Origin of the muslim virgins?

[flobadob]

As I understand it, in Islam, when a man dies he gets a load of virgins when he gets to heaven, I'm not sure of the number. My questions are
1. Is this the case?
2. Are these virgins in a stockpile or created as each man dies?
3. If he's married when he dies does his wife have to put up with the virgins upon her death or does she meet him then?
Obviously if my initial query is wrong disregard the rest of it.

[naomi24]

It's getting late and I can't remember where I got this, but I think it applies only to martyrs, and virgins is a mistranslation of the original text. He is actually promised raisins. What a disappointment!

(Maybe someone here can throw some light on it).

[jake-the-peg]

You got it I should think from the Channel 4 documentry on the Koran.

The last part of this featured the work of Christoph Luxenberg who wrote this book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Syro-Aramaic_ Reading_Of_The_Koran


Obviously this is not widely accepted and you have to be careful about jumping on bandwagons simply because they reinforce your own prejudices (We'll leave that for the News topic!) but it is interesting

[naomi24]

Jumping on bandwagons, Jake? No, merely pointing out that there may have been a mistake in the translation. As far as prejudices are concerned, yes I am prejudiced against suicide bombers who aim to kill thousands of innocent people - and I make no apology for that.

[Octavius]

Actually some say that the word 'virgins' was mistranslated and should be 'angels'. Furthermore, beingin heaven with the angels is the preserve of all muslims, not just martyrs.

Although having said that , suicide is forbidden in Islam, so those suicide bombers would effectively end up somewhere else completely.

[brionon]

The mistake in translation is-instead of 76 virgins-they get One 76 year old virgin.

[keyplus90]

If anyone is really interested then I think this is a very precise link if not fully comprehensive. However if someone wants to pick bones then there are so many other links available there.

http://www.guidedones.com/metapage/frq/islamic par.htm

However if you ask me personally, I do not think anyone is doing anything in this world for the sake of 70 virgins. I would do anything to be near to the creator and that is more important than anything else. This theology of 70 virgins has been popularized more by the western media. Even Jihad has been misunderstood not only by media but before that by few Muslims. Jihad is not only as we know it, just going out and killing. You work hard and earn lawfully for your family, that is Jihad. You see someone being victimized, socially, physically, or otherwise, stand up and oppose it, even that is jihad and so many other things. That is a different subject.

[Octavius]

If there is any misunderstanding of the word jihad then this has been perpetuated by those that have used it to carry out acts of terror. It harks back to the debates about �legitimate targets� and infidels.

Whilst jihad really refers to a struggle, the most obvious translation would be ones personal struggle towards self improvement in the eyes of God. However, people like Bin Laden and Saddam and their minions, manipulated the meaning to exact and justify vengeance upon �infidels� as a Holy War.

The modern understanding of jihad is as a result of those people who use the terminology to carry out attacks on anyone who is not a strict Sharia-law-abiding Muslim.

[jake-the-peg]

Wasn't accusing you Naomi - sorry if it sounded like that.

It's just we are all more likely to believe theories that reinforce our existing opinions rather than challenge them.

[keyplus90]

Octavius � Yes I agree with you on that. I know you have thorough knowledge about what is going on in this world. I will refer to two examples you gave. Would you agree with me on these things?

1. Osama Bin laden & CO were given birth and used by the West (Specifically America) during the Russian Invasion of Afghanistan with the help of General Zia Ul Haq at that time. People before that (in Pakistan what I know) never had this sole concept of Jihad. Training camps were almost every where mainly in tribal areas of Pakistan and people were being recruited openly with the help of govt to send them to Afghanistan to fight. Now those same people are being branded as terrorists as in their mind they are fighting for exactly the same cause: Invasion. But that is a different topic.
2. Same is the case with Saddam. He was given all the weaponry and financial help at that time to fight and eliminate Iranian revolution. OK in his case word Jihad was not very obvious but it was to stop Iranian Islamic revolution. So ginni was given power and permission by the same people who later branded him as dictator.
People did not have this sole concept of Jihad in any Islamic country just 20 years ago

Jihad in Islamic perspective as we know (Qital) is on the ninth stage out of nine. I will just give you one good example. During the life of Muhammad (pbuh) on the occasion of battle one person wanted permission from prophet to join in. As usual he asked him about his family situation. He said I only have old mother and she should be fine. Muhammad (pbuh) said, �No you should go back and look after your old mother and that is a better form of Jihad for you�. Muhammad (pbuh) described Haj (one of the basics) of Islam as the best Jihad for Woman. Why?

[jackthehat]

Would you like to 'phone a friend ?

[naomi24]

Or how about asking this lovely audience, Jack?

[brionon]

Keyplus says-''I would do anything to be near to the creator and that is more important than anything else.''
Need any help ?

[chakka35]

What is the attraction of virgins anyway? Without trying to be crude or going into the detail, 70 of them would be hard work. And what happens for the rest of eternity when they have run out, which, at the rate of one a night, say, would be in two-and-a-third months?

[naomi24]

Chakka, Perhaps they remain virgins for eternity. It has been known. :o)

[terambulan]

He will have the deceased Nuns.....they're all waiting in Paradise for a bit of fun.

[chakka35]

Of course naomi!
But then they'd have to be Roman Catholics, wouldn't they? No, no, --er--Jews. Mary was a Jew. Oh, it's too complicated.
I'll stick to terra firma and real ladies, preferably not virgins.

[naomi24]

They could come from so many other backgrounds too, Chakka. The most famous is only the most recent in a long line of them - but thinking about that really would make it confusing! Best stick to reality. You know where you are - and what you're doing - with reality. :o)

[flobadob]

So, essentially, it is not the case and is due to a mis-translation. According to something I read on a link it's grapes they shall receive. They should actually be told that.
Did anyone ever see the Frankie Boyle joke on this topic, it goes something like, "The Americans say we should not bargain with these muslim terrorists, but I say let's deal with them. What's Allah offering you men, 70 virgins? We'll give you 20 slags. Or 2 women from Dundee." Hilarious stuff.