She comes across as a very strong woman and Jane is possibly jealous of her?

Definitely Jane is jealous of Zainab. She wants her husband for a start.

I like Zainab but her comments tonight were anything but cool.

but realistic i am afraid...

She's cool but her views are bullsh*t

Zainab is cool. Parts of her are likeable, parts of her are disgusting and pathetic
Her views tonight pathetic
Strange to say Jane is jealous of her... nothing tonight reflected that. She more disgusted at her homophobic twisted vision

See i used to love Zainab's character but ever since the episode on new years day i can't stand her, and with each passing episode she gets worse and worse. Being a homophobe is just not cool, i don't care what background you come from, you should challenge yourself to be better, and to be more open minded. I'm tired of religion being used as an excuse to be hateful and prejudice.

Exactly. Zainab was so cruel to Christian yesterday just twisting the knife. Even Syed was kinder but then again Syed is in love with Christian. Masood might have been a bit nicer. I understand about her community/culture putting her in a difficult siituation but thats not an excuse for her to be homophobic.

Alot of very bad behaviour is excused under the guise of being a 'strong woman'.

I guess I'm the only one that can see where Zainab is coming from, then.

These views have been implemented on her since she was a child, her parents had the same treatment and their parents before that, and so on. To say Zainab is a strong woman would be correct in some ways, but she is not strong enough to fight for what her son believes in, when the religion she believes in and her whole community see it as wrong.

It kind of reminds me of the programme "Keeping Up With Appearances", Zainab is trying so hard to be seen as keeping this perfect Muslim family and such, but unfortunately it's falling apart at the seems.

She's strong in some ways, but not completely.

I don't think her being burned for loving someone else helped her in any way where Syed is concerned.

This is my take on it too, the point couldnt have been made any clearer in the kitchen scene.Where she was basically pleading with jane.It seems there are too many gays/gay sympathisers on here that are just eager to jump on some crusade..Zanaib says a coulple of things that arent favourable to homesexuals and suddenly its time to brand the character a gay bashing homphobe? its a bit more complex than that ppl open your eyes

I dont think people need to open their eyes - they have worked Zainab out and she is a homophobe, in fact Tamwar calls her one this week.

And where it leads to her causing pain to an awful lot of people then they have ever right to call her on it.

I really dont think u should be pointing out attempts (by witers) at balancing the different view points as validation that her character is a homophobe..Sure she makes disparaging remarks but to say homophobe is like painting the situation in black/white when its grey..

They are only using tamwar has the voice for the pc brigade that shouldnt distort what the narrative highlighted last night in the dialogue between z and jane.Everything always go back to their faith and avoiding unnecessary ridicule, like rosa alluded to, keeping up appearances..She was exactly the same with tamwar and his studies..If one of the clerics said that gays are actually accepted in islam she wouldnt give a rats azz about Christian/syed..Dont know why this is so hard for ppl to understand

A great character and she gets better and better each episode. I especially loved her winding Christian up about Syed and Amira.

Brilliant character. fantasrically complex, believable, just great really, alternately likeable and hugely unlikeable, grat all rounder. But cool? hardly. unless you find utter control freakery and strict, homophobic religious views "cool" somehow.

One thing I have learnt over the years is that homophobes dont like to be called homophobes - even when they are.

Same for any group against another, often ending with the "I have a so-and-so friend."

Though Zainab's problem, ultimately, as she has constantly gone back to is her strict religious views.

"Too many gay/gay sympathisers" I take it you are not in either of those two then...

Yes she is homophobic & so are people who are sticking up for her... Religion or not it IS homophobic...

And ppl, it is 2010, open your eyes, we should not discriminate against anyone in this day & age...

I stuck up for her, and I'm certainly not homophobic, it's called being able to understand where someone is coming from. Not everything is black and white.

No one is saying she's right for saying some of the stuff she has, far from it.

She's a fantastic character. Nina Wadia really plays the character well

But some posters are clearly homophobic as they share the views of her. I'm not talking about posters who just understand where she is coming from as it's her culture...

If I was Christian, I would have said to Zainab (after she bragged about the postcard) that Syed would only be having a lovely time with Amira if she was wearing a strap on - that might have shut her up. Also, I don't know how Jane kept her mouth shut about the fact that she and Massood kissed. I think I would have had to chuck that in Zainab's face. (Jane would have regretted it later but even so, I don't know how anybody keeps their mouths shut around Zainab).

And Jane would then be better how?

Besides, seems to run in the family, them being with people already in a relationship.

Christian & Syed
Jane & Masood

Hm....

Religion is the problem though. I am quite sure without religion the story would be different. Muslims are very aggressive towards homosexuality and see it is unnatural, perverse and evil.

I have yet to meet a muslim who thinks being gay is normal.

Hell, I lost a good friendship due to my best muslim mate not liking i was gay at 16.