A Closer Look At Islam And Turkey Through Resurrection Ertugrul

“Plant the sapling in your hand, even if it is Doomsday.”

These words are from The Hadith, and they resonated with me when I heard them. The idea, if I read it right, is to continue to do small but meaningful work even when all hope appears lost. In other words, if you are in the middle of planting a tree, and Doomsday is upon us, don’t stop.

I have been watching the TV Series Resurrection Ertegrul recently, and for me it is the first time being immersed in an Islamic culture. It is the first time I’ve gotten to see not only Islamic people as protagonists but the Islamic religion itself as a protagonist. Behind all that happens, at least for the “good guys”, lies Islam. And behind Islam lies Allah.

I like the sentiment about planting trees because it implies we are each of us asked to do our part. The ultimate end is beyond us, our duty is to do good deeds and promote health and life. Beyond that, Allah is in control. Allah controls all things, even those who seek to act against his will, and those who “keep the code” must trust in him.

Time and again in Resurrection Ertugrul, characters end a statement with “God willing”, or “If God permits”. People seem to realize that life is beyond their ultimate control. Wishing something to be true will not make it so. Such an attitude calls people to be more accepting of life as it is instead of trying to shape life and outcomes in the way we desire it to be.

In this way, it echoes Hinduism and Buddhism because it requires the follower of Islam to relinquish ego. Desiring particular outcomes, expecting particular results, will inevitably lead to suffering when reality falls short of expectations. To say “God willing” is to express hope while accepting that the world is larger than our own desires. In this way, it also resembles the Ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism.

But where it goes beyond any of these is in having a Prime Mover. In Buddhism and in Taoism, that which moves the world is considered neither good nor bad but simply is. In Islam, as in the other Monotheistic religions, God is good. There is a force in the world that seeks not only to ask each one of us to be virtuous, it seeks to lead the world from evil, unhappiness and discord into goodness, happiness and peace.

I have come to believe that thinking we can be neutral is an illusion. Ultimately, we will tip one way or another. We will either be a pessimist or optimist. And I think it is very important to be an optimist. Not foolishly optimistic, because that will only lead to disillusionment. But if one leans towards pessimism, even slightly, one will not plant trees while Doomsday is upon us. And while Doomsday may often appear to be upon us, we are never really sure. Many trees have never been planted because people believed in the futility of doing small acts of goodness. The follower of Islam is less like to be led by negative thoughts and despair, having faith in a greater power of good.

I have noticed too that those who most often speak of Allah and reflect upon His will are the protagonists, whereas the antagonists never seem to delve into what Allah’s will might be. The title of the series, Resurrection Ertegrul, refers to the main protagonist Ertugrul and the idea that he is destined to bring about a resurrection of the Islamic World, which is undergoing a period of crisis. Those who are causing discord and constantly engaging in deceit are seeking to do away with old codes of conduct in favor of new ways of doing things.

Now obviously it is sometimes necessary to evolve from old customs and practices, because even old customs and practices were at one time newly instituted. At the same time, it is tempting for those who don’t want to be restrained by moral tenets at all to simply claim the old rules no longer apply. Societies must not only be able to adapt to the new, it must discern when old ways are simply discarded out of convenience or because they do not serve the particular motives of those who would rule.

I am thankful that, though later in life, I am finally gaining some appreciation for a religion and culture (Turkish) I never had before. There is a richness and depth there that can be experienced when immersing oneself in any culture. I am not planning to convert to Islam any time soon, but I appreciate the wisdom that such a show is giving me. In many ways it resonates with me far more than my own culture. I feel as though we’ve lost our way, while in Resurrection Ertugrel people are trying to regain it.

We are living in an era of cancel culture, where anyone or any culture that does not adhere to present dogma is ostracized. We live in an era where people who speak out against the orthodoxy are censored and banished from social media. It’s funny, because in my less enlightened moments, that was my opinion of what Islam led to.

Assalamu Alaykom