Sex and the Koran

[atiguhya padma]

I've been reading Tariq Ali's book The Clash of Fundamentalisms, and in it he claims that the Islamic heaven is a place where infinite orgasms occur. He then suggests that the minimum duration of a heavenly orgasm is twenty-four years!! Now, of course, anyone who knows anything about Tariq Ali will realise he considers this to be a whole load of nonsense (and anyone with a sense of humour will see the ridiculous and funny side of this silly assertion regarding heavenly orgasms - the missus and I laughed so much when we read it, we ended up in stitches).

But what Tariq doesn't say - at least not in the body of his text - where this assertion comes from. Does anyone know if this is Koranic?

[Sitaram]

The 24 year duration is only upon the condition that one is not wearing a prophylactic.

Seriously folks.... speaking extemporaneously from my aging and failing memory, having read the "MEANING" of the Glorious Qu'ran by Pickthall from cover to cover (notice that only the original Arabic qualifies as the true Qu'ran, and any translation is refered to as 'THE MEANING",...

There is no mention of orgasm. There one or more passages which mention that a male in paradise shall receive 72 or so Houris, known (in the carnal sense), by neither humans nor Jinn spirits. There is also some mention of young boys, but nothing specific.

You know, since you bring up this topic: a few years ago, I had a conversation with a Muslim about such things. His argument to me was "Well, in heaven/paradise of course we shall have a need for food and drink and sex." He seemed to feel that this conclusion was quite natural. He was angered because I had been pointing out that the Qu'ran's rivers of honey and milk and wine sounded to me like rather messey feeding-trough images (we shall refrain from mentioning any farm animal by name.)

Jesus put the Pharisees and Saducees in their play by saying that, in heaven, people shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but shall be like the angels, the bodiless noetic ones.

I just did a google.com search on "heavenly wh@rehouse" (change the @ to an "o") and came up with over 100 hits. One of those pages listed the following verses from the Qu'ran:

Koran 78:31 As for the righteous, they shall surely triumph. Theirs shall be gardens and vineyards, and high- bosomed virgins for companions: a truly overflowing cup.

Koran 37:40-48 ...They will sit with bashful, dark-eyed virgins, as chaste as the sheltered eggs of ostriches.

Koran 44:51-55 ...Yes and We shall wed them to dark-eyed houris. (beautiful virgins)

Koran 52:17-20 ...They shall recline on couches ranged in rows. To dark-eyed houris (virgins) we shall wed them...

Koran 55:56-57 In them will be bashful virgins neither man nor Jinn will have touched before.Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ?"

Koran 55:57-58 Virgins as fair as corals and rubies. Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ?"

Koran 56:7-40 ...We created the houris (the beautiful women) and made them virgins, loving companions for those on the right hand.. "

Koran 55:70-77 "In each there shall be virgins chaste and fair... Dark eyed virgins sheltered in their tents whom neither man nor Jin will have touched before.. In the Hadiths, Mohammed goes one step further and expands the promise of virgins to include a free sex market where there is no limit of the number of sexual partners. Women and young boys are on display as if in a fruit market where you can choose the desired ripeness.

Quote from Hadiths (the oral tradition considered second to the Qu'ran)

Al Hadis, Vol. 4, p. 172, No. 34 Ali reported that the Apostle of Allah said, "There is in Paradise a market wherein there will be no buying or selling, but will consist of men and women. When a man desires a beauty, he will have intercourse with them."



Koran 52:24 Round about them will serve, to them, boys (handsome) as pearls well- guarded.

Koran 56:17 Round about them will serve boys of perpetual freshness.

Koran 76:19 And round about them will serve boys of perpetual freshness: if thou seest them, thou wouldst think them scattered pearls.

[atiguhya padma]

Thanks for that Sitaram.

I have a feeling that Tariq Ali may have been referring to the hadith. Still, wherever it is written, it is extremely silly. Imagine being interrupted after 23.5 yrs!! You've got to start all over again! How could anyone consider this to be a heavenly blessing??

AP

[Scheherazade]

Talking of Heaven, has anyone noticed that the description of Heaven is always satisfying to those it has been sent to? Like in Qoran, the promise of cool, green gardens and vineyards with rivers running through them... This description might bring joy to those in the Arabic Peninsula, especially 1500 years ago -doubt they had enough water, nevermind cool enough- but I grew up in a small town known for its vineyards and promise of an afterlife in vineyards brings out a mild, involuntary 'blah'... Or thinking of folks living in the UK... I am sure they have had enough of green gardens or water with constant rain and would find a warm, sunny Heaven a better incentive.

[Sitaram]

I realize this present little post of mine is quite frivilous, and somewhat off top, but I stand in need of comic relief.

There is some television series (which I have never seen) called "Sex and the Single Girl." The title of this thread suddenly made me think of "Sex and the Single Prophet."

Of course, I can easily make my post a more serious and on topic by stating the historical fact that there was a time in Muhammed's life when he was single. Most of us are single at the moment of birth, and marry at some future point in our lives, though I suppose in history there may have been some individual who was born married (by means of some arranged marriage no doubt.)

Muhammed was working for Kadijah, a propsperous business women, when she, recognizing his honesty and other fine qualities, suggested that they marry. Kadijah is reckoned as the very first believer to follow Muhammed and submit to Islam. I do not believe that Muhammed took upon himself the burden of additional wives until after Kadijah passed away, but I might well be mistaken in this.

If one is truly curious about the role of sex in the Qu'ran, then one must discuss the life of the Prophet in order to gain some insight.

[papayahed]

But these virgins will only be virgins for so long, then what are new virgins delivered on a daily basis?

[Scheherazade]

ROTFL!
Maybe they will be subjected to a 'self-virgining' process on daily basis. Otherwise, what would they do with all those 'expired' virgins???

[Sitaram]

Scher-- I realize there is more than a little humor in all this. But you do raise a very serious and profound question. I used to know the Surah and verse number by heart. I think it is in the the fourth or fifth Surah. Wait, let me google.

"Lo! Those who disbelieve Our revelations, We shall expose them to the Fire. As often as their skins are consumed We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. Lo! Allah is ever Mighty, Wise." [an-Nisa 4:56]

(Hooray, I remembered correctly, Surah 4)

This business about "fresh skins" in the eternal torment of hell, implies that there is LIFE. I realize this is a subtle difficult point, but such eternal suffering implies continual new life, birth.... correspondingly,... the continual pleasure of paradise must implie some manner of death... (only the prerequiste of death in paradise is much harder to see, whereas the prerequesite of birth in torment, because of the fresh skins, is intuitively obvious.)

There is an obvious similarity between receiving a fresh skin, and receiving perpetually renewed virginity (a hymen).

[subterranean]

Say Sitaram, how bout the promise of pleasure of sex in heaven for women according to Quran..? Seems so far the male species got alot of privilleges..

[papayahed]

Sounds like the muslim idea of heaven is a giant orgy, which seems strange (and sorry for my ignorance on this matter) since isn't there strict dress codes for muslim women?

[Sitaram]

yes,... but the paradise only mentions the pleasures of males..... no "beefcake boys" for the ladies,... sorry.... best bring a book along to read (I would suggest "To Kill a Mockingbird")

The ladies get to read "chick lit" ( you know, finding "mr. right" but no steamy bedroom scenes)

[papayahed]

yes,... but the paradise only mentions the pleasures of males..... no "beefcake boys" for the ladies,... sorry.... best bring a book along to read (I would suggest "To Kill a Mockingbird")

The ladies get to read "chick lit" ( you know, finding "mr. right" but no steamy bedroom scenes)

Well that stinks. I guess I can't put in a request for my virgins to look like this than, can I?:



There hopefully this picture will work.

[subterranean]

Yes exactly. I know about this matter already since I spent sometime studying Qoran when I was still little. I used to play in Mosque also when I was a kid.

Was just being ironic with my previous post

yes,... but the paradise only mentions the pleasures of males..... no "beefcake boys" for the ladies,... sorry.... best bring a book along to read (I would suggest "To Kill a Mockingbird")

The ladies get to read "chick lit" ( you know, finding "mr. right" but no steamy bedroom scenes)

[Amra]

The verses in the Qur'an that speak of afterlife are not to be taken literary. Allah s.v.t says that heaven is not like anything a human mind can conceive. That is why when one reads the verses in the Qur'an about the heaven, it describes it in the way a human mind could understand. Therefore, there are references to those things we can identify with, the things we desire and cannot have, etc. It is just meant to show that no desire will be unfulfilled, nor will people suffer or feel pain. The only thing that we can be sure of is that Allah s.v.t will be just and will reward the believers in ways one cannot imagine. Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) said about heaven:
"What no eye has ever seen and no ear has never heard and no human heart has ever perceived." (Narrated in the book of compiled hadiths by Imam Muslim.) In regards to sexual intercourse, it is believed that woman and man will be living in some form of a marriage just like in this life. The woman who is rewarded with heaven will be on a higher level than any "heavenly virgin" (or huria), and Allah s.v.t will grant her anything she desires. If a woman and a man who were married in this life wish to continue their marriage in after life, they will be able to do that. The human being will also be without any limitations as to his characteristics in this life such as jealousies, envy, hatred, unhappieness, sorrow etc. In the end, we really cannot know how the life in heaven will be, nor can we even try to comprehend, but surly it is the ultimate goal and wish of every muslim to achieve God's satisfaction and live in His presence and Mercy.

[Sitaram]

"What no eye has ever seen and no ear has never heard and no human heart has ever perceived." (Narrated in the book of compiled hadiths by Imam Muslim.)

Perhaps St. Paul was an inspiration for Hadith:

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him.


I wonder if, in Paradise, Allah shall grant anyone freedom from the thrall of boundless desire for pleasure and self-gratification. I wonder if anyone shall ask for such a boon. I wonder if anyone shall ask that all those suffering in the torment of hell be admitted into Paradise. And, if someone DID ask Allah, would their petition be granted? And if it would not be granted, then one cannot say that Allah would grant them anything they request.