“It is worth reading critique by Pervez Hoodbhoy on hit Ottoman Empire Series “ Resurrection; Dirilis Ertugrul. How Pakistan is hooked to fictious old glory days which has no realities to facts. The Arabs, ruled by Ottoman Empire in past, are responding with anger and are filming their own series. F.Sheikh”
“A TURKISH drama series brimming with tribal intrigues, blood, murder, and conquest — all wrapped in pious religious idiom — has taken Pakistan by storm. Filmed in Anatolia, Dirilis: Ertugrul is a 150-episode fictional account of Ertugrul Ghazi, father of the Ottoman Empire’s founder. As of yesterday (Friday), the YouTube count for the 30th Urdu-dubbed episode had already clocked up 5.5 million views on Pakistan Television.
Even those who made Dirilis are astonished — and hugely pleased — at its tumultuous welcome. Tribal Turkmen fighting for a homeland can’t be expected to capture the imagination of millions in some far-off country. But Pakistan is different. Transfixed, entire families are spending evenings watching it together. They think it is wholesome entertainment and genuine Islamic history.
What history? This is a free-wheeling caricature of 13th-century Anatolia of which we know next to nothing. Facts are not important, says Mehmet Bozdag, the man who wrote and produced the series. To quote: “There is very little information about the period we are presenting — not exceeding 4-5 pages. Even the names are different in every source. The first works written about the establishment of the Ottoman State were about 100-150 years later. There is no certainty in this historical data… we are shaping a story by dreaming.”
That this serial is frankly propagandistic and ideologically motivated is beyond doubt. It has been manufactured for a purpose. But what purpose?
The ending paragraphs;
“The creators of Dirilis: Ertugrul want us to wallow in the past glories of others and celebrate imperialism. Hook, line and sinker, we are mindlessly swallowing their proffered bait. This poisonous substance can only reinforce the dangerous delusion that going forward actually means going backward.
Instead, the way forward is to ask that Pakistaniat spring from Pakistan’s native soil. It must be rooted in the diversity of all our peoples and historically formed cultures. The year 1971 showed decisively the limits of pan-Islamism. Aping Saudi culture failed to create a viable Pakistani identity; aping Turkey won’t get us much further. Instead a strong national identity can emerge only if Pakistan embraces pluralism, accepts that Punjab is just another Pakistani province, and helps all citizens achieve a sense of belonging based upon a commitment to equality and justice.”
I was introduced to Ertugrul by my niece. I liked the starting music. Since I am interested in History, especially Islamic History, I watched many episodes with keen interest. But then I lost interest. There is too much violence and beheadings in it, and unnatural heroic scenes like one man facing a dozen and defeating and killing them all. And there is too much family intrigues, and treachery by his uncle which could have been easily detected with a man of little wisdom, but Ertugrul is unable to see it. Muslims are shown simple, honest and extremely brave. And Ibn Arabi’s role is an extraordinary moral teacher and a saint. I especially liked the line where Muslims are shown as translators of ancient knowledge.
There is no need to be madly in love with this drama but if someone have time, it is better to watch this than the majority of garbage Pakistani dramas where you learn nothing but foolishness, lies, deceit, murder, polygamy, disrespect for the rule of law, etc. However, I agree with the writer that we have our own history. If somebody can make a similar but critical serial about the Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, Tipu Sultan, Pakistan Movement, etc that will be great.
You have your opinion and you are entitled to it.However some issues you raise I disagree with.
Yes there are beheadings and violence errr hello dont you know that its portraying a time when crusaders and mongols were oppressing.Thats what happened, they had bloodbaths.It was a terrible time
2nd you say theres too much deceit from his uncle.again in history to present day it happens for power and leadership.
3rd He was heroic.History shows that he was part of a small number but managed to change course of history.Our rasool pbuh was one man with v few following him at the time but he fought large armies and was victorious.
So at least do your research first
It’s a great drama for entertainment plus the characters are real.
That’s why its gaining so much popularity. It shows a strong nation of men and women.imagine what they would have achieved if they had unity?
CONFLICT, WAR, AND MASSACRE IN ISLAMIC HISTORY:
It is a pathetic fact that nothing reveals man the way war and massacre does. Whereas Islam claims to be a faith of peace, all its political and warfare movements right from its advent are suspected as dangerous and hostile to peace. Islam, proclaims itself to be a natural religion, one grounded in ordinary experience and in the belief that a spontaneous religious comprehension of the world is common to all humans, has a distinctive appellation—al-salam—meaning “peace.” But Islamic History is also full of events and acts killings and murders within the ruling families, amongst brothers and cousins to grab power. The first massacre happened right under the nose of the Prophet of Islam, when 600 to 700 hundred, though some put the figure as high as 800 to 900 prisoners of war of the Banu Qurayza—a Jewish Tribe at Medina—were slaughtered and thrown into ditches (Reference p. 464 of The Life of Muhammad an English translation by A. Guillaume of ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah, considered as the first biography of the Prophet. MIRZA ASHRAF