The Promised Hearts is a 2025 Netflix movie I truly enjoyed watching. I saw it today and just felt like sharing a quick review.
Right from the beginning, I was drawn to the story and how it weaves in religious and cultural values. The plot centers around a girl named Niyala, who was raised in the home of a woman who treated her like family after her mom died. She grew up with the woman’s sons, and Faiq they all saw her as family.
A man from their village, where they live, had rented his boat to Niyala’s father but secretly plotted for it to sink in the sea. Afterwards, he demanded repayment. Since her father couldn’t afford to pay, the man insisted that his son marry Niyala as a way to settle the debt. She was heartbroken but didn’t want her father to go to prison, so she agreed to the engagement, even though she didn’t love the man.
Faiq, who had been away in Cairo studying, returned home and had already fallen in love with someone else and was preparing to marry her. Niyala was devastated. But then, Faiq and his fiancée discovered that the man Niyala was about to marry had a rape case abroad and had run back to their country to avoid the consequences. The woman he assaulted even had a child.
Despite that, Niyala still went ahead with the engagement out of duty to her family.
But here’s where the story takes a very unexpected turn. On the day of Faiq’s wedding, it was discovered that he and his fiancée had both breastfed from the same woman—his mother—when they were babies. According to Islamic law, that means they are considered milk-siblings and cannot marry, as they are seen as related.
Because of this, the wedding was called off. In a surprising and heartwarming moment, Faiq’s fiancée encouraged him to marry Niyala instead. And he did. It had a happy ending after all.
What stood out to me most—besides the emotional story—was learning something completely new: the law about breastfeeding in Islam. I had never heard of that before, and it honestly made me think. It’s interesting how different cultures have such deep, meaningful traditions and laws that many of us may not know about. I’m still reflecting on it, but it really made sense in a way.
The Promised Hearts is based on a novel by Habiburrahman El Shirazy, and I think the adaptation was touching, educational, and well done. I’d definitely recommend it if you enjoy stories with strong values, emotional turns, and happy endings that still teach you something new.
I’m so glad you shared about this movie. I may check it out.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
You should; it is interesting.
DeleteDefinitely going to look for this on Netflix so I can add it to my watch list! It sounds fascinating. I had no idea that was a law and have never heard of milk siblings. It's interesting, for sure, and I can see why this movie stood out to you based on the subject matter.
ReplyDeletethe creation of beauty is art.
Nice one; let me know if you enjoy the movie.
DeleteParece mi tipo de novela. Tomó nota. te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteIt is a novel.
DeleteInteresting story Melody!
ReplyDeleteThe way someone grows up also gives them the values of their life.
Unfortunately or fortunately,
I believe it is difficult for someone to become happy when they escape the way they grew up, right or wrong.
It takes a lot of work!
You are right in a way. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteThanks for sharing :-) Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
DeleteHello, Melody! This film sounds excellent!
ReplyDeleteYou might like it. I think the plot is brilliant.
DeleteSzczerze mówiąc nie słyszałam o nim. Muszę sprawdzić czy jest na polskim Netflixie. Jeśli jest obejrzę. Bardzo dobra recenzja tego serialu. Zmiany w życiu są naprawdę trudne. Podoba mi się fabuła. Wydaję mi się że kiedys słyszałam o czymś takim jak mleczne rodzeństwo. Wspaniałego weekendu Melody.
ReplyDeleteOh, great! watch it and let us know what you think.
DeleteTak słyszałam o mlecznym rodzeństwie. Dawniej kobiety z bogatych domów wynajmowały mamki.
ReplyDeleteOh, as I understand it, a wet nurse breastfeeds and cares for another person's child.
DeleteVery interesting I did not know that either.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised when I found out and then checked it online.
DeleteThank you, my dear friend, for your presentation here. It must be an interesting movie.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend, Melody.
You are welcome.
DeleteI haven't heard about this law, either. It shows how little do we know about cultures other than our own.
ReplyDeleteVery nice review. :)
You are right; I am glad I now know about it.
DeleteHi Melody!
ReplyDeleteReally interesting movie, I haven't heard about it before.
Melody, I wish you a good Sunday!
Same here, we learn every day. I am glad the movie taught me something.
DeleteThis movie sounds like something I would love.
ReplyDeleteYou can check it out on Netflix.
DeleteStory looks good. Thanks for sharing about this movie.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
DeleteI rarely watch movies, but this does sound like an interesting one
ReplyDeleteOh,, you should try this one; you might enjoy it.
DeleteOlá! Obrigada pela dica de filme, parece muito bom.
ReplyDeleteNunca tinha ouvido falar em irmãos de leite, acho que se foram amamentados juntos pela mesma mulher e criados juntos podem ter um vínculo forte sim.
Beijos e bom fim de semana! :-)
You are right; just maybe we dont know but learning about milk siblings is something new for me.
DeleteI really enjoy watching movies. Thank you for introducing this one. I'll be happy to watch it.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to you.
Viola
You are welcome.
DeleteAn interesting story! There's nothing like that in the tradition of the religion I was brought in, but in many cultures breastfeeding is considered important for a variety of reasons. Many cultures believe it creates some kind of bond. I remember when one of my cousins died suddenly out of heart attack that my grandmother was extremely sad. My mother wondered why, and then she remembered that my grandmother breastfed him because his mother didn't have any milk. So, this man always had a lot of respect for my grandmother. He didn't consider my uncle a sibling nor my grandmother his other mother, but he had some kind of additional respect for her all her life, that went beyond the usual respect you would have for a senior cousin. There was that extra gratitude and respect. My grandmother was very sad when he died because there was that extra bond between them. Of course we were all sad when he died, but it just hit her differently.
ReplyDeleteSame here, in the tradition and religion i was brought up in, I have never heard anything like that. That’s such a beautiful story. It really shows how some connections go deeper than words or titles. Your grandmother gave him something so personal and nurturing, and even if he didn’t see her as a second mother, he clearly carried that bond with him all his life. That kind of quiet, enduring respect says a lot. And I can imagine how deeply it must have affected her when he passed. Thank you for sharing.
DeleteDear Melody,
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of milk siblings either. In the case of the story told in this film, it's a positive twist, as the main protagonist doesn't have to marry an unloved man. On the other hand, I would find it terrible if the woman and man had been bound together in true love and weren't allowed to marry each other. I understand why siblings aren't allowed to marry each other or have children together—inbreeding is simply not healthy for the offspring. But I see no reason why children breastfed by the same woman shouldn't marry each other if they aren't otherwise related by blood.
Love from Austria, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2025/03/februar-marz-impressionen-fortsetzung.html
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Traude. You’ve expressed something very thoughtful and sincere. The idea of milk siblings is unfamiliar to many, and it’s understandable that it can feel surprising or even puzzling, especially when it affects something as personal and profound as love and marriage.
DeleteYou're right—there’s a big difference between biological kinship and bonds formed through care or tradition. In some cultures, the idea of milk kinship carries a strong symbolic weight, rooted in history and religious values more than in genetics. It’s one of those customs that speaks more to a shared sense of nurture and community than to biological ties.
I appreciate how you looked at both sides—the happiness of a story ending well, and the sadness that could come if love had been kept apart because of such a rule. These things can be complicated, and it’s clear from your words that you’re thinking about them with both heart and reason.
Sending warm greetings back your way from afar. Have a nice week.
Si que en ocasiones escuche hablar que dos personas son hermanos de leche porque la madre de una de ellas dio de mamar a la otra. Pero nada de que no pudieran casarse, quizás al ser del mismo sexo.
ReplyDeleteCreo debiéramos conocer un poco mejor otras culturas y así respetaríamos mas las costumbres de los otros.
Saludos.
That’s so thoughtfully said, and I completely agree with your sentiment. Understanding where customs come from and how they’ve shaped communities and carried meaning over generations can really open the door to greater respect, even when we don’t share the same traditions ourselves.
DeleteI'd never heard of milk-siblings either, but then again there is so much of religions and traditions which are not ours that we have no idea of. What an interesting story, though. xxx
ReplyDeleteExactly, there’s a whole world of traditions and beliefs that can be entirely new to us, simply because they weren’t part of the world we grew up in. And it’s always eye-opening to come across these kinds of stories, where something unfamiliar carries deep meaning for others.
DeleteMuchas gracias tomo nota para verla.
ReplyDeleteSaludos.
You are welcome.
DeleteI recently ended my subscription with Netflix. I will try to find this somewhere else. Thank for the review.
ReplyDeleteOur subscription ended, and we weren't planning on renewing it anytime soon. Netflix hadn't been updating their platform with new movies, and I was enjoying the free version of Prime Video more. But then, my partner went ahead and renewed the subscription a few days later, even though I had already started enjoying Prime Video. Hahaha!
DeleteI will look up that movie, Melody. What a strange but heartwarming story! I didn’t know about ‘milk-siblings’ either! I agree with you that it makes sense in a way. However, I must look into this more because in Western cultures now only the mother breastfeeds the baby. Royalty and aristocracy used to hire women to breastfeed babies, historically, however.
ReplyDeleteThat’s such a lovely reflection, and you’re absolutely right, history has seen so many shifts in how we understand and approach something as natural and intimate as breastfeeding. It’s heartwarming that stories like the one in the film can bring these ideas to the surface again, sparking curiosity and thoughtful conversation. I hope you enjoy the film when you find it—sometimes the most unusual stories are the ones that stay with us the longest.
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