There are bright days in the history of nations that are a source of pride for those nations. So what if those days mark the fulfillment of the glad tidings of Allah’s Messenger (saw)? They are undoubtedly shining stars in the sky, but rather suns that illuminate the world and raise the nation high to the sky... And from these great days, are the days of the anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople... Al-Fatih began conquering and besieging Constantinople from the twenty-sixth of Rabii’ al-Awwal until it was opened at dawn on the twentieth of this month, Jumada al-Awwal 857 AH, meaning that the siege lasted for about two months. When Muhammad Al-Fatih entered the city victoriously he got off his horse, and prostrated (sujood) to Allah, thanking Allah for this victory and success. Then he headed to the Church of the Hagia Sophia where the Byzantines and their monks had gathered, he gave them protection. He ordered the conversion of the Church of the Hagia Sophia to a mosque, and ordered the establishment of a mosque in the place of the grave of the great companion Abu Ayoub Al-Ansari, where he was among the ranks of the first campaign to open Constantinople, and where he died, may Allah have mercy on him and may He be pleased with him... Al-Fatih, who was named so after the conquest, decided to take Constantinople as the capital of his state after it was Edirne previously, and he named it Constantinople [Kostantiniyye] after its conquest "Islambol", meaning the city of Islam [Dar al-Islam], and became famously known as "Istanbul". Al-Fateh then entered the city and went to the Hagia Sophia where he prayed in it and it became a mosque with the grace, blessing and praise of Allah... And it remained so, a purified glorious mosque, prospered under the believers, until the criminal of the era, Mustafa Kamal had managed to ban the prayer there and desecrated it when it became a museum for those coming and going!