Paradise is a Man’s World… Just Ask Mohammed

Oct 19, 2024

There’s a well known example of Mohammed’s teachings about ‘Jannah’ (the Islamic version of heaven) circulating on social media this week and I thought people might like to know a bit more about it and learn some additional facts about Hadith (and ‘Jannah’) at the same time. The Koran and Hadith (stories and traditions about Mohammed) both have much to say on this subject.

Here’s the hadith that's attracted all the attention (a single hadith is not capitalized):

“There is no one whom Allah will admit to Paradise but Allah will marry him to seventy-two wives, two from houris and seventy from his inheritance from the people of Hell, all of whom will have desirable front passages and he will have a male member that never becomes flaccid (i.e., soft and limp)." (Ibn Majah 4337)

But exactly how reliable is that hadith?

Now even though this hadith is from what are referred to as the six ‘authentic’ collections in the Sunni canon which include Bukhari, Muslim, Dawud, Ibn Majah, Al Nasa’i and Tirmidhi (Shiite have four) – the quality of this particular hadith is considered ‘Da’if’. Weak.

A weak hadith is not considered reliable enough to be used in matters of law or theology but can be narrated from regarding good manners or preaching and in this case, it's message is bolstered by the following hadith of a higher quality. 'Hasan' hadith are considered compelling proof in matters of law, but not theology [1]:

"The believer shall be given in Paradise such and such strength in intercourse." it was said: "O Messenger of Allah! And will he able to do that?" He [Mohammed] said: "He will be given the strength of a hundred." (Tirmidhi 2536)

Now Bukhari’s entire collection is considered ‘Sahih’ – ‘sound’ or ‘authentic’ – this is the highest level of strength for a hadith's ‘isnad’ – or chain of transmission. The isnad should be unbroken, of high quality (reliable transmitters) and the hadith corroborated by other reports, although that isn’t an absolute requirement. Depending on other factors a single chain of transmission may be sufficient.

This next hadith on the same topic is from Bukhari.

‘Mohammed said "The first batch (of people) who will enter Paradise will be (glittering) like the full moon, and the batch next to them will be (glittering) like the most brilliant star in the sky. Their hearts will be as if the heart of a single man, for they will have neither enmity nor jealousy amongst themselves; 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." (Bukhari 3254)

Of course the quality of hadith is an important distinction for those who may be pinning their hopes on a favourable outcome at the end of their life. A special case is that of those who are ‘martyred’ in jihad – they are promised a great honour and opportunity and that promise is not only desirable, it is ‘Sahih’ – very sound.

Mohammed said “None of the people of Paradise would wish to return to the world except for the martyr who indeed would love to return to the world saying that he would love to be killed ten times in Allah's cause because of what he has seen of the honor that He has given him." (Tirmidhi 1661)

For the ‘martyr’, here is a way to attain ‘Paradise’ even though they may have led a dissolute life, skipping prayers, drinking alcohol or engaging in other ‘haram’ (forbidden) activities. ‘Martyrdom’ promises to wipe the slate clean. The 'torture of the grave' is taken very seriously in Islam and can be a strong motivator for martyrdom. In fact, dissolute behaviour followed by sudden religiosity may be taken as a signal that someone is about to commit an act of jihad [2, 3]:

Mohammed said “"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, 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 along Al-Huril-'Ayn [Houris] of Paradise, and he may intercede for seventy of his close relatives. [Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih." (Tirmidhi 1663)

Yes, for those who make it to Paradise the rewards certainly appear to be of the flesh, some might even describe them as somewhat hedonistic. But, perhaps this has something to do with Mohammed himself? Another Sahih hadith from Bukhari goes on to say that:

"The Prophet [Mohammed] used to visit all his wives in a round, during the day and night and they were eleven in number." I asked Anas, "Had the Prophet the strength for it?" Anas replied, "We used to say that the Prophet was given the strength of thirty (men)." And Sa`id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven). (Bukhari 5068)

For those who enter ‘Jannah’ in addition to the ‘houris’, delicious food and even the previously denied wine are now flowing:

Koran 56:17-23 ‘There will circulate among them young boys made eternal. With cups, and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine. And fruit of what they select. And the meat of fowl, from whatever they desire. No headache will they have therefrom, nor will they be intoxicated... And (there will be) Houris (fair females) with wide, lovely eyes. The likenesses of pearls well-protected.’

When it comes to Jannah, many verses in the Koran, like the Hadith, emphasize male carnal desires and frequently attest to the beauty and availability of 'untouched' fair maidens for men who enter Paradise. Here are just a few examples:

Koran 37:43-48 In gardens of pleasure; On thrones facing one another; There will be circulated among them a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring, White and delicious to the drinkers; No bad effect is there in it, nor from it will they be intoxicated; And with them will be women limiting [their] glances, with large, [beautiful] eyes,
Koran 52:17-20 Lo! those who kept their duty dwell in gardens and delight, Happy because of what their Lord hath given them, and (because) their Lord hath warded off from them the torment of hell-fire. (And it is said unto them): Eat and drink in health (as a reward) for what ye used to do, Reclining on ranged couches. And we wed them unto fair ones with wide, lovely eyes.
Koran 55:54-56 ‘[They are] reclining on beds whose linings are of silk brocade, and the fruit of the two gardens is hanging low. So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? In them are women limiting [their] glances, untouched before them by man or jinni.
Koran 55:72, 74, 76 ‘Houris (beautiful, fair females) restrained in pavilions… Untouched before them by man or jinni – Reclining on green cushions and rich beautiful mattresses.’
Koran 78:31-33 Lo! for the duteous is achievement - Gardens enclosed and vineyards, And voluptuous women of equal age;

But what of the women? What does Jannah hold for them? For earthly wives, it seems that heavenly houris may provide more than a little competition:

Mohammed said: "No woman annoys her husband but his wife among houris (of Paradise) says: 'Do not annoy him, may Allah destroy you, for he is just a temporary guest with you and soon he will leave you and join us." (Ibn Majah 2014)

And Mohammed also said that the majority of those in hellfire will be women: ‘…for they curse and are disobedient to their husbands…’ (Bukhari 304)

Of course this raises a few questions for Muslim women – chances are they will be replaced with a houri – so exactly what does Paradise offer them? Here is the answer offered by ‘Islam Question & Answer’ [4]

One of the best things that people long for in the Hereafter is, for men, the women of Paradise, namely al-hoor al-‘iyn [houris], and for women there is an equivalent delight. By His great wisdom, Allah has not mentioned what the women will have as the equivalent of al-hoor al-‘iyn for men, and that is due to modesty and shyness. How can He encourage them to seek Paradise by mentioning something that they are too shy and modest to mention or speak about themselves? So He has simply hinted at it, as in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “Therein you shall have (all) that your inner‑selves desire”

This last sentence of the ‘Question & Answer’ scholars refers to Koran 41:31 “We were your allies in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request”

But if ‘whatever your soul desires’ is already spoken for by a cheeky 'Houri,' then what does that mean for the women? Instead of specifics, they’re left with unanswered questions, platitudes, and vague promises of satisfaction.

It seems that for ‘believing’ women, it’s anyone’s guess what Paradise may really have to offer.