Success of Ertugrul a ray of hope

Iywallah Bey!

It's been a long time coming. A show that is entertaining and counters the notion that any Islamic mainstream content is not commercially viable. Since I started watching "Ertugrul," I instantly got hooked. I finished the entire season, yes, all episodes (not in one sitting, of course). The characters, storyline, casting, and script really rejuvenates your Islamic heart by promoting the real essence and capturing the true spirit of Islam.


When growing up in Pakistan, we were never exposed to the history of the Ottoman empire. This series enlighted us with the region's glorious past and how they build their empire based on solid Islamic values. Even though the majority of it is fictional storytelling, but I love it. If we can watch Game of Thrones, why not Ertugrul.


For us as Muslims, this is a huge success. Finally, we have a show that we can watch with our family and kids. With Ertugrul, we can get inspired, take pride in our Muslim identity, and counter Islamophobia by owning the narrative. They have proven this model by breaking records worldwide. It has given birth to new market opportunities for upcoming artists and content producers. Now, you can create entertaining, engaging, and inspiring content with confidence and make money without compromising your Islamic values. 


Hollywood is notorious for typecasting and stereotyping actors. We see Muslim actors/actresses struggle to land meaningful roles besides playing terrorist #3 or an Arab character in a negative role. I believe shows like Ertugrul will help break the perception that you have to rely on Hollywood to succeed in this industry. Muslim countries should invest in their entertainment industry, build institutions, animation studios, production houses, theatres, and art schools to promote and cultivate young talent. 


We hope with BURAAQ, we can achieve the same level of success in sha Allah. As our goal and mission are the same, to promote universal values of Islam through entertaining, engaging, and inspiring content. In the current world climate, the message of tolerance, justice, and the truth is overshadowed by hate and has given rise to Islamophobia. We need to collectively tackle this head-on.