I have often heard about martyrs and their place in heaven and the 70 virgin houris they will be rewarded with.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
I have
often heard about martyrs and their place in heaven and the 70 virgin houris
they will be rewarded with. Is it true? If it is, I wonder how what is Haram on
earth can be halal in heaven.
I have always believed that since our presence in heaven would be in a
different dimension (other than physical as we known it here on earth), there
wouldn`t be physical pleasures, especially those pertaining to sex. The 70
companions are therefore just friends to keep you company. What`s the take of
scriptures on this?
Then consider this: A chaste and honourable woman is supposed to reach heaven
where she awaits her husband. If the husband is a martyr and ends up with the
70 companions, what happens to the chaste waiting wife?
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Answer:
Hoors in
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Your
Question: I have often heard about martyrs and their place in heaven and the 70
virgin houris they will be rewarded with. Is it true?
Dear and beloved brother in Islam, without an iota of a
doubt one who is chosen and accepted as a ‘martyr’ by Allah Subhanah will be
abundantly and generously rewarded by the Lord Most Bounteous.
Allah Subhanah does Declare in His Glorious Quran that one
amongst the innumerable rewards that the Lord Will bestow upon the fortunate
dwellers of Paradise is that He will wed them to the ‘hoor-al-ayn’ or the
chaste maidens in Paradise; but this reward is for all the fortunate dwellers
of Paradise and not specific to the noble ‘martyrs’ whose martyrdom is accepted
by Allah Subhanah.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 44 Surah
Dukhan verses 51-57:
51 As to the Righteous (they will be) in a
position of Security
52 Among Gardens and Springs;
53 Dressed in fine silk and in rich brocade
they will face each other;
54 So; and We shall join them to companions with beautiful big
and lustrous eyes.
55 There can they call for every kind of
fruit in peace and security;
56 Nor will they there taste death except the first death; and He will
preserve them from the penalty of the Blazing Fire
57 As a Bounty from thy Lord! That will be
the Supreme Achievement!
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 55 Surah
Rahmaan verses 56-59:
56 In them (
57 Then which of the favors of your Lord
will ye deny?
58 Like unto rubies and coral.
59 Then which of the favors of your Lord
will ye deny?
60 Is there any Reward for Good other than
Good?
61 Then which of the favors of your Lord
will ye deny?
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 56 Surah
Waqiah verses 27-38:
27 The Companions of the Right Hand! What will be the Companions of the
Right Hand?
28 (They will be) among lote trees without
thorns
29 Among Talh trees with flowers (or fruits)
piled one above another
30 In shades, long-extended
31 By water flowing constantly
32 And fruit in abundance
33 Whose season is not limited nor (supply)
forbidden
34 And on Thrones (of Dignity) raised high.
35 We have created (their Companions) of
special creation.
36 And made them virgin-pure (and undefiled)
37 Beloved (by nature) equal in age
38 For the companions of the Right Hand.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 52 Surah
Tur verses 17-20:
17 As to the Righteous they will be in
Gardens and in Happiness
18 Enjoying the (Bliss) which their Lord hath bestowed on them, and their
Lord shall deliver them from the Penalty of the Fire.
19 (To them will be said:) "Eat and drink ye with profit and
health because of your (past good) deeds."
20 They will recline (with ease) on Thrones (of Dignity) arranged in
ranks; and We shall join them to Companions with beautiful big and
lustrous eyes.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 38 Surah
Saad verses 49-53:
49 This is a Message (of admonition): and verily for the Righteous is a
beautiful place of (final) Return.
50 Gardens of Eternity, whose doors will
(ever) be open to them;
51 Therein will they recline (at ease); therein can they call (at
pleasure) for fruit in abundance and (delicious) drink;
52 And beside them will be chaste women restraining their glances
(companions) of equal age.
53 Such is the promise made to you for the
Day of Account!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 37 Surah
Saafaat verses 48-49:
48 And beside them will be chaste women; restraining their glances with
big eyes (of wonder and beauty).
49 As if they were (delicate) eggs closely
guarded.
It is in the authentic and established hadiths of the
Messenger of Allah, where the mention of seventy-two chaste wives is found; and
again that reward is only one amongst the innumerable rewards of the Lord Most
Bounteous which He will bestow on His obedient slave and not specific to the
‘martyrs’:
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 5648 Narrated by Abu Sa'id
Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The
lowliest of the inhabitants of Paradise will be he who has eighty thousand
servants, seventy-two wives, and for whom a round pavilion of
pearls, chrysoprase and rubies as large
as the distance between al-Jabiyah and San'a will be set up. Those who are to
go to Paradise, who die whether young or old, will come into
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3834 Narrated by
Al-Miqdam ibn Ma'dikarib
Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The
martyr receives six good things from Allah: he is forgiven at the first
shedding of his blood; he is shown his abode in Paradise; he is preserved from
the punishment in the grave; he is kept safe from the greatest terror; he has
placed on his head the crown of honour, a ruby of which is better than the
world and what it contains; he is married to seventy-two wives of the
maidens with large dark eyes; and is made intercessor for seventy of
his relatives."
Your
Question: If it is, I wonder how what is Haram on earth can be halal in heaven.
The short and transitory life of this world is but a test
and a trial….the real life is indeed the eternal and everlasting life of the
Hereafter. Rest absolutely assured
brother that the Law which would be applied to the fortunate dwellers of
Your
Question: I have always believed that since our presence in heaven would be in
a different dimension (other than physical as we known it here on earth), there
wouldn`t be physical pleasures, especially those pertaining to sex. The 70
companions are therefore just friends to keep you company. What`s the take of
scriptures on this?
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 56 Surah
Waqiah verses 22-26 and 35-38:
22 And (there will be) Companions with
beautiful big and lustrous eyes--
23 Like unto Pearls well-guarded.
24 A Reward for the Deeds of their past
(Life).
25 No frivolity will they hear therein nor
any taint of ill
26 Only the saying "Peace! Peace."
34 And on Thrones (of Dignity) raised high.
35 We have created (their Companions) of
special creation.
36 And made them virgin-pure (and undefiled)
37 Beloved (by nature) equal in age
38 For the companions of the Right Hand.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.402 Narrated by Abdullah bin Qais
Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "In
Paradise there is a pavilion made of a single hollow pearl sixty miles wide, in
each corner of which there are wives who will not see those in the other
corners; and the believers will visit and enjoy them. And there are two
gardens, the utensils and contents of which are made of silver; and two other
gardens, the utensils and contents of which are made of so-and-so (i.e. gold)
and nothing will prevent the people staying in the Garden of Eden from seeing
their Lord, except the curtain of Majesty over His Face."
Because sex is also a form of obtaining pleasure, it is
safe to assume in light of the various guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah
that there will be lawful and pure sex in
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 50 Surah Qaaf verse 35:
There they (the men and women of
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 32 Surah Sajdah verse 17:
No living being
knows what comfort of the eyes has been kept hidden from them, as a recompense for their
(righteous) deeds!
Sahih Al-Bukhari
Hadith 4.467 Narrated by Abu
Huraira
Allah's Messenger
(saws) said, "Allah, The High and Exalted He is, said, 'I have prepared
for My pious slaves (men and women) things which have never been seen by an
eye, or heard by an ear, or imagined by a human being!'
Your
Question: ….Then consider this: A chaste and honourable woman is supposed to
reach heaven where she awaits her husband. If the husband is a martyr and ends
up with the 70 companions, what happens to the chaste waiting wife?
The
fortunate people who will be rewarded Paradise by Allah Subhanah, will get an abundance of things from their
Lord: eternal life of pleasure, gardens,
wealth, properties, palaces, servants,
canals of milk and honey, natural
springs, abundance of food and
fruits, and loving husband/wives, children,
family, etc. And above all, they will get the Pleasure and Good Will of
their Lord and Creator!
Allah
has promised the fortunate dwellers of
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 50 Surah Qaaf verse 35:
There they (the men and women of
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqan verses 15-16:
Ask them, “Is this (the Fire) better, or the
As
regards the rewards that the successful people of
Allah
Subhanah, Who Created everything in
existence, also created its nature. And since man was created polygamous by
nature, one of the rewards which The All
Knowing and All Wise Lord has promised the fortunate men of Paradise is the
companionship of many chaste,
beautiful, and obedient wives in that
Eternal Abode of the Hereafter.
The
nature granted by Allah to women is not the same that was granted to men.
Unlike men, a woman is not polygamous by nature. The things that a woman desires most from her
husband is that he love her, cherish
her, honor her, respect her, and treat her like a queen. And every woman also has the desire to be the
most beautiful of all!
Thus,
of all the heavenly wives of the righteous men of
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 32 Surah Sajdah verse 17:
No living being knows
what comfort of the eyes has been kept hidden from them, as a recompense for
their (righteous) deeds!
Sahih Al-Bukhari
Hadith 4.467 Narrated by Abu
Huraira
Allah's Messenger
(saws) said, "Allah, The High and Exalted He is, said, 'I have prepared
for My pious slaves (men and women) things which have never been seen by an
eye, or heard by an ear, or imagined by a human being.'
Rest absolutely assured brother, that no one, and we
reiterate absolutely no one who is fortunate enough to enter the Realms of
Paradise, regardless of whether man or woman, will feel deprived or
shortchanged or denied the Mercies and Bounties of their Lord Most
Gracious….every single wish and desire that they might have or arise in their
hearts will be fulfilled in an instant by the Grace of their Lord Most
Bounteous!
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister