Thread by @QuettaExpress1

#Ertugrul, aka Turkish #GameOfThrones is an epic TV serial @DirilisDizisi premiered @trt1 in Dec 2014, is now the latest sensation in Pakistan. The series is by far one of the best, based on Muslim Oghuz Turks and #ErtugrulGhazi, father of Osman-I who founded the Ottoman Empire.

#ErtugrulGhazi is debated in Pakistan vastly in favor. The rejectionists hv declared it a 'threat to the local film industry' while the left-leaners hv blamed Pakistan's 'identity-crisis' with the Turks & Arabs although the story is based on Islam & d purported chivalry of Turks.

#DirilişErtuğrul is a phenomenal amalgam of art & history that can potentially inspire generations with its powerful visual message on Islam, justice, peace, chivalry & courage.

Some of the reasons why #ErtugrulGhazi has resonated so well with Pakistanis are threaded below. 6/6

The appearances of scholar Ibn Arabi as Ertugrul's spiritual guide on Islam & his insightful dialogues relating various incidents in d series to the lives of prophets & the teachings of Mohammad (PBUH).

Almost every Muslim can relate to it but few hv also criticised his #Sufism.

On the one hand, the duo of @eadksk (Ertugrul) and @esbilgic (#HalimeSultan) have become talk of the town while on the other hand, a handful of Pakistani netizens went beyond characters, started trolling the personal lives of the actors and moral policing them on #SocialMedia.

The use & abuse of state power & word traitor hv striking similarities with what's going on in Pakistan for decades. The persecution of people in the name of establishing writ of the state & declaring dissenting voices as traitors or antistate, is familiar both to Ertugrul & 🇵🇰.

Some r skeptical about d public craze around Ertugrul. They are comparing the ppl's uprising against 2016 Turkish military coup against @RTErdogan with the likelyhood of sth similar in Pakistan against the military invaders of our democracy.

Ertugrul was premiered in late 2014.

One of d most neglected but crucial aspect of Ertugrul is its screenwriter @mmehmetbozdag who's done a great job of creating a masterpiece of art & one of d best visual representation of the core tenets of Islam & the teachings of #ProphetMuhammad (PBUH).

Eyvallah #MehmetBozdag!

On a miscellaneous note, the series is also about #AlQuds & liberation of Jerusalem. There's is espionage, detectives, suspense, statecraft & focus on the value of patience in Islam.

The role of women is presented remarkably well & the drama is a tragedy.

Waiting 4 ur insights!

#PMImranKhan's recommendation is often mentioned a reason for d spike in viewership of #ErtugrulGhazi in Pakistan but the truth is that the drama became popular in early 2018 & reached its peak in late 2019.

@PTVHomeOfficial only provided a chance for dubbing the series in Urdu.

Unroll @threadreaderapp