‘’Either I will conquer you or you will conquer me”; this sentence, uttered by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, referred to Istanbul. This city has a subtle connection with the sacred Islamic cities of Mecca and Jerusalem; the qibla (direction of prayer) in Istanbul is towards both the Ka’ba and Al-Aqsa. For us Muslims, it is a beautiful blessing to face both the first qibla in Islam and the second of the Ka’ba while praying salah in this truly blessed city.
Istanbul is also remarkable for its layers of history and how visible they are. There are layers of different civilizations, from various religions across many eras. One does not only see the history but also feels it. One place to feel and see these layers of history is Ayasofya, also known as Hagia Sophia. Hagia/Aya means “holy” and Sophia/Sofya means “wisdom.” This amazing masterpiece has layers of history within itself.
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