Salafus-Saaliheen سلف صالحين

Hoor Al-Iyn and the believing women



Umm Salma (Radhiallaahu Anha) mentions that she asked Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) to explain the Aayat, 'There will be hoorun-een'. (56:22). Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, 'They will be women with wide eyes having a sharp contrast between the white of the cornea and the black of the iris. They will be fair complexioned and their limbs will be free of hair like the wings of a bird.'

Umm Salma (Radhiallaahu Anhu) then asked for an explanation of the verse, 'They will be like concealed pearls' (56:23) to which Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) explained that their purity would be like that of a pearl still inside the oyster, untouched by human hands.'

She then asked for an explanation of the verse, 'They will be good and fair' (55:70) to which Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) replied, 'Their character will be good and their faces will be fair.' She then asked Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) to explain the verse, 'It will be as if they are preserved eggs.' Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, 'Their softness and delicacy would be like that of the skin you see inside the egg under the shell.'



She then asked Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) to explain the verses, 'We made them virgins, loving and equal in age.' (56:36, 37). Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) explained, 'They will be those women who left this world old, grey-haired and purch-skinned. Allah will recreate them after this old-age and will make them loving virgins who would be very passionate towards their husband who in turn would be madly in love with them. They would all be of the same age.'

She then asked, 'O Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), are the women of this world superior or the hurs.' He replied, 'The women of this world will have superiority over the hurs just as the outer lining of a garment has superiority over the inner lining.' Umm Salma (Radhiallaahu Anhu) then asked, 'O Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), what is the reason for this.' He answered, 'Because they performed Salaat, fasted and worshipped Allah. Allah will put light on their faces and silk on their bodies. (the human women) will be fair in complexion and will wear green clothing and yellow jewellery. Their incense-burners will be made of pearls and their combs will be of gold. They will say, 'We are the women who will stay forever and we will never die. We are the women who will always remain in comfort and we will never die. We are the women who will always remain in comfort and we will never undergo difficulty. We are the women who will stay and we will never leave. Listen, we are happy women and we will never become sad. Glad tidings to those men for whom we are and who are for us.'

She then asked, 'A women of this world married two, three or four husband in this world, then dies and enters Jannah with them, who will be her husband' Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) answered, 'O Umm Salma (Radhiallaahu Anhu), she will be allowed to choose between them, so she will choose the one with the best character. She will say to Allah, O Allah, this husband displayed the best character to me in the world, so marry him to me.' Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) further added, 'O Umm Salma, good character has gained (for him) the excellence of this world and the hereafter.'

[narrated by Tabrani vol.23 pg.367; ibn Kathir in his Tafseer under verse22 Surah56]



Imam Qurtubi in his "at-Tadhkirah fi-Ahwalil Mawta wa'l-Akhirah (in Remembrance of the Affairs of the Dead and Doomsday)" and Ibn Kathir in his "al-Bidaya wa'n-Nihaya (Kitabu’l-Fitan wa’l-Malahim) the Termination of the Afflictions and Fierce Battles" tell the story of the songs of houri in heaven: “Houri will sing for their own husbands, songs are so marvelous that every hearer will be so pleased. Houri will say: “We are Houri who has not had a sin.” The women of this world will reply them saying: “We are the fasters (who keep fast), and you are not, we are the prayers, but you are not and we are the givers of charity but you are not.”





Description of the Hoor Al-Iyn:



"In them will be [maidens] restraining their glances, whom no man or jinn has touched before them, Then which of the favours of your Lord shall you deny? Like unto rubies and coral." (Qur'an 55: 56-58)



Abu Hurairah said that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said: "The first group to enter Paradise will be as beautiful as the full moon. They will not spit or blow their noses or excrete. Their vessels will be of gold, their combs of gold and silver and their incense-burners of aloe wood. Their sweat will be of musk. Each of them will have two wives, the marrow of whose leg-bones will be visibla through the flesh because of her extreme beauty." [Bukhari Kitab al khalq, baab maa ja'a fi sifat al-jannah, fath al-baari 6/318 and Muslim Kitaab al-jannah wa sifat na'eem ahliha, baab awwal zumrah tadkhul al-jannah, 4/2178, hadith no.2834.]



The Prophet salallahu alayhi wassallam said: "If one of the women of Paradise were to look at the people of this world everything in between them would be lit up and filled with her fragrance. The veil on her head is better than this world and everything in it." [Bukhari, Kitaab al jihad, baab wa zawwajnahum bi hoor al-iyn, fath al baari, 6/15.]




The believer in Paradise will be given the strength of one hundred men:



Anas reported that the prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said: "The believer in Paradise will be given such and such sexual strength." He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah, will he really be able to do that?" He said: "He will be given the strength of one hundred men." [Tirmidhi, Mishkaat al-masabeeh, 3/90. hadith no. 5636. He said it is ghareeb saheeh.]



May Allah give us Jannah and make us the believing women of Paradise Ameen