While visiting Turkey in 2013, I recall facing difficulty in connecting to the internet while I was on the roads with my colleagues for our official visits. The bus driver who happened to be an ex-Turkish military soldier turned on his Wifi (installed in the bus) for us as a gesture of goodwill (Internet in Turkey is more expensive than many EU countries). When we thanked him, he replied, “When my country needed help, your women sent their jewelry to us, so this is nothing in comparison.” This small incident defines the nature of the historically well-knit relationship between the people of Turkey and Pakistan.
On Apr. 25 this year, which coincides with the first day of Ramadan, PTV aired the first episode of the popular Turkish TV series “Resurrection: Ertuğrul”. Often described as the Turkish Game of Thrones, the series is woven around 13th century Anatolia and tells the story of the Muslim Oğuz Turks centering around the life of Ertuğrul, the father of Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire. The success of this show in Pakistan was nothing short of astronomical. With over 1.4 million subscribers and 60 million views, the drama was set to break the record of most new subscribers in a month on YouTube. PTV had dubbed the series in Urdu after PM Imran Khan visited Turkey last year and was informed about the significance of the series. Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia also agreed to fight the rising global trend of Islamophobia, mainly in the West. The trio of nations also decided to launch a television channel dedicated to confronting challenges posed by Islamophobia and to produce films on Muslim heroes.
The huge success of Ertuğrul in Pakistan is due to many varying dynamics. Firstly, a very nationalist prime minister, who repeatedly talks of Medina as his datum of governance, had endorsed a media production. Secondly, in all probability Pakistanis were able to relate with the series due to their troubled political history of seven decades marred by betrayals, current domestic situation involving people compromising national interests, shameless corruption and injustice, geo-political environment along with existential threats, a deep affection for religion, inherent love for Turks and the desire to rise to the challenge posed by anti-state and liberal elements who target the social, cultural, religious and ideological boundaries.
The last three decades of Pakistan have been disastrous in many major domains, especially during the ruling period of two rival political dynasties. Slowly but surely, the graph of moral, religious, ethical, social, cultural and financial index of society continued to slide downwards. While few aspects were deliberately compromised on for personal gains by the ruling elite, many appeared as a by-product and engulfed the country both vertically and laterally. The war against terror provided the perfect environment for hostile foreign elements to support local franchise holders to embed their assets in various streams like the media, bureaucracy, business, politics, and the judiciary. All these factors resulted in producing a range of mediocrity which further devastated the system inside out while average Pakistanis helplessly watched their country slipping into an abyss. But more importantly, a significant part of the new generation was drifting into a psychological domain, thereby accepting the ascendancy of hostile neighbors, looking down on Islamic principles, disregarding Muslim history, taking pride in aligning their lives with Western cultural values and disrespecting the vital family system of the country. The national social and religious fiber was under serious threat. Pakistan calls it a hybrid war against her.
Leo Tolstoy said, “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” After a painful and patient wait, things finally started to change for Pakistan. With swiftly transforming geo-politics in the region, the exposure and downfall of shady political dynasties, the rise of a new patriotic and pan-Islamic mindset in Pakistan coupled with an extremist sentiment in neighboring India, the time was ripe for a counter response by the state. India had inherently ruined its huge investment in Pakistan itself. Indian policies of extreme hate towards Islam and Muslims, tarnishing history by portraying Muslims as evil through movies defied what anti-Pakistan elements stood for. The famous aerial combat over Kashmir on Feb. 27, 2019, during which two Indian fighter aircraft were shot down and a pilot captured (later released by Pakistan as a gesture of goodwill), proved to be a watershed moment in reviving the confidence of the Pakistani nation against far larger Indian armed forces. The Indian annexation of Kashmir, notorious nationality laws targeting Muslims, a row with Gulf states on social media over state brutality and ridiculing Islam all acted in favor of an ideology of Pakistan. After God gifted kinetic responses, it was time for a virtual riposte.
Then on the first day of Ramadan in Pakistan, Ertuğrul happened: a near perfect recipe to many ills that metastatsized in society. Despite a certain level of obligatory dramatization and the addition of sensational spice for enhanced viewership, the fact remains that 600 years that saw the Ottoman Empire spread over three continents is a testimony to the events that more or less happened in an almost identical manner as reflected in the TV series. The significance of a humble group of people rising to the pinnacles of glory by virtue of their religious convictions and self-belief is not a new phenomenon in the history of Islam. The very inception of Islam had itself shot out like a beam of light from the darkest of times.
Ertuğrul is not merely a Muslim warrior and his tribe not only a community of poor shepherds striving to secure a peaceful land of their own but they represent a far greater concept. The series speaks of a handful of Muslim warriors who dared to contest all the brutal hegemonic powers of their time with a faith and belief visibly similar to the initial trying days of Islam and the Prophet (PBUH). Depiction of the daily life of Turks is noticeably simple, decent, enriched with repeated references to Allah (SWT), drawing motivation from Prophet (PBUH) and his sahaba, deep respect for other prophets, family elders and siblings. Seeking divine help and spiritual guidance from the great scholar of the time Ibn-al-Arabi, striving for justice and praying for righteousness remain the hallmark of the series. The events also describe how nations can be harmed by disunity and let down by traitors who fall for lust of power and money.
Ertuğrul conquered the minds of young Pakistanis by bringing them a lost chapter of the rich, courageous and glorious past of Muslims. More importantly, it brought them conviction of the religious beliefs, strength of personal character and determination to stay on the righteous path as defined by the series, which was a pleasant and welcome surprise. Though alone a TV series cannot be entrusted with changing mindsets, however, it can be an effective tool in creating a reversal and establishing a platform for change. This is exactly why liberal, secular and sellout quarters who had invested many years through mal-intended education empires, fake narratives to inject a false sense of inferiority found themselves on the back foot. After Ertuğrul became a household name in Pakistan and people started to relate to the Muslim history and glory, reviving the lost pride and confidence. Meanwhile, liberal and secular circles mocked the nation by reminding them that they have nothing common with Turkish or Arab history and Pakistanis need to associate themselves with Indian history. On the other hand, while the series was a success in Asia, Europe, Americas and Africa, it was banned in some Muslim countries. On February 10, 2020, Diriliş: Ertuğrul was banned in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE (quite understandable as Arab states were a part of the Ottoman Empire and revolted to gain their independence). Egypt’s Dar Al-Iftaa even published a statement accusing Turkey of trying to create an “sphere of influence” for itself in the Middle East using its soft power, according to a report by Yeni Şafak English.
Irrespective of what individual nations or people may think, history can neither be amended nor denied. In the light of the last sermon by the Prophet (PBUH), “all mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good actions. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood”.
In essence, words of last sermon imply that Turkish or Arab history is as much ours as it is theirs; it also implies that Muslim rule over the Indian subcontinent is as much a source of pride for Pakistanis as it is for Turks, Arabs or Egyptians. This also makes us share in the glory and grief of the Ummah all the different stages of its history. If this were not true, the world would not have labeled the Pakistani nuclear bomb as the “Islamic Bomb.” The fact remains that irrespective of how secular, enlightened, liberal or westernized Muslims become, the world shall always view them from the prism of religion.
While arguments and counter arguments shall continue, the conflict between left and right shall linger on, let us enjoy and absorb the message of Diriliş: Ertuğrul Ghazi and give a shout out to Turkey: Eyvallah.
By Amjad Mahmood, who holds a Master degree in Strategic Studies from National Defence University, Islamabad.
