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97-486: Jannah is described with physical pleasures such as gardens, beautiful houris , wine that has no aftereffects, and "divine pleasure". Their reward of pleasure will vary according to the righteousness of the person. The characteristics of Jannah often have direct parallels with those of Jahannam . The pleasure and delights of Jannah described in the Qu'ran, are matched by the excruciating pain and horror of Jahannam . Jannah

194-648: A kiddush Hashem , a Hebrew term which means " sanctification of the Name". In the Baháʼí Faith , martyrs are those who sacrifice their lives serving humanity in the name of God. However, Bahá'u'lláh , the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, discouraged the literal meaning of sacrificing one's life. Instead, he explained that martyrdom is devoting oneself to service to humanity. Martyrdom (called shahadat in Punjabi)

291-640: A sahih hadith where Muhammad reassures the mother of a martyr, "O Umm Haarithah, there are gardens in Paradise ... and your son has attained the highest Firdaws ”, indicating a hierarchy of levels, but does not how many there are. On the basis of "several scriptural suggestions", scholars have created "a very detailed structure" of paradise, but there is more than one, and not all of the traditions on location of paradise and hell "are easily pictured or indeed mutually reconcilable". For example, Qu'ran 23:17 states "We created above you seven paths [Ṭarā'iq]" from which

388-457: A weak chain of narrators. Another hadith, also in Jamiʽ; at-Tirmidhi and deemed "good and sound" ( hasan sahih ) gives this reward specifically for the martyr : There are six things with Allah for the martyr. He is forgiven with the first flow of blood (he suffers), he is shown his place in Paradise, he is protected from punishment in the grave, secured from the greatest terror,

485-454: A "great deal of later elaboration". Muslim scholars differ as to whether they refer to the believing women of this world or a separate creation, with the majority opting for the latter. Houris have been said to have "captured the imagination of Muslims and non-Muslims alike". According to hadith, faithful women of the Dunya will be superior to houris in paradise. In classical Arabic usage,

582-466: A classical Sunni interpretation of Q.56:35 in Tafsir al-Jalalayn , so that the heavenly virgins have no birthday or age in the earthly sense. Other sources, including a tafsir of Ibn Kathir , (see above) emphasize the purpose of the use of kawa'ib in verse Q.78:33 "is to highlight the woman’s youthfulness", though she is an adult, she "has reached the age when she begins to menstruate"; and that she

679-630: A falling building etc., and the martyrs in Allah's cause. One who dies protecting his property is also considered a martyr according to Hadith: I heard the Prophet saying, "Whoever is killed while protecting his property then he is a martyr. While the Qur'an does not indicate much about martyrs' death and funeral, the hadith provides some information on this topic. For example, martyrs are to be buried two in one grave in their blood, without being washed or having

776-554: A funeral prayer held for them. The following Hadith highlight this: The Prophet collected every two martyrs of Uhud in one piece of cloth, then he would ask, "Which of them had (known) more of the Quran?" When one of them was pointed out for him, he would put that one first in the grave and say, "I will be a witness on these on the Day of Resurrection." He ordered them to be buried with their blood on their bodies and they were neither washed nor

873-516: A goodly Provision: Truly Allah is He Who bestows the best provision. Verily He will admit them to a place with which they shall be well pleased: for Allah is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing. The importance of faith is highlighted in the following hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Who seeks martyrdom with sincerity shall get its reward, though he may not achieve it. It

970-402: A market to receive new clothing to enhance their beauty, they will not suffer bodily ailments or be subject to functions such as sleeping, spitting, or excreting; they will be forever young. As the gates of Jannah are opened for the arrival of the saved into Jannah they will be greeted (Q.39:73) by angels announcing, "Peace be upon you, because ye have endured with patience; how excellent a reward

1067-506: A plural of both aḥwār (masc.) and ḥawrā' (fem.)... hence, the compound expression ḥūr ʿīn signifies, approximately, 'pure beings, most beautiful of eye'." Annemarie Schimmel says that the Quranic description of the houris should be viewed in a context of love: "every pious man who lives according to God's order will enter Paradise where rivers of milk and honey flow in cool, fragrant gardens and virgin beloveds await home". Regarding

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1164-596: A promise binding on Him in truth, through the Torah , the Gospel , and the Qur’an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme. The Quranic passage that follows is the source of the concept of Muslim martyrs being promised Paradise: Those who leave their homes in the cause of Allah, and are then slain or die,- On them will Allah bestow verily

1261-580: A shaheed in the Jihad for the country was encouraged by the Kuomintang, which was called "glorious death for the state" and a hadith promoting nationalism was spread. A song written by Xue Wenbo at the Muslim Chengda school, which was controlled by the Kuomintang, called for martyrdom in battle for China against Japan. The Muslim General Bai Chongxi himself was a member of a Dare to Die corps in

1358-778: A way other than Islam, it will never be accepted from them, and in the Hereafter they will be among the losers." Historically, the Ash'ari school of theology was known for having an optimistic perspective on salvation for Muslims, but a very pessimistic view of those who heard about Muhammad and his character, yet rejected him. The Maturidi school also generally agreed that even sinners among Muslims would eventually enter paradise, but its unclear whether they thought only Muslim would go to Jannah, or if non-Muslims who understood and obeyed "God's universal law" would be saved also. The Muʿtazila school held that free will and individual accountability

1455-565: Is a fundamental concept in Sikhism and represents an important institution of the faith. Sikhs believe in Ibaadat se Shahadat (from love to martyrdom). Some famous Sikh martyrs include: The word shahid ( Punjabi : ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ) is also found in Sikhism , a religion founded by Guru Nanak in the northwest part of the Indian subcontinent (now Pakistan and India). It means a martyr. The term

1552-404: Is a misconception. The Quran uses feminine as well as gender-neutral adjectives to describe houris, by describing them with the indefinite adjective عِينٌ , which some have taken to imply that certain passages are referring to both male and female companions. In addition, the use of masculine pronouns for the houris' companions does not imply that this companionship is restricted to men, as

1649-589: Is accessible vertically through its gates (Qu'ran 7:40), by ladders ( ma'arij ) (Qu'ran 70:3), or sky-ropes ( asbab ). However, only select beings such as angels and prophets can enter. Iblis (Satan) and devils are kept at bay by angels who throw stars at them, whenever they try to climb back to heaven (Q.37:6–10). Notably and contrary to many Christian ideas on heaven , God ( Allah ) does not reside in paradise. A few hadith name four rivers in paradise, or coming from paradise, as: Saihan ( Syr Darya ), Jaihan ( Amu Darya ), Furat ( Euphrates ) and Nil ( Nile ). Salsabil

1746-519: Is alluded to in hadiths , tafsirs and Islamic commentaries. The virgins of paradise "they will be of one age, thirty-three years old," according to Ibn Kathir (as reported by Ad-Dahhak aka Ibn Abi Asim ), based on his interpretation of the word Atrab ( Arabic : أَتْرَابًا ) in Q.56:37). However, another interpretation of Atrab (in Q.56:37 and also Q.78:33) by Muhammad Haleen, describes Houri "as being of similar age to their companions". An Islamic Books pamphlet also states Houri will "have

1843-495: Is also referred to as the abode of Adam and Eve before their expulsion. Most Muslims hold that Jannah and Jahannam co-exist with the temporal world, rather than being created after Judgement Day . Humans may not pass the boundaries to the afterlife, but it may interact with the temporal world of humans. According to some Islamic teachings, there are two categories of the people of heaven: those who go directly to it and those who enter it after enduring some torment in hell; Also,

1940-400: Is any generalization that can be made of "contemporary attitudes" toward the nature of the hereafter, including Houri, it is that it is "beyond human comprehension ... beyond time", that the Quran only "alluded to analogously". According to 8th Shia Imam, Imam Reza , the heavenly spouses are created of dirt ( Creation of life from clay ) and saffron. It has traditionally been believed that

2037-503: Is commonly and wrongfully used as a posthumous title for those who are considered to have accepted or even consciously sought out their own death in order to bear witness to their beliefs. Like the English-language word martyr , in the 20th century, the word shahid came to have both religious and non-religious connotations, and has often been used to describe those who died for non-religious ideological causes. In Arabic ,

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2134-476: Is described as a huge esplanade of musk". As "the veil of light before the Throne lifts, God appears with the radiance of the full moon, and His voice can be heard saying, 'Peace be upon you.'" Hadith include stories of the saved being served an enormous feast where "God Himself is present to offer to His faithful ones delicacies kneaded into a kind of pancake". In another series of narratives, God personally invites

2231-607: Is directly under the Throne and the place from which the four rivers of Paradise flow. Others say the uppermost portion is either the Garden of Eden or 'Iliyi and that is the second level from the top. Another possibility is that there are four separate realms of the blessed, of which either Firdaws or Eden is the uppermost. This is based on Surah 55, which talks about two Gardens: ("As for him who fears standing before his Lord there are two Gardens [Jannatan]") [S 55:46). All descriptions following this verse are of things in pairs, (i.e. in

2328-409: Is drawn a heaven of seven tiers (which is also "a structure familiar to Middle Eastern cosmogony since the early Babylonian days"). Another school of thought insists Jannah actually has "eight layers or realms" as the Quran gives "eight different names ... for the abode of the blessed". Some descriptions of Jannah/the Garden indicate that the most spacious and highest part of the Garden, Firdaws, which

2425-619: Is killed defending his or her property is considered a martyr. Bosnians who died during the Bosnian War and the Bosnian genocide are considered martyrs by many due to them being killed for being Muslim. The Muslim General Ma Fuxiang stated on how Chinese Muslims were willing to die to accomplish tasks assigned to them. Imams sponsored by the Kuomintang called for Muslims to go on Jihad to become martyrs in battle, where Muslims believe they will go automatically to heaven. Becoming

2522-463: Is of the age of "young girls when their breasts are beginning to appear". At least one person (M Faroof Malik) translates Arabic : قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ in verse Q.55:56 as "bashful virgins". Sunni sources mention that like all men and women of Paradise, the houris do not experience urination , defecation or menstruation . Ibn Kathir states that jinns will have female jinn companions in Paradise. According to Smith and Haddad, if there

2619-803: Is paradise!" ( Q13:24 ). Inside there will be neither too much heat nor bitter cold; there will be fountains ( Q.88:10 ), abundant shade from spreading tree branches green with foliage (Q.53:14–16, also Q.36:56–57 ). They will be passed a cup ( Q.88:10–16 ) full of wine "wherefrom they will get [no] aching of the head” (hangovers) [Q.56:19], and "which leads to no idle talk or sinfulness" ( Q.52:23 ), and every meat ( Q.52:22 ) and trees from which an unceasing supply of fruits grow ( Q.36:56–57 ), "that looks similar ˹but tastes different˺"; ( Q.2:25 ) adornment with golden and pearl bracelets ( Q.35:33 ) and green garments of fine silk and brocade ( Q.18:31 ); attended upon by [ghulman] ( Q.52:24 ), servant-boys (eternal youths (56:17, 76:19)) like spotless pearls ( Q.52:24 ). While

2716-426: Is the name of a spring that is the source of the rivers of Rahma (mercy) and Al-Kawthar (abundance). Sidrat al-Muntaha is a Lote tree that marks the end of the seventh heaven , the boundary where no angel or human can pass. Muhammad is supposed to have taken a pomegranate from jannah, and shared it with Ali , as recorded by Nasir al-Din al-Tusi . However, some scholars, like Ghazali , reject that Muhammad took

2813-778: Is thus not the outcome that determines the placement in Heaven but rather the intention. Nonetheless, Paradise for a shahid is a popular concept in the Islamic tradition according to Hadith, and the attainment of this title is honorific. Muhammad is reported to have said these words about martyrdom: By Him in Whose Hands my life is! I would love to be martyred in Allah's Cause and then get resurrected and then get martyred, and then get resurrected again and then get martyred and then get resurrected again and then get martyred. The Prophet said, "Nobody who enters Paradise likes to go back to

2910-576: Is used frequently in the Quran in the generic sense of "witness" but only once in the sense of "martyr" (i.e. one who dies for his faith); the latter sense acquires wider usage in the hadith . The first martyr for Islam was a woman ; a Divine, unparalleled, universal and eternal honor. The term's usage is also borrowed by non-Muslim communities where persianate Islamic empires held cultural influence, such as amongst Hindus and Sikhs in India. The term

3007-406: Is where the messengers, prophets , Imams , and martyrs ( shahids ) dwell. Al-Suyuti and Kitāb aḥwāl al-qiyāma each gives names to the levels that do not always coincide (see table to right). Two verses of the Quran (Qu'ran 7:40, 39:73) mention "gates" or "doors" (using the plural form) as the entrance of paradise, but say nothing about their number, names or any other characteristics. As in

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3104-435: Is with you as a passing guest. Very soon, he will part with you and come to us." Verse Q.78:33 describes Houri with the noun ka'ib , translated as "with swelling breasts" by several translators—like Arberry , Palmer , Rodwell and Sale (it is also translated as "buxom" or "full bosomed"). At least two Islamic Fatwa sites (islamweb.net and islamqa.info) have attacked the use of these translations by those who "criticize

3201-457: The Muslim faithful in paradise . They are described as the same age as the men in paradise. Since hadith states people will be aged 30–33 lunar years in heaven, this translates to 29–32 Gregorian solar years. The term "houris" is used only four times in the Quran , although the houris are mentioned indirectly several other times, (sometimes as azwāj , lit. companions), and hadith provide

3298-548: The Quraysh , stabbed her in the abdomen. Though her name is not common in the modern Muslim dialogue, ancient Islamic literature makes note of the events at the end of her life. In the course of the eighteenth century, there were several wars of independence within the colonial territories of the Muslim World. Many of the soldiers who died during these conflicts were given the title shahid upon their burial. A Muslim who

3395-425: The afterlife more detail on articles of faith: the belief in the oneness of God ( tawḥīd ), angels , revealed books , messengers , as well as repentance to God, and doing good deeds ( amal salih ). All these qualities are qualified by the doctrine that ultimately salvation can only be attained through God's judgment. The idea that jinn as well as humans could find salvation was widely accepted, based on

3492-464: The "blessed" (humans and jinn) guiding them, officiating marriages, conveying messages, praising them, etc. The devils cannot return to paradise, because Islamic scripture states that their father, the fallen angel Iblis, was banished, but never suggests that he or his offspring were forgiven or promised to return. The eschatological destiny of these creatures is summarized in the prophetic tradition: "One kind of beings will dwell in Paradise, and they are

3589-511: The (most superior) Paradise of Al-Firdaus. Furthermore, Samura narrated: The Prophet said, "Last night two men came to me (in a dream) and made me ascend a tree and then admitted me into a better and superior house, better of which I have never seen. One of them said, 'this house is the house of martyrs.' There are at least five different kinds of martyrs according to hadith. Allah's Apostle said, "Five are regarded as martyrs: They are those who die because of plague, abdominal disease, drowning or

3686-490: The Arabic dual form) – two fountains flowing, fruit of every kind in pairs, beside these two other gardens with two springs (Q.55:62,66). Still others have proposed that the seven levels suggested by the Qur'an are the seven heavens, above which is the Garden or final abode of felicity, while many see paradise as only one entity with many names. (According to one source – a member of the fatwa team at Islamweb.net – only God knows

3783-488: The Clear Quran) Smith and Haddad summarize some of the Quranic pleasures: Choirs of angels will sing in Arabic (the only language used in paradise), the streets will be as familiar as those of the dwellers' own countries, inhabitants will eat and drink 100 times more than earthly bodies could hold and will enjoy it 100 times more, their rooms will have thick carpets and brocade sofas, on Fridays they will go to

3880-436: The Garden are the good believers [ al-mu'mināt al-ṣalihāt ] known in the Qur'an as al-ḥūr al-ʿayn , (although he also makes a distinction between earthly women and houri). Verses that are thought to refer to women from earth in paradise (Q.2:25, 3:15, and 4:57) talk of "purified companions" [ azwāj muṭahhara ], which distinguishes them from ḥūr, who are by definition "pure rather than purified". Muhammad Asad believes that

3977-455: The Quran (Q.55:74) where the saved are promised maidens "untouched before by either men or jinn" – suggesting to classical scholars al-Suyūṭī and al-Majlisī that jinn also are provided their own kind of houri maidens in paradise. Like humans, their destiny in the hereafter depends on whether they accept God's guidance. Angels, on the other hand, because they are not subject to desire and so are not subject to temptation, work in paradise serving

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4074-548: The Quran never mentions God being in the Garden, the faithful are promised the opportunity to gaze upon His face, something the inhabitants of the Fire will be deprived of. Inhabitants will rejoice in the company of any parents, spouses, and children who were admitted to paradise ( Q52:21 ) —conversing and recalling the past. One day in paradise is considered equal to a thousand years on earth. Palaces are made from bricks of gold, silver, pearls, among other things. Traditions also note

4171-427: The Quran", or who "seek to make Islam appear to be a religion of sex and desire". Ibn Kathir , in his tafsir , writes that kawa'ib has been interpreted to refer to "fully developed" or "round breasts ... they meant by this that the breasts of these girls will be fully rounded and not sagging, because they will be virgins." Similarly, the authoritative Arabic–English Lexicon of Edward William Lane defines

4268-720: The Xinhai revolution. Some Uyghur activists have referred to victims of the Persecution of Uyghurs in China that died, martyrs. In modern political usage, various Palestinian groups consider all Palestinians killed in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict to be martyrs for the cause, whether they be civilians or fighters. Militant groups such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad consider martyrdom as

4365-405: The allegorical meaning. While some Quranic verses suggest hellfire is eternal and some that its punishment will not necessarily be forever for Muslims who committed grave sins, verses on Jannah are less ambiguous. Eternality assured in verses about paradise such as Qu'ran 3:198, 4:57, and 57:12, which say that the righteous will be khālidūn fīhā (eternally in it), and Qu'ran 35:35, which describes

4462-579: The angels; one kind will dwell in Hell, and they are the demons; and another kind will dwell some in Paradise and some in Hell, and those are the jinn and the humans." Muslim scholars disagree about exact criteria for salvation of Muslim and non-Muslim. Although most agree that Muslims will be finally saved – shahids (martyrs) who die in battle, are expected to enter paradise immediately after death – non-Muslims are another matter. Muslim scholars arguing in favor of non-Muslims' being able to enter paradise cite

4559-459: The believing women of this world or a separate creation, with the majority opting for the latter. The Qur'an describes paradise as a "great kingdom" (Q.76:20) stretching out over and above the entire world, and "lofty" (Q.69:22). Paradise is "as vast as the heavens and the earth" (Q.3:133). There are four rivers: one each of water, milk, honey, and wine ( 47:15 ). (They were later identified as Kawthar , Kafur , Tasnim , and Salsabil .) Despite

4656-500: The case of the levels of Jannah, later sources elaborate, giving names and functions but don't agree on all details (see table to right). In traditions, each level of the eight principal gates of Paradise is described as generally being divided into a hundred degrees guarded by angels (in some traditions Ridwan ). The highest level is known as firdaws (sometimes called Eden) or Illiyin . Entrants will be greeted by angels with salutations of peace or As-Salamu Alaykum . Jannah

4753-723: The concept of hell . There are many Arabic words for both Heaven and Hell that also appear in the Qu'ran and in the Hadith . Most of them have become part of Islamic beliefs. Jannah is also used as the name of the Garden of Eden in which Adam and Hawa ( Eve ) dwelt. Scholars do not all agree on who will end up in Jannah, and the criteria for whether or not they will. Issues include whether all Muslims, even those who've committed major sins, will end up in Jannah; whether any non-Muslims will go there or all go to Jahannam. The Quran specifies

4850-515: The crown of dignity is placed upon his head—and its gems are better than the world and what is in it—he is married to seventy-two wives among the wide-eyed houris (Ar. اثْنَتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ زَوْجَةً مِنَ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ ) of Paradise, and he may intercede for seventy of his close relatives. (This hadith is sometimes erroneously attributed to the Quran.) In the Quran, there is no overt mention of sexual intercourse in Paradise . However, it

4947-642: The dark-eyed maidens due to their prayer, fasting, and devotions." Other authorities appear to indicate that houris themselves are the women of this world resurrected in new form, with Razi commenting that among the houris mentioned in the Quran will also be "[even] those toothless old women of yours whom God will resurrect as new beings". Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari mentions that all righteous women, however old and decayed they may have been on earth, will be resurrected as virginal maidens and will, like their male counterparts, remain eternally young in paradise. Modernist scholar Muḥammad ʿAbduh states "the women of

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5044-1146: The delights of paradise: 'And whoever is in awe of standing before their Lord will have two Gardens ... ˹Both will be˺ with lush branches. ... In each ˹Garden˺ will be two flowing springs. ... In each will be two types of every fruit. ... Those ˹believers˺ will recline on furnishings lined with rich brocade. And the fruit of both Gardens will hang within reach. ... In both ˹Gardens˺ will be maidens of modest gaze, who no human or jinn has ever touched before. ... Those ˹maidens˺ will be ˹as elegant˺ as rubies and coral. ... Is there any reward for goodness except goodness? ... And below these two ˹Gardens˺ will be two others. ... Both will be dark green. ... In each will be two gushing springs. ... In them are fruits, palm trees, and pomegranates. ... In all Gardens will be noble, pleasant mates ...˹They will be˺ maidens [houris] with gorgeous eyes, reserved in pavilions. .... No human or jinn has ever touched these ˹maidens˺ before. ... All ˹believers˺ will be reclining on green cushions and splendid carpets. Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny? (Q.55:46–76, Mustafa Khattab,

5141-447: The details given in the Quran about Jannah/Garden, "nowhere" is there found "an ordered picture of the structure" of the abode. "For the most part Islamic theology has not concerned itself with questions about the location and structure of the Garden and the Fire on the understanding that only God knows these particulars." Many sources agree that paradise has "various degrees and levels". One conservative Salafi source, quotes as evidence

5238-451: The eschatological material enormously particularly in areas on where "the Quran is relatively silent" about the nature of Jannah. Some of the more popular Sunni manuals of eschatology are Kitāb al-rūḥ of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzīya and al-Durra al-fākhira ft kashf 'ulūm al-ākhira of Abǖ Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī. Inside Jannah, the Quran says the saved "will have whatever they wish for, forever"; (Q.25:16). Other verses give more specific descriptions of

5335-516: The eschatological status of this-worldly women vis-à-vis the houris, scholars have maintained that righteous women of this life are of a higher station than the houris. Sunni theologian Aḥmad al-Ṣāwī (d. 1825), in his commentary on Ahmad al-Dardir 's work, states, "The sound position is that the women of this world will be seventy thousand times better than the dark-eyed maidens ( ḥūr ʿīn )." Muḥammad ibn ʿUmar Baḥraq (d.1524) mentions in his didactic primer for children that "Adamic women are better than

5432-401: The exact number of the levels of Paradise, but reliable hadith say the number of levels of Jannah may be the same as the number of verses in the Quran, i.e. over 6000 verses.) One version of the layered Garden conceptualization describes the highest level of heaven ( al-firdaws ) as being said to be so close that its inhabitants could hear the sound of God's throne above. This exclusive location

5529-496: The eyebrows and the head", "pure" and "beautiful". Sunni hadith scholars also relate a number of sayings of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad in which the houris are mentioned. Everyone will have two wives from the houris, (who will be so beautiful, pure and transparent that) the marrow of the bones of their legs will be seen through the bones and the flesh. The first group to get into Paradise will be like

5626-489: The fate of a soul after death. The soul of the righteous spends three nights near the corpse, and at the end of the third night, the soul sees its own religion (daena) in the form of a beautiful damsel, a lovely fifteen year-old virgin; thanks to good actions she has grown beautiful; they then ascend heaven together. In The Syro-Aramaic Reading of the Koran , a 2007 book by " Christoph Luxenberg " (pseudonym of unknown author),

5723-476: The first Meccan period ". Details of descriptions of houri (or ḥūr), in hadith collections differ, but one summary (by Smith & Haddad) states: they are generally said to be composed of saffron from the feet to the knees, musk from the knees to the breast, amber from the breast to the neck, and camphor from the neck to the head. Working often with multiples of seven, the traditionalists have described them as wearing seventy to 70,000 gowns, through which even

5820-720: The forced conversions of Hindus in Kashmir to Islam because he believed in freedom of conscience and human rights. He was publicly beheaded in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi . Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi marks the shahid-ganj , or place of execution of the Guru. The Sikh have other major pilgrimage sites, such as the shahid-ganj in Sirhind, where two sons of Guru Gobind Singh were bricked alive by

5917-437: The fruit, argued he had only a vision instead. According to scholars Jane I. Smith, Yvonne Y. Haddad, while there are Muslims of a "philosophical or mystical" bent who interpret descriptions of heaven and hell "metaphorically", "the vast majority of believers", understand verses of the Quran on Jannah (and hellfire) "to be real and specific, anticipating them" with joy or terror, although this view "has generally not insisted that

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6014-614: The full moon during the night, and the one following this group will be like the most luminescent of the sky's shining stars in the sky; each man among them will have two spouses, the marrow of whose shanks will glimmer be visible from beneath the flesh—none will be without a spouse in Paradise. Al-Hasan Al-Basri says that an old woman came to the messenger of God and asked, O Messenger of God make dua that God grants me entrance into Jannah . The Messenger of God replied, "O Mother, an old woman cannot enter Jannah." That woman started crying and began to leave. The Messenger of God said, "Say to

6111-548: The highest form of sacrifice for the Palestinian cause. This ethos is widespread in educational materials, visual media, community events and ceremonies. Similar concepts, and sometimes words with the same etymology, exist in many other religions and Secular ideologies : The first suicide bomber was possibly a Russian revolutionary in 1881. Arab Christians used the word Shaheed, which also means witness, before Islam, as it literally means those who saw Christ, and

6208-427: The houris are beautiful women who are promised as a reward to believing men, with numerous hadith and Quranic exegetes describing them as such. In recent years, however, some have argued that the term ḥūr refers both to pure men and pure women (it being the plural term for both the masculine and feminine forms which refer to whiteness) and the belief that the term houris only refers to females who are in paradise

6305-564: The houris, who are the physical manifestations of ideal forms that will not fade away over time and who will serve as faithful companions to those whom they accompany. According to Islamic scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi the houri is just an adjective used to describe beauty of women from this world, who would be given a new beautiful appearance in afterlife. The houri has been said to resemble afterlife figures in Zoroastrianism narratives: The Zoroastrian text, Hadhoxt Nask, describes

6402-467: The inhabitants "is greater" than the pleasure of the Gardens (Q.9:72), the true beauty of paradise, the greatest of all rewards, surpassing all other joys. On the day on which God brings the elect near to his throne ( ‘arsh ), "some faces shall be shining in contemplating their Lord". The visit is described as Muhammad leading the men and Fatimah leading the women to approach the Throne , "which

6499-521: The inhabitants of Jannah "to visit with Him every Friday". "Perhaps no aspect of Islamic eschatology has so captured the imagination" of both "Muslims and non-Muslims" as houri ( ḥūr ). Men will get untouched Houri in paradise ( Q55:56 ), virgin companions of equal age ( 56:35–38 ) and have large, beautiful eyes ( 37:48 ). Houri have occasioned "spectacular elaborations" by later Islamic eschatological writers, but also "some derision by insensitive Western observers and critics of Islam". The Quran also states

6596-518: The literal term meaning paradise , which was borrowed from the Persian word Pardis ( Persian : پردیس ), which is also the source of the English word "paradise". Firdaus is used in Qu'ran 18:107 and 23:11 and also designates the highest level of heaven. In contrast to Jannah , the words Jahannam , an-Nār , jaheem , saqar , and other terms are used to refer to

6693-405: The marrow of their bones can be seen because of the fineness of their flesh, reclining on seventy couches of red hyacinth encrusted with rubies and jewels, and the like. The ḥūr do not sleep, do not get pregnant, do not menstruate, spit, or blow their noses, and are never sick. In hadith, Houris have been described as "transparent to the marrow of their bones", "eternally young", "hairless except

6790-406: The masculine form encompasses the female in classical and Quranic Arabic—thus functioning as an all-gender including default form—and is used in the Quran to address all humanity and all the believers in general. In The Message of The Qur'an , Muhammad Asad describes the usage of the term ḥūr in the verses 44:54 and 56:22, arguing that "the noun ḥūr—rendered by me as 'companions pure'—is

6887-549: The origins of the word to be the Middle Persian hū̆rust 'well grown.' The houris are mentioned in several passages of the Quran , always in plural form, but only mentioned directly four times. No specific number is ever given in the Quran for the number of houris accompanying each believer. In the tafsirs and commentaries on the Quran, Houris are described as: It is thought that the four verses specifically mentioning Houri were all "probably" 'revealed' at "the end of

6984-449: The people of hell are of two categories: those who stay there temporarily and those who stay there forever. Jannah is found frequently in the Qur'an (2:30, 78:12) and often translated as "Heaven" in the sense of an abode in which believers are rewarded in afterlife. Another word, سماء samāʾ (usually pl. samāwāt ) is also found frequently in the Quran and translated as " heaven " but in

7081-401: The presence of horses and camels of "dazzling whiteness", along with other creatures. Large trees whose shades are ever deepening, mountains made of musk , between which rivers flow in valleys of pearl and ruby . While the Quran is full of "graphic" descriptions of the "physical pleasures" for the inhabitants of the Garden, it also states that the "acceptance [ riḍwān ] from God" felt by

7178-470: The presence of their Lord ; They rejoice in the bounty provided by Allah. And with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the (Martyrs) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve. Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain:

7275-549: The promise of houris is interpreted to relate to pure white grapes or raisins, not virgins, reflecting contemporary expectations of life in paradise in Syriac Christianity . Shahid Shahid ( Arabic : شهيد , romanized :  Shahīd   [ʃahiːd] , fem.   شهيدة [ʃahiːdah] , pl.   شُهَدَاء   [ʃuhadaː] ) denotes a martyr in Islam . The word

7372-468: The qualities for those allowed to inhabit Jannah (according to Smith and Haddad) as: "those who refrain from doing evil, keep their duty, have faith in God's revelations, do good works, are truthful, penitent, heedful, and contrite of heart, those who feed the needy and orphans and who are prisoners for God's sake." Another source ( Sebastian Günther and Todd Lawson) gives as the basic criterion for salvation in

7469-479: The realities of the next world will be identical with those of this world". Besides the material notion of the paradise, descriptions of it are also interpreted as allegories , whose meaning is the state of joy believers will experience in the afterlife. For some theologians, seeing God is not a question of sight, but of awareness of God's presence. Although early Sufis, such as Hallaj , took the descriptions of Paradise literal, later Sufi traditions usually stressed out

7566-517: The references to houris and other depictions of paradise should be understood as allegorical rather than literal, citing the "impossibility of man's really 'imagining' paradise". In support of this view he quotes Quran verse 32:17 and a hadith found in Bukhari and Muslim. Shi'ite philosopher Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai mentions that the most important fact of the description of the houris is that good deeds performed by believers are re-compensated by

7663-530: The reward of dār al-maqāma [the abode of everlastingness]. Consequently, neither "theologians nor the traditionalists" have had any doubts about the eternal nature of paradise or the residence of the righteous in it. Houris In Islam , a houri ( / ˈ h ʊər r i / or / ˈ h aʊ ə r i / ; Arabic : حُـورِيَّـة ,حُورِيّ , romanized :  ḥūriyy, ḥūrīya , lit.   'maiden') or hoor al ayn in plural form, refers to maiden women with beautiful eyes who live alongside

7760-476: The same age as their husbands so that they can relate to each other better", but also adds that they will "never become old"; (Translations of Q.56:37 and Q.78:33—for example by Mustafa Khattab's the Clear Quran and by Pickthall—often include the phrase "equal age" but do not specify what the houris are of equal age to.) On the other hand, the houris were created "without the process of birth", according to

7857-435: The saved "will have pure spouses," (without indicating gender) ( Q2:25 , Q4:57 ), accompanied by any children that did not go to Jahannam ( Q52:21 ), and attended to by servant-boys with the spotless appearance similar to a protected pearls ( Q52:24 ). Despite the Quranic description above, Houris have been described as women who will accompany faithful Muslims in Paradise. Muslim scholars differ as to whether they refer to

7954-438: The sense of the sky above or the celestial sphere . (It is often used in the phrase as-samawat wal-ard ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ "the heavens and the earth", an example being Qu'ran 38:10.) The Qu'ran describes both samāʾ and jannah as being above this world. Jannah is also frequently translated as "paradise", but another term with a more direct connection to that term is also found, Firdaus (Arabic: فردوس ),

8051-446: The term as being allegorical. The Sunni hadith scholar Al-Tirmidhi quotes Muhammad as having said: The smallest reward for the people of Heaven is an abode where there are eighty thousand servants and seventy-two houri, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls , aquamarine , and ruby , as wide as the distance from al-Jabiyyah to San'a . However, others object that the narration granting all men seventy-two wives has

8148-510: The truth of Islam but "truthful to their own religion", will not. Modernist scholars Muhammad Abduh and Rashid Rida rejected the notion that the People of the Book are excluded from Jannah, referring to another verse. Sources on Jannah include the Quran, Islamic traditions, creeds, Quranic commentaries ( tafsir ) and "other theological writing". "Third Islamic century traditionalists amplified

8245-468: The verse: "Indeed, the believers, Jews, Christians, and Sabians—whoever ˹truly˺ believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good will have their reward with their Lord. And there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve." Those arguing against non-Muslim salvation regard this verse to have applied only until the arrival of Muhammad , after which it was abrogated by another verse: "Whoever seeks

8342-402: The woman that one will not enter in a state of old age, but God will make all the women of Jannah young virgins. God Most High says, 'Lo! We have created them a (new) creation and made them virgins, lovers, equal in age. ' " A woman does not annoy her husband but his spouse from amongst the maidens with wide eyes intensely white and deeply black will say: "Do not annoy him, may Allah ruin you. He

8439-416: The word ḥūr ( Arabic : حُور ) is the plural of both ʾaḥwar ( Arabic : أحْوَر ) (masculine) and ḥawrāʾ ( Arabic : حَوْراء ) (feminine) which can be translated as "having eyes with an intense contrast of white and black". The word "houri" entered several European languages in the 17th and 18th centuries. Arthur Jeffery and other scholars suggests an Iranian origin for the term, proposing

8536-450: The word ka'ib as "A girl whose breasts are beginning to swell, or become prominent, or protuberant or having swelling, prominent, or protuberant, breasts." However, M. A. S. Abdel Haleem and others point out that the description here refers in classical usage to the young age rather than emphasizing the women's physical features. Others, such as Abdullah Yusuf Ali , translate ka'ib as "companions", with Muhammad Asad interpreting

8633-601: The word shahid means "witness". Its development closely parallels that of the Greek word martys ( μάρτυς , lit.   ' witness ' ; also "martyr" in the New Testament ), the origin of the term martyr . A shahid is considered one whose place in Paradise is promised according to these verses in the Quran : Think not of those who are slain in Allah 's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in

8730-623: The word "shahid" as a synonym to the Sanskrit word "hutātmā" (हुतात्मा in Devanagari and হুতাত্মা in Bengali ; हुत् and হুত্ hut = sacrificing, आत्मा and আত্মা ātmā = soul, thus hutātmā = sacrificing soul / martyr), to denote Hindu martyrs. The concept of martyrdom exists in Judaism, but uses words with different etymology. In Judaism, martyrdom is one of the main examples of Jews doing

8827-451: The world even if he got everything on the Earth, except a Mujahid who wishes to return to the world so that he may be martyred ten times because of the dignity he receives (from Allah). Several hadith also indicate the nature of a shahid's life in Paradise. Shahids attain the highest level of Paradise, the Paradise of al-Firdous. Haritha was martyred on the day (of the battle) of Badr, and he

8924-770: Was originally used for the early Christians who saw Jesus with their own eyes and were later killed for their faith. The word is still used by Christians in Arab-speaking countries, including the names of churches. Examples are the Forty Martyrs Cathedral ( Arabic : كنيسة الأربعين شهيد ) in Aleppo , Syria and the " Saint George the Martyr Cathedral " ( Arabic : كنيسة القدّيس الشهيد مار جرجس ) in Damascus . In South Asia, Hindus adopted

9021-530: Was a funeral prayer offered for them. A woman is considered "shahida" ( شَهِيدَة šahīdah ) if she dies during the fulfillment of a religious commandment. A woman can also be considered a martyr if she dies during childbirth. There are examples of women fighting in war such as Nusaybah bint Ka'ab . The first martyr (male or female) in Islam was Sumayyah bint Khayyat , who was executed for her conversion to Islam. She died after Abu Jahl, an anti-Muslim leader of

9118-400: Was a young boy then. His mother came to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! You know how dear Haritha is to me. If he is in Paradise, I shall remain patient, and hope for reward from Allah, but if it is not so, then you shall see what I do?" He said, "May Allah be merciful to you! Have you lost your senses? Do you think there is only one Paradise? There are many Paradises and your son is in

9215-587: Was arrested under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and asked to convert to Islam. He refused, was tortured and executed in 1606 CE. Historical records and the Sikh tradition are unclear whether Guru Arjan was executed by drowning or died during torture. His martyrdom, that is becoming a shahid , is considered a watershed event in the history of Sikhism. Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom resulted from refusing to convert and for resisting

9312-624: Was borrowed from the Islamic culture in Punjab when Sikhism was founded, and before the start of the British Raj it referred to the Sikh people who met death at the hands of oppressors. Another related term is shahid-ganj , which means a "place of martyrdom". The most discussed shahid in Sikhism have been two of their Gurus , namely Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur for defying Islamic rulers and refusing to convert to Islam. Guru Arjan

9409-412: Was necessary for Divine justice, thus rejecting the idea of intercession ( Shafa'a ) by Muhammad on behalf of sinners. Unlike other schools it believed Jannah and Jahannam would be created only after Judgement Day. Like most Sunni, Shia Islam hold that all Muslims will eventually go to Jannah, and like the Ash'ari school, believe heedless and stubborn unbelievers will go to hell, while those ignorant of

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