into a brothel. The video of the debate can be seen here.