Are they overdramatizing the whole situation with the bloody sheet or is this true to life?

Many years ago I read an article about such waiting at the wedding. May have been some country like Turkey though I can't for the life of me recall. At any rate, in many countries (Poland, for instance) wedding celebrations can last three days. Yep. There are plenty of people at the house to be waiting for that sheet or handkerchief. Seems to me I saw an old movie with such as scene as well.

I can speak from my own experience -- at the Muslim weddings I have attended -- that this practice is not observed.

But I could tell you stories... Brides (mostly older) who have had friends and family outside the bedroom doors on the wedding night, banging on the windows and making a racket while the newlyweds tried to get some privacy. The women laugh when they tell the stories, but I always shudder! Fortunately, no visible 'proof' was required afterwards. It is always assumed that a good girl from a good family -- especially ones who have always lived at home until marriage, and are married at an early age -- are of course virgins.

A little more amusing are the stories I've been told about what lengths the bride and groom will go in order to foil the nosey friends and relatives and consummate their wedding vows in peace and quiet.

It has always been my personal feeling that to take something so private as this and "parade" it around for others to observe and comment on is a contradiction in (my understanding of) Islam.

I think in some countries -- particuarly the ones that are more strict and focused closely on 'family honor' this tradition may still take place.

Author: (---)
Date: 04-30-04 12:07 PDT

As a muslim.. i can assure you... this pathetic display of waiting for bleeding.. is not a requirement or part of religion. But, unfortunately, there are some close minded people that do this... or make it a part of marriage rituals. It is more of a cultural thing than muslim. Like in my culture i am suppose to be wearing a red dress rather than white like latifa and jade did.
And, i think since jade let the suspicion of her virginity out in public. That is why tio ali had to proove his dignity and let nazira witness the virginity. Incase of Latiffa... no one stood outside her room it was done the next day in the morning.,, and only women looked at it.

Author: (---)
Date: 04-27-04 05:35 PDT

Unfortunately for Said, timing was not in his favor. I think had Lucas and Jade not met prior to the plan to wed Said and Jade, she probably would've been happy with him and grown to love him....what's not to like about Said?? He's a handsome guy, beautiful green eyes, treats her like a princess, strongly motivated to become a successful businessman.......but again, unfortunately for Said, her heart already belongs to someone else, our darling Lucas. Poor Lucas......he's suffering from many "issues", especially since losing Diogo. Now he finds it very hard to go on without the security of his twin. Always trying to figure out what Diogo would do in a situation and how Diogo would've come thru for him....you can't help but feel sorry for him. I think if Diogo didn't die, perhaps Lucas would have the strength and determination to go after Jade, regardless of the consequences. But, alas, it wouldn't be "Cloneland" then, would it???!!!

Author: (---)
Date: 04-27-04 15:46 PDT

I also like Said, though my favorite will always be Lucas. As far as Said & Jade, we already see Jade scheming that she'll start taking jewels from Said and use them to escape. Irrespective of whether she had fallen in love with Lucas, I'm sceptical of whether she ever would've fallen in love with Said. Said was very restrictive on what she was allowed to do and she's rebellious by nature. She still wanted to go to school and he wouldn't permit it. I think part of her falling in love with Lucas had to do with the power and freedom Lucas yielded to her.

Although I always enjoy Jade's acting, she was the least sympathetic of the main characters to me. I always saw her as the domino that caused everybody else's suffering because she stupidly married Said when she was in love with Lucas.