Evkaf: Thousands of acres of land around Hala Sultan Lodge belongs to Hala Sultan Lodge Foundation
According to some news in the Turkish and Greek press, it is stated that the Ministry of Interior of Southern Cyprus granted a Greek permission to build a tavern in the garden of Hala Sultan Tekke in Larnaca.
As it is known, Hala Sultan was the foster aunt of the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad, and died 1400 years ago in Larnaca and was buried there. Known as the most valuable religious place for Muslims living in Cyprus for 1400 years, Hala Sultan Tekkesi is a blessed shrine that Muslims visit from all over the island on special religious days, holidays and oil lamps and is considered one of the holiest places by Muslims around the world.
Cyprus Foundations Administration (Evkaf), a charity organization, is a 452-year-old institution and is the administrator of thousands of foundations established in Cyprus. In addition, according to the information we have and the land registry records, thousands of acres of land around Hala Sultan Lodge belong to the Hala Sultan Lodge Foundation.
The Cyprus Foundations Administration, with the permission and support of the relevant institutions in both the North and the South, protects the cultural heritage and carries out restoration works for the repair of mosques and churches. The biggest example of this is the 2.5 Million Euros spent by Evkaf for the restoration of the Apostolos Andreas Monastery.
For the protection of the cultural heritage on the island of Cyprus, a committee called the Cultural Heritage Technical Committee, which includes representatives of the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot Administration, has been established. This committee continues its work with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). As a sign of good will, it is valid for both parties to make a decision by exchanging information in a respectful manner in order to protect the places of worship and historical structures on both sides of the island.
Based on the news, it is absolutely unacceptable to intervene in a place considered the most sacred by Turks and Muslims without consulting the Cultural Heritage Technical Committee and without getting permission from the Evkaf.
If our cultural heritage is not protected and faced with a threat, it will cause all conservation efforts to stop. In addition, such a disrespect will cause the reaction of Muslims not only in Cyprus but all over the world. This misconception needs to be reversed as soon as possible.