Hagia Sophia, one of the world’s most remarkable architectural marvels, has endured a dramatic trajectory, shifting identities from a Byzantine cathedral to an Ottoman mosque, a secular museum, and back to a mosque in 2020. However, behind this transformation lies the force of Waqf legislation and an Islamist agenda that has sought to reshape history under the guise of legal technicalities and religious supremacy.
Byzantine Glory and Christian Heritage
Commissioned by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in the sixth century, Hagia Sophia was dedicated to “Holy Wisdom” and became the heart of Eastern Orthodox Christianity for nearly a millennium. Its grandeur, unmatched in the medieval world, symbolized both spiritual devotion and imperial authority. Yet, history was not kind to it. The Fourth Crusade (1204) saw Latin invaders pillaging its treasures, briefly turning it into a Catholic cathedral. But worse was yet to come.
Also Read: What made Christianity what it is today – Chapter 3: The first crusade
Ottoman Conquest and Forced Islamisation
In 1453, when Constantinople fell to the Ottomans, Mehmed II immediately converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque, marking the beginning of a campaign to erase its Christian identity. Mosaics of Christ and the Virgin Mary were whitewashed, while Islamic symbols and minarets were added. Crucially, Mehmed II didn’t just declare it a mosque, he turned it into a Waqf property, placing it under an irrevocable Islamic endowment. This legal maneuver, deeply rooted in Islamic law, meant that Hagia Sophia could never be used for any purpose other than a mosque without violating religious doctrine.
Secularisation Under Ataturk: A Challenge to Waqf
The fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk saw a bold attempt to break free from the religious constraints of Waqf. In 1934, Ataturk secularized Turkey and converted Hagia Sophia into a museum, restoring its Christian heritage by uncovering mosaics and opening it to the world as a cultural landmark.
This was seen as a necessary step to modernize Turkey and liberate historical monuments from the grip of religious control. But the decision was never fully accepted by Islamists, who viewed it as an affront to the Waqf system and sought to reverse it.
Also Read: Beyond Religion: The Economic and Legal Realities of Waqf in India
Islamism Strikes Back: The 2020 Mosque Conversion
For decades, Islamist groups in Turkey pushed for Hagia Sophia’s return to a mosque, citing its Waqf status as justification. In 2020, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s leadership, Turkey’s Council of State annulled the 1934 decree, declaring Ataturk’s decision illegal. Erdogan wasted no time in signing an order reinstating Hagia Sophia as a mosque, signaling a return to Ottoman-era Islamisation policies. This move was widely seen as a political ploy to rally conservative support and reassert Islamist influence.
UNESCO, Christian organizations, and world leaders condemned the decision, but the “Caliphate aspirant” Erdogan government defended it under the pretext of Waqf obligations.
