Houri (Heavenly Virgin)

In Islam, the concept of 72 virgins (houri) refers to an aspect of Jannah (Paradise). This concept is grounded in Qur'anic text which describe a sensual Paradise where believing men are rewarded by being wed^[1] to virgins with "full grown", "swelling" or "pears-shaped" breasts.^[2][3] Conversly, women will be provided with only one man, and they "will be satisfied with him".^[4]

Contemporary mainstream Islamic scholars, for example; Gibril Haddad, have commented on the erotic nature of the Qur'anic Paradise, by saying some men may need ghusl (ablution required after sexual discharge) just for hearing certain verses.^[5]

Orthodox Muslim theologians such as al-Ghazali (died 1111 CE) and al-Ash'ari (died 935 CE) have all discussed the sensual pleasures found in Paradise, relating hadith that describe Paradise as a slave market where there will be "no buy and sale, but... If any man will wish to have sexual intercourse with a woman, he will do at once."^[6][7]

It is quoted by Ibn Kathir, in his Qur'anic Commentary, the Tafsir ibn Kathir,^[8] and they are graphically described by Qur'anic commentator and polymath, al-Suyuti (died 1505), who, echoing a hasan hadith^[9] from Ibn Majah,^[10] wrote that the perpetual virgins will all "have appetizing vaginas", and that the "penis of the Elected never softens. The erection is eternal".^[11]

The sensual pleasures between believers and houri in Paradise are also confirmed by the two Sahih collections of hadith, namely Sahih Bukhari^[12] and Sahih Muslim, where we read that they will be virgins who are so beautiful, pure and transparent that "the marrow of the bones of their legs will be seen through the bones and the flesh",^[13] and that "the believers will visit and enjoy them".^[14]

There are several descriptions related to houri that are found in various Islamic references. Some include:

Physical Attributes:

• Wide and beautiful/lovely eyes ^[15][16][17]
• Like pearls ^[18]
• Hairless except the eye brows and the head ^[19]

• Beautiful ^[13]
• White skinned ^[22]
• 60 cubits [27.5 meters] tall ^[23][22]
• 7 cubits [3.2 meters] in width ^[22]
• Transparent to the marrow of their bones ^[21][13]
• Eternally young ^[19]
• Companions of equal age ^[20][24]

Sexual Attributes:

• Untouched / with hymen unbroken by sexual intercourse ^[25][26]
• Virgins ^[27]
• Voluptuous/full-breasted ^[20]
• With large, round breasts which are not inclined to hang ^[21][3]
• Appetizing vaginas ^[11]

Personality Attributes:

• Chaste ^[15]
• Restraining their glances ^[15][25]
• Modest gaze ^[28]

Other Attributes:

• Splendid ^[29]
• Pure ^[13]
• Non-menstruating / non-urinating/ non-defecating and childfree ^[21][30]
• Never dissatisfied ^[30]
• Will sing praise ^[7]
  
  

Whilst there are numerous sources, including the Qur'an, which tell us believing males will be rewarded with virgins, many who are concerned about the authenticity of the 72 virgins concept are under the misconception that there is only one weak (da`if) reference to the exact number of houri given to them. These narrations are in fact found in many hadith collections with varying levels of authenticity, ranging from hasan (good) to sahih (authentic).

For example, in the Sunan Ibn Majah, one of the six major Hadith collections,^[31] it states in a hasan (good)^[9] narration that every male admitted into Paradise will be given eternal erections and wed to 72 wives, all with libidinous sex organs.^[10] Similarly in another hadith with multiple narrators that has been graded hasan (good), it states that the martyr (shahid) will be married to seventy-two of al-hoor al-‘iyn.^[32][33]

In the Sunan al-Tirmidhi, another of the six major Hadith collections,^[31] it states that the smallest reward for the people of Heaven is an abode with seventy-two houri.^[34] Note that this is not a "weak Hadith that has no Sanad (chain of narrators)", as some have claimed.^[35] It has been graded hasan sahih gharib,^[9] meaning this hadith is hasan since it has several chains of transmitters, it is sahih as the chains are all authentic and it is gharib in the words that Imam Tirmidhi narrated.^[36]

Also reported in Sunan al-Kubra and Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and declared sahih (authentic)^[9] by Ibn Abi Shayba, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim is the hadith that states the servant in Paradise will be married with seventy wives and that they'll be given the sexual strength for a hundred.^[37]

Orthodox Muslim theologians have related further hadith that give us the exact number of 72, such as al-Ghazali who wrote, "[The Prophet said] the lowest rank of an inmate of Paradise will have eighty thousand servants and seventy two wives."^[38]

This false myth of "white raisins" originated from Christoph Luxenberg, a modern author writing under a pseudonym.^[39] His anti-Islamic claim,^[40] which has been accused of having a "Christian apologetic agenda",^[41] is that the Qur'an was drawn from Christian Syro-Aramaic texts in the early 8^th century, in order to evangelize the Arabs,^[42] and that the Aramaic word 'hur' (white raisin) had been mistranslated by later Arab commentators into the Arabic word 'houri' (virgin).^[43]

The Qur'an describes the physical characteristics of the houri in many places, and a reading of relevant verses show that Luxenberg's theory regarding heavenly white raisins is in error.

Raisins, which are dried grapes, cannot have large eyes,^[17] big breasts,^[20] cannot restrain their glances,^[25] cannot be described as chaste,^[25] or have any of the characteristics listed above. The Qur'an further states that men will be wed to these houri.^[1] Men cannot be married to raisins or white grapes.

Additionally, for someone to accept this "72 raisins" theory, they would also have to accept that the Qur'an was not written by Allah or revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in Arabic during the 7^th century, but was in fact written by Christian evangelists in Syro-Aramaic during the 8^th century.

Suicide is clearly forbidden in Islam, but the permissibility of martyrdom operations (Istishhad) is an altogether different topic, with scholars being split on the issue.

Notable scholars and apologists such as Shaykh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, the world's most quoted independent Islamic jurist,^[44] and Dr. Zakir Naik, known for his advocacy of "Qur'anic science", have justified the use of suicide bombing in Islam.^[45][46][47] Opinion polls have further shown that an extremely large number of Muslims from around the world support the practice.^{[44][48][49][50]}

The Qur'an states that all Muslim males, not only martyrs, will be rewarded with virgins.^[27] However, the Qur'an does also mention that those who fight in the way of Allah (jihad) and get killed will be given a "great reward",^[51] and there are also hasan (good) hadith^[33] which refer to 72 virgins as one of the "seven blessings from Allah" to the martyr.^[32] This has lead to the 72 virgins concept being widely used as a way to entice other Muslims into carrying out "martyrdom operations" for Islam.

This is witnessed in Palestine, where the actions of a mother who sends her son to die as a martyr is sometimes seen as "marrying him off",^[52] and where the concept is used in Friday sermons and music videos, both airing on official television.^[53][54] It has even been used in the United Kingdom, where, in one event, Muslim teens were told to train with Kalashnikov rifles with the promise that the would receive 72 virgins in paradise if they died as religious martyrs.^[55]

Contrary to what the Qur'an, hadith, scholars and Muslims themselves say, a western author named Margaret Nydell in a book that "promotes understanding between modern-day Arabs and Westerners", states that mainstream Muslims regard the belief of 72 virgins in the same way that mainstream Christians regard the belief that after death they will be issued with wings and a harp, and walk on clouds.^[56]

However, both the Qur'an and Muhammad in the hadith literature discuss the issue of virgins being provided for men in Paradise. So, unless the Bible, and more specifically Jesus in the four Gospels, claims Christians will indeed be issued with wings and a harp upon their arrival in Heaven, this claim is inaccurate and misleading.

The Qur'anic Paradise is sensual in nature,^[5] promising Muslim men voluptuous^[20] virgins^[27] but does not specify their exact number. This cannot possibly be a mistranslation because raisins do not have large eyes^[17] or cannot be wed to men.^[1]

The hadith literature compliment the Qur'anic text by specifying the exact number of virgins as 72 and providing us with detailed descriptions of their characteristics. These narrations are not weak but vary in strength from good to authentic.^[9][33][57]

We are also given details on the physical attributes given to men to sustain 72 virgins, namely, ever-erect penises that never soften^[10][11] and the sexual strength to satisfy 100.^[37][58][59]

Although it does say they will receive a "great reward",^[51] and there are also hasan hadith^[33] which refer to 72 virgins as one of the "seven blessings from Allah" to the martyr,^[32] the Qur'an does not specify these virgins are a reward for jihadists/martyrs, but rather for any Muslim male who gains admittance to Paradise.^[27]

1. "The Qur'an doesn't talk about 72 virgins, only the hadiths"
   Even though the Qur'an does not mention the number of virgins, it does say in verse 56:36^[27] that Muslim men will be awarded with virgins in Paradise. The Qur'an describes their physical attributes, for example they will have large eyes (56:22) and big breasts (78:33)^[20] and so on. The actual number of houri is thus a minor issue and 72 is the number of those houris confirmed in multiple hadith. The hadiths are a crucial part of Islam and certain Muslims ignore them because sometimes they contain uncomfortable details about Islam. There are many hadiths and Qur'anic verses which talk about various issues of a sexual nature. According to Sahih Bukhari 1:5:268 which belongs to the most authentic collection of hadiths, Muhammad himself was given the sexual strength of 30 men and so on.
2. "The 72 virgins hadith has been classified as Da'if (weak) or Maudu (fabricated)"
   This is not true. The hadith from Sunan al-Tirmidhi has been graded hasan sahih gharib (a “fair, sound, single-chained hadith”).^[9] Additionally there is not only one "72 virgins" hadith. We have quoted narrations here that have been graded both hasan (good) and sahih (authentic), and there are many others.
3. "Obviously this hadith has been made up, is unreliable and/or is a lie"
   See answers to #1 and 2 above.
4. "The Qur'an doesn't talk about the number of virgins being seventy two"
   See answer to #1 above.
5. "It is talking about (white) raisins, not virgins"
   This is a myth originating from Christoph Luxenberg, a recent author with a pseudonym who has no known qualifications or authority on Islamic issues, and has been shown to be in error for various reasons.
6. "Islam prohibits suicide"
   Yes, hadith do exist that prohibit suicide (Suicide bombing however is a separate issue) but this has nothing to do with the fact that Islam promises women in Paradise as a reward for the "righteous" (i.e. Muslims).
7. "If the seventy two virgins thing was something big in Islam it would be talked about more frequently."
   Women in Islamic heaven as a reward are talked about frequently in the Qur'an as evidenced by the various places in the Qur'an where their characteristics are talked about. Also if the Qur'an talks about a certain issue only once, it cannot be taken lightly in any way as every word and sentence in the Qur'an is important and holy to Muslims.
8. "The houri are for both men and women"
   The Qur'an explicitly talks about female virgins with large eyes as rewards for men. On the contrary there is not a single "women will get guys as a reward" verse. Some gender neutral verses do exist but they talk about general rewards only (such as "companionship" etc). Also, according to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, who was a leading cleric and a member of the Senior Clerics Association, "This number is only for men. A woman will have only one husband in Paradise, and she will be satisfied with him and will not need any more than that."^[4]
9. "The houri are only servants and not for sexual purposes"
   If that was true, Qur'an 56:36^[27] wouldn't say they are virgins and it wouldn't mention they have big breasts. In addition, while the Qur'an does not explicitly say they're for sexual purposes, other Islamic sources mention that. One hadith says "The believer will be given such and such strength in Paradise for sexual intercourse". Other sources state that "the penis of the Elected never softens" and that men in heaven will have the sexual strength of 100 men.^[58][59]

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• Numbers of Islam - other number-related facts about Islam

Translations

• A version of this page is also available in the following languages: Azerbaijani, Czech, German, Turkish, Italian. For additional languages, see the sidebar on the left.

Articles

• '72 Black Eyed Virgins': A Muslim Debate on the Rewards of Martyrs - (archived), http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/538.htm 
• Does the Koran really promise Islamic martyrs 72 virgins? - (archived), http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2329/does-the-koran-really-promise-islamic-martyrs-72-virgins 
• Have You Been Invited to Allah’s Brothel? - (archived), http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Abualrub/allah_brothel.htm 
• Muslim Mastectomy or The Miracle of Disappearing Breasts - (archived), http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Versions/078.033.html 

Videos

• Saudi Cleric Extols the Virtues of Allah's Virgins in Paradise, "They are White Women who are Menstruation-Free, Free of Feces, Urine, Phlegm" - (archived), http://weaselzippers.typepad.com/blog/2009/09/video-saudi-cleric-extols-the-virtues-of-allahs-virgins-in-paradise-they-are-white-women-who-are-men.html 
• 72 wives await the Martyrs for Allah: Six rewards quoted in Hamas TV sermon
• ABC's Islam Deception--Part One: Raisins or Virgins in Paradise?
• Dark eyed virgins greet Muslim Martyrs in Paradise

Muslim links

• Debunking the ‘Suicide for 72 Virgins’ Myth - (archived), http://theuglytruth.wordpress.com/2007/03/04/debunking-the-suicide-for-72-virgins-myth/  (see Response section above)

Humor

Videos:

• Atheist Comedian 72 Virgins in Heaven (5:32)
• Family guy - 72 Virgins (0:25)

Pictures: much to their surprise...