On the 3rd anniversary of the re-opening to prayer of the Hagia Sophia Mosque after 86 years, the President of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, met with citizens at the Morning Salah.

In his speech after the Salah, President Erbaş, who led the Morning Salah and read the Qur’an in the Hagia Sophia Mosque, reminded that it was the anniversary of the re-opening to prayer of the Hagia Sophia Mosque and said, "We are thankful to our Allah. After 86 years, we have fulfilled the yearning of those years that our fathers, grandfathers, and we longed for, and we are now praying in the Hagia Sophia Mosque."

"All Mosques are a branch of the Baitullah."

 Reminding the Ayah, "The mosques of Allah should only be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and fear none but Allah," President Erbaş stated that all the mosques and masjids in the world are branches of the Baitullah in Makkah al-Mukarramah.

"Inshallah, the Adhan will never stop echoing from all the mosques of the Islamic world until the Judgment Day."

Indicating that Hagia Sophia Mosque has performed its duty for centuries, President Erbaş expressed the following:

"We have been blessed to pray in the Hagia Sophia Mosque again, Alhamdulillah. Inshallah, these prayers will continue until the Judgment Day. Mehmet Akif Ersoy, the poet of the Independence March, wrote such beautiful verses that they carry such meanings in the sense of duas that require us to say 'amen' at the end of their verses; ‘Oh glorious God, the sole wish of my pain-stricken heart is that, No heathen's hand should ever touch the bosom of my sacred Temples. These adhans and their testimonies are the foundations of my religion, And may their noble sound prevail thunderously across my eternal homeland.’ Amen. Inshallah, the Adhan will never stop echoing not only from the Hagia Sophia but also from all the mosques of the Islamic world until the Judgment Day."

After indicating that they will never forget the excitement felt on the date 24th of July 2020, the re-opening of the Hagia Sophia Mosque, President Erbaş said, "Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque in 1453 as a relic of Mehmet the Conqueror so that the people of this country can perform their prayers in a central mosque following the conquest of Istanbul. Our ancestors performed their prayers here for 481 years. After 86 years of yearning, it was granted to Mr. President to reopen it for prayers. May Allah (swt) be pleased with him and all those who contributed."

"Hagia Sophia is the symbol of our independence."

Mentioning that they will always be waiting for young people to the Hagia Sophia Mosque, President Erbaş expressed, "We will continue to raise young people who carry the soul of Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia is the symbol of our independence. Hagia Sophia, for 86 years, has been a place where the souls of people who wished to see these days but were not able to see them are honored with our duas and our prayers here. Let us honor the souls of our ancestors with our duas, with our prayers, and let us honor the souls of our ancestors with the young people we raise with the soul of Hagia Sophia, Inshallah."

"We should perform our prayers in the Mosques with the jamaa’ah (congregation) as much as possible."

Reminding the "Salah is the pillar of Din" Hadith of our Prophet (saw), President Erbaş stated, "Salah is an inseparable part of a Muslim's life and the most important act of prayer. There are individual salahs and there are salahs performed with the jamaa’ah (congregation). The salah performed with jamaa’ah (congregation) is 27 times more rewarding than the individual salah. So, we should perform our salahs with jamaa’ah in mosques as much as possible."

After his speech, President Erbaş took souvenir pictures with the citizens.