President Erdoğan: Those who attack mosques and those who target churches share the same dark mentality
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of Istanbul Çamlıca Mosque.
Expressing his hope for Istanbul Çamlıca Mosque, which is officially being inaugurated today, to lead to auspicious developments for Istanbul, Turkey and the Islamic world, President Erdoğan extended his gratitude to all who have contributed to the construction of what he described as such a magnificent monument in Istanbul.
“OUR HOUSES OF WORSHIP ARE BUILT TO BE GRAND AND MAGNIFICENT”
President Erdoğan said: “Istanbul is a city which, with its very beautiful mosques and shrines as well as elegant minarets, captivates whoever sees it. Istanbul is a blessed city from the skies of which the echoes of ‘Allahu Akbar’ and adhans have never been missing for almost six centuries.” “Our houses of worship are built to be grand and magnificent because of the meaning they give to the cities they rise in,” the President went on to say, adding: “Wherever there is a dome and a minaret, wherever our adhans echo in the skies, that place, without doubt, is a Muslim land.”
“INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS AT A CROSSROADS ON THE ISSUE OF TERROR”
Underscoring that the international community is at a crossroads on the issue of terror, and that a more principled, more coherent and clearer stance must now be taken against terrorist organizations, President Erdoğan noted: “All must say no to the brutal and primitive mentality that turns houses of worship into a bloodbath. Those who attack mosques and those who target churches share the same dark mentality. These are all common enemies of humanity. The right to worship is sacred in our faith. Everyone, regardless of their faith, has the right to freely exercise their religion. The faith and religious practices of the members of other religions have never been interfered with in none of the ancient cities such as Cairo, Al-Quds, Istanbul, Damascus and Baghdad, which all have been ruled by Muslims for ages.”
“WE MUST HIGHLIGHT MORE STRONGLY AND VOICE MORE LOUDLY ISLAM’S MESSAGES FOR PEACE”
“We are determined to clear our country and region of deviants that gather around such organizations as DAESH, Al-Qaeda, FETO and PKK,” President Erdoğan further stressed, adding: “We will also maintain our fight against the neo-Nazi terror, which targets Muslims and attacks our mosques in Europe. Although some Western powers impose double standards, we will be coherent and resolute on this issue. We will never allow our future to be held captive by these enemies of humanity. In this regard, everyone, Muslims in particular, have important responsibilities. In this critical period, we must highlight more strongly and voice more loudly Islam’s messages for peace.”
