Might get cancelled by some Muslims for saying this. But whatever - converting Ayasofya from a museum into a mosque is a bad idea. And yes, it's being converted "back" to a mosque. But also no - it was initially a church. [Thread] https://twitter.com/nilkoksalcbc/status/1281585311173218308

To fully grasp my sentiments or of those who are against this move, you have to be present in this splendid, glorious monument. Istanbul is resplendent with stunning mosques. But few places like Ayasofya offer a humbling educational moment.

What stands out about Ayasofya is the breathtaking calligraphy of Mustafa Izzet Effendi - with names of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), caliphs Omar and Ali, and above all the name of God – all of this seamlessly feeling at home alongside mosaics of Jesus and Mary.

This one image you see here, and the stunning experience of standing inside those chambers, offers an image of Turkey that very few talk about: that of plurality and harmony. Its status as a museum was best middle ground that helped people of all stripes appreciate this place.

It's also one of the few places on Earth where the shared heritage and history between Islam and Christianity is vivid, obvious and told in masterful craftsmanship.

So when you turn it into a mosque, you pick a side. And when you pick a side, even if inadvertently, you send a message to the country's minorities that you matter a little less than the others.

Anyone who's from Turkey or visited Istanbul will tell you there's no lack of mosques in Ayasofya's vicinity. In fact, one would argue many mosques run below capacity. This mosque, Sultanahmet, is a stone's throw away from Ayasofya.

Here's a photo I took from a window at Ayasofya. The domes and minarets you see in the background is Sultanahmet. (this is where I start missing Turkey all over again....)

Talking about Ayasofya's status as a mosque without talking about the current politics of Turkey would be like ordering a puzzle from Amazon with a giant piece missing. Anyone could tell you that Turkey's image as a secular modern democracy is eroding.

It's a majority Muslim country of course. But in the past few years, Turkey's president has instrumentalized Islam to gain traction amongst its conservative following. Turning Ayasofya into a mosque is as big a symbolic gift as it gets to prop up more support.

It also sends a message - that Turkey is wresting back control from the aggressive, and often times cruel secularist path that was set by modern Turkey's founder - Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Ataturk was the one who gave Ayasofya the status of a museum.

For me, this piece of the puzzle — Turkey's weaponization of Islam for political gains — is what makes all the difference. A lot of emotional Muslims who read nothing about the politics of the country, get their image of Turkey from Netflix show Ertugrul, miss the point.

I have to mention that Ayasofya's renewed status as a mosque was done through a judiciary process*, not an arbitrary order. But invoking a court decision doesn't mean it's the wisest decision for the country's social fabric.

*Well some will argue that Turkey's judiciary process isn't autonomous these days. Which isn't a stretch when you read/hear some of the stories.

Istanbul has plenty of mosques. But there was only one Aysofya — a monument that proved the efforts to maintain unity, plurality of faiths and magnificence of art could weather the whims of an individual or wishes of one group.

But the times they are a changin'.