Ertugrul (Dirilis /Resurrection): Why Everyone is Hooked

Dirilis (Resurrection) is a Turkish Drama based on the true beginnings of the Uthmani Khilafah.
Why are people hooked? In short, it invigorates the Muslim's spirit. There are countless scenes of the Kayi Tribe riding out hard on beautiful stallions into battles against the brutal Crusaders and Mongols. Then there are the stories of various Prophets including Muhammad s.a.w.s. weaved in and out of the episodes meant to inspire the Alps (Tribe's Warriors) when facing hard times. You are taken deep inside the nomadic tents  and true village life of the Kayi Tribe that settled in Turkey. By the time you watch a few episodes, you may start wishing you were living among the Kayi tribe in a tent with fresh slaughtered goat meat, herbs and drinks made from pressed berries to eat. Seeing the fractured Muslim tribes come together, and knowing that this groundwork was what made the longstanding Uthmani Khilafah possible makes this show resonate deep in the hearts of many Muslims today.

Why it's so Inspiring

It is inspirational as it conjures up positive feelings about our Ummah in a time when we don't hear much positive about Islam. We make up nearly one quarter of the Earth's population (24.38%) of mankind, stretched out across the world across many nations and races. We should be a mighty ocean, carrying the message of peace  around the world. Rather, we are an irresolute, limp, fractured, into 1.8 billion drops separate drops of water- no stronger than, "the foam of the sea" as Muhammad saws told us we would be when we came to be of a great number in the later days. This will last, until this mighty ocean is resurrected inshAllah.

Uthmani Khilafah is the last khilafah until now. It ended on March 3, 1924. So it has been nearly 100 years since the ummah has been united under a khilafah.

The show depicts the time before the birth of Uthman. The Ummah is in a sad state as it is today. The ummah is very weak and disjointed having no consolidated figure head. They are enemies to one another, with each tribe caring more about their own tribe more than the ummah as a whole. The show starts with Uthman's father Ertugrul as an unmarried young warrior under the guidance of his father the great Suleiman Shah of the Kayi Tribe.

To learn briefly who Suleiman Shah the Great was, check out this news article from 2015 where the Syrian Army was actually involved in an incident regarding his tomb. Who is Suleiman Shah and Why is His Tomb So Important?

His father believed the Muslim tribes could fight off the onslaught from the Crusaders and the Mongols better if they consolidated. He taught his son, Ertugrul to strive to unite the Muslims and spread the justice of Islam. As the show goes on, you see how after many battles and much Muslim blood and tears spilled, the ummah is slowly being resurrected.

Oh how it gives you a deep sense of gratitude for how the people sacrificed themselves in those lands. These were strong people who you truly grow a sense of reverence for. The show then calls for introspection. What am I doing for my fellow Muslims or my ummah for that matter? For me personally, the show inspires me to be a better Muslim. I also love how it shows the Muslim warriors fighting to protect Christians. That is the true depiction of the beauty of Islam because all life is precious in Islam.

Best Points of the Show:

• Clean show, no nudity, no foul language, everyone is fully clothed at all times
• Based on true events, historical events 
• The show is in Turkish with English subtitles. If you know any Urdu, Persian or Arabic, you will be able to pick out the words from either of those languages and eventually pick up a few words of Turkish!
• Have something to watch that is beneficial, reflects
• Inspiring to Muslims throughout
• Reminders from the Quran, Hadith and stories of other prophets
• Recitation of Quran in various episodes
• Teaches you some history of the situation before the great Uthmani Khalifa began. 
• For American viewers, it is also particularly interesting to get a glimpse inside tribal society structure. 

  

  Erdogan on thet Set of Dirilis

Is this show a political ploy?

Erdogan gave his stamp of approval for the show. Some speculate that Erdogan is trying to make a statement with this show. Others say it is simply a way for Erdogan to appease his conservative (religious) Muslim base. I don't know,I'll let you be the judge! 

A Few More Details: 

• Ertugrul is the son of Suleiman the Great
• Ertugrul Story is told ( He is the father of the Uthman I / Osman I who became the  Uthmani Khalifah 
• Ertugrul's son, Uthman, became the last khalifah
• There is a Sultan but the Muslims are heavily divided and rely on tribal leadership. Not everyone respects the state.
• The show is based on true Turkish history with some necessary embellishments to fill in the gaps and let us get closer to the characters. 
• There are some Sufi practices done by a sufi sheikh in the show which will become apparent to you if you are orthodox/ Sunni Muslim. 
• You can find the show on Netflix.

Mongol Army Chief in the Show

I hope many more people will enjoy the benefits of this portrayal of a piece of our Islamic History. Please let me know if you have any comments or additional information to add!

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