The Men and Women of Jannat

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As- Salaam Alaikum!

The topic of the houris in Paradise always brings a smile to the faces of most men, and makes many women feel uncomfortable. This is of course completely understandable.

But have you ever wondered why these heavenly creatures are described with such exquisite detail? Their clothing, their eyes, their skin, their bodies, their poetry, their love - all is mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah in language that leaves little to the imagination. Many a man feels sexually excited thinking about the rewards that await those who are destined to receive them. How many have used those very feelings to entice them to wake up for tahajjud, or to control impious urges of this world?

This fact alone clearly demonstrates that sexual arousal simply cannot, by itself, be anything wrong or sinful. It is quite clear that the purpose of these descriptions is to entice men to do better in order to earn such rewards. It is as if Allah wants us to be motivated by that arousal - to channel that energy into something useful and productive. As we have mentioned more than once before, this is in stark contrast to medieval notions of Christianity, where arousal itself was deemed irreligious.

Extrapolating from this, our sexual desires of this life should also be embraced, but channeled appropriately. If some of our desires are meant to be delayed and experienced in the afterlife, others are meant to be accepted and experienced in this world. This is what Allah intended for us!

And by the way, the strongest position regarding women in Paradise is that they too will have a mate: each woman (even those who died single) will have a husband to take care of her and satisfy her. There are no singles in Paradise; Allah only mentions the female companions of men because men are more overtly sexual creatures. Most women will have their partners of this life in Paradise (and these partners will be the best for them in every aspect), but for those who don't, they too shall be blessed with partners in the next.

So, brothers and sisters, dream away!

Jazakum Allah khayr!

Yasir Qadhi