Dar al-Ifta, the Egyptian authority responsible for issuing religious edicts, is warning Egyptians against watching Turkish TV drama series, which have been banned from Egypt's pro-government television channels since 2013. The warning, which comes at a time of strained relations between Egypt and Turkey, has raised eyebrows on social media; activists are baffled as to why the cautionary advice had come from a religious rather than a political institution.

"Dar al-Ifta is a state institution and protection of national security is one of its primary tasks,” Kamal Amer, head of parliament's Security Committee, told Al-Monitor.

"The Turkish television series are distorting historical facts and spreading misinformation. Turkey is clearly biased in favor of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and is protecting its own interests. Our institutions, religious or otherwise, must look out for our best interests," he said. 

 In a statement published on its Global Fatwa Index on Feb. 3, Dar al-Ifta cited the popular Turkish television series "Dirilis Ertugrul" ("Resurrection Ertugrul") and "Valley of the Wolves" as examples of Turkey's attempts to use its soft power "to create an area of influence in the Middle East."