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Muslims found Americas before Columbus says Turkey's Erdogan | Muslims found Americas before Columbus says Turkey's Erdogan |
(35 minutes later) | |
Muslims discovered the Americas more than three centuries before Christopher Columbus, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. | Muslims discovered the Americas more than three centuries before Christopher Columbus, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. |
He made the claim during a conference of Latin American Muslim leaders in Istanbul, pointing to a diary entry in which Columbus mentioned a mosque on a hill in Cuba. | He made the claim during a conference of Latin American Muslim leaders in Istanbul, pointing to a diary entry in which Columbus mentioned a mosque on a hill in Cuba. |
Mr Erdogan also said "Muslim sailors arrived in America in 1178". | Mr Erdogan also said "Muslim sailors arrived in America in 1178". |
He said he was willing to build a mosque at the site Columbus identified. | He said he was willing to build a mosque at the site Columbus identified. |
The Turkish president - whose AK Party is rooted in political Islam - gave no further evidence to back up his theory, instead stating: "Contacts between Latin America and Islam date back to the 12th Century." | The Turkish president - whose AK Party is rooted in political Islam - gave no further evidence to back up his theory, instead stating: "Contacts between Latin America and Islam date back to the 12th Century." |
Controversial article | Controversial article |
Columbus is widely believed to have discovered the Americas in 1492, while trying to find a new route to India. | Columbus is widely believed to have discovered the Americas in 1492, while trying to find a new route to India. |
But in a disputed article published in 1996, historian Youssef Mroueh said Columbus' entry was proof that Muslims had reached the Americas first and that "the religion of Islam was widespread". | But in a disputed article published in 1996, historian Youssef Mroueh said Columbus' entry was proof that Muslims had reached the Americas first and that "the religion of Islam was widespread". |
However many scholars believe the reference is metaphorical, describing an aspect of the mountain that resembled part of a mosque. | However many scholars believe the reference is metaphorical, describing an aspect of the mountain that resembled part of a mosque. |
No Islamic structures have been found in America that pre-date Columbus. | No Islamic structures have been found in America that pre-date Columbus. |
Mr Erdogan said he thought "a mosque would go perfectly on the hill today" and that he would like to discuss building this with Cuba. | Mr Erdogan said he thought "a mosque would go perfectly on the hill today" and that he would like to discuss building this with Cuba. |
The first people to reach the Americas came from Asia. They are believed to have crossed the Behring Strait about 15,000 years ago. | |
The first European visitors to North America are widely thought to have been Norse explorers, about 500 years before Columbus. |