Ancient Herald
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So i was thinking about this 82 virgins as a reward for martyrs in Islam, and is tarted doing some digging.
The premise that got me started on this is that it is a popular belief, and a lot of the times, regardless of culture or coutnry, popular beliefs are wrong.
So i started doing some research and have found a couple of things about this.
First, it is possible that it may be a translation, as explained in this site here:
http://www.justislam.co.uk/product.php?products_id=216
and then there is this website here which explains it much better:
http://www.aviperry.org/political-blogs/where-did-the-notion-of-72-virgins-in-islamic-paradise-come-from
So, here it is:
Warning, possibly NSFW
So, in short, it is not really 72 virgins. This is a misconception.
The premise that got me started on this is that it is a popular belief, and a lot of the times, regardless of culture or coutnry, popular beliefs are wrong.
So i started doing some research and have found a couple of things about this.
First, it is possible that it may be a translation, as explained in this site here:
http://www.justislam.co.uk/product.php?products_id=216
and then there is this website here which explains it much better:
http://www.aviperry.org/political-blogs/where-did-the-notion-of-72-virgins-in-islamic-paradise-come-from
So, here it is:
Warning, possibly NSFW
Despite the disclaimer by some Muslims, the truth is very clear. The 72 Virgins notion has its origins in the Qur'an. Although the holy book does not specify the number as 72, it does say that those who fight in the way of Allah and are killed will be given a great reward. It goes on to stipulate that Muslims will be awarded with women in Islamic heaven. It even describes their physical attributes—large eyes (Q 56:22) and big, firm, round "swelling breasts" that are not inclined to sagging (Q 78:33). The Qur'an refers to these virgins as houri, companions of equal age, but the highly-flavored emphasis of their bodily characteristics, including their virginity, gave rise to many hadiths and other Islamic writings.
Hadith 2687 is where the number 72 is mentioned. "The smallest reward for the people of Heaven is an abode where there are eighty thousand servants and 72 houri, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine and ruby, as wide as the distance from al-Jabiyyah to San'a."
Qur'anic commentator Al-Suyuti (died 1505) and Orthodox Muslim theologians such as al Ghazali (died 1111 CE) and Al-Ash'ari (died 935 CE) graphically elaborated sensual pleasures attributed to Muslims in paradise". Al-Suyuti wrote, "Each time we sleep with a Houri we find her virgin. Besides, the penis of the Elected never softens. The erection is eternal; the sensation that you feel each time you make love is utterly delicious and out of this world and were you to experience it in this world you would faint. Each chosen one [i.e. Muslim] will marry seventy houris, besides the women he married on earth, and all will have appetizing vaginas."
So, in short, it is not really 72 virgins. This is a misconception.