"An Islamic terrorist believes he will have virgins waiting for him when he dies." Where does this come from?

Question

I hear a lot of conservative folks out here in the mid west saying this one a lot--that terrorist believe they will have seven virgins waiting for them in the afterlife if they blow themselves up for jihad. Given that there are a lot of racist people where I live, I was wondering where this (mis?)conception comes from and if the Koran really says anything of the sort.

My best guess is that the Koran is like the Bible in that one can read two different interpretations from the same material, or even find contradictory material within the same holy book.

Answer 1

The Qur'an, while referring to the rewards of the pious in the Hereafter, has categorically stated that:

All persons - men as well as women - shall be fully rewarded for their deeds and shall not be wronged in the least (Aal Imraan 3: 195, Al-Nisaa 4: 124, Al-Nahl 16: 97, Ghaafir 40: 40);
They shall get all that they may desire and all that they can ask for, as a first gift from God. His blessings would follow subsequently (Fussilat 41: 31); and
They - (men as well as women) - shall have perfected mates/counterparts/spouses ( Arabic: Azwajun Mutahharatun) as a reward of their deeds (Al-Baqarah 2: 25, Aal Imraan 3: 15, Al-Nisaa 4: 57).
As should be obvious from the above points, there is absolutely no difference in the reward of men and women, as it is mentioned in the Qur'an. Furthermore, it may be noted that the Qur'an has not mentioned anything about '70 huries'. The Qur'an has only mentioned 'perfected spouses/counterparts'. The numerical value of 70 is derived from a Quranic commentary by Ibn kathir.

Answer 2

First, there is no mention anywhere in the Koran of the actual number of virgins available in paradise, and second, the dark-eyed damsels are available for all Muslims, not just martyrs. It is in the Islamic Traditions that we find the 72 virgins in heaven specified: in a Hadith (Islamic Tradition) collected by Al-Tirmidhi (died 892 CE [common era*]) in the Book of Sunan (volume IV, chapters on The Features of Paradise as described by the Messenger of Allah [Prophet Muhammad], chapter 21, About the Smallest Reward for the People of Paradise, (Hadith 2687). The same hadith is also quoted by Ibn Kathir (died 1373 CE ) in his Koranic commentary (Tafsir) of Surah Al-Rahman (55), verse 72: "The Prophet Muhammad was heard saying: 'The smallest reward for the people of paradise is an abode where there are 80,000 servants and 72 wives, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine, and ruby, as wide as the distance from Al-Jabiyyah [a Damascus suburb] to Sana'a [Yemen]

Answer 3

You are right. The problem is there is no one kind of Islam but a whole bunch. It is like Catholics, and Protestants. Do you want to have a central authority, like the Catholics do, who can screw everything up for every body. In this instance at least you have a record of everything, like the Vatican Library. Or do you want a bunch of individual sects, accountable to no one, like the Protestants? Examples: snake handlers, David Koresh, Jim Jones ad infinitum. Islam is like the protestant model. Some are OK, and a whole bunch of crazies and no one is keeping any records.

Answer 4

Koran

Answer 5

anyone can iterpret the Bible or the Koran and so if a person misinterpret the real meaning contained on either of these holy books then it is really a foolishness

Answer 6

A poor and complicated question. the answer to this question is to be a one prevalent by using all. very careful answer is needed. is it an orgdinary question? in any case, i wil attempt to respond to and that i do no longer understand no be counted if wil it persuade you or no longer. see, from stone age to this digital age, guy no longer satisfied on some form of works. pointing a faith did no longer artwork. Terrorists are terrorists and that they might belong countless faith and communities.. There are freedom warring parties and that they fought to get freedom to their international locations. They lost properties, money, repute or maybe family individuals. they are on later point noted as freedom warring parties. the way they are engaging in terrorism is totally no longer agreeable. who're the victims? the user-friendly persons are suffering. I have no finished expertise bearing directly to the stated human beings, yet one that desire freedom or any desire would desire to come open and do assembly the individuals. the persons are the masters of the international. Mahathma Gandhi did it. He carried out chilly sathyagrahas noted as ahimsa.He travelled and met the individuals. human beings realised on listening to the speech. I have no perception on cover and look for coverage. To my view, freedom warring parties are the individuals who will come open, won't cover, and that they gained't do any injury to the individuals, to any usa, to any usa, to any leaders, to any inner maximum/govt properties. thank you..

Answer 7

Maybe heaven for a muslim man is 72 virgins, or maybe its a figure of speak exclaming there happyness. I'm sure there are many verses in the bible a figure of speak way.

Answer 8

here is a page with the sex related verses from the Koran.
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate/heaven.html
I think the one people are referring to usually is Koran 78:31

Answer 9

it was a bad translation.

it read for those that kill innocent people they shall receive a 72 year old virgin not 72 virgins.

Where do you think all those old Catholic nuns go to?

Answer 10

that is to motivate the undereducated muslim young men brimming with hormones and no where to find a wife because the rich have unlimited numbers of wives, to sacrifice themselves as suicide bombers.