Knowledge Every Muslim Should Know (Book One)

Gifts of Paradise: Hoor al-'Iyn

GIFTS OF PARADISE: HOOR AL-’IYN

Article I: Hoor al-’Iyn and the Women of Paradise

Pleasing the most Merciful and entering Paradise are the ultimate aim that believing men and women should wish for. If a person departs this world having won the pleasure of Allah, then he will have the glad tidings of all that is good after that. When he enters Paradise he will have delights and pleasures such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard and it has not entered the mind of any man. He will have all that he wishes for in the best ways. Everything that he asks for will be granted, and everything that he longs for he will get. He will never find anything to upset or disturb him, because he is in the care of the Most Merciful, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Therein you shall have (all) that your inner‑selves desire, and therein you shall have (all) for which you ask. An entertainment from (Allah), the Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Fussilat 41:31-32] 

One of the best things that people long for in the Hereafter is, for men, the women of Paradise, namely al-hoor al-’iyn, and for women there is an equivalent delight. By His great wisdom, Allah has not mentioned what the women will have as the equivalent of al-hoor al-’iyn for men, and that is due to modesty and shyness. How can He encourage them to seek Paradise by mentioning something that they are too shy and modest to mention or speak about themselves? So He has simply hinted at it, as in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “Therein you shall have (all) that your inner‑selves desire.” [Fussilat 41:31-32] 

The description of al-hoor al-’iyn is mentioned in more than one place in the Book of Allah, such as the following: 

1 – Allah says, describing the reward of the people of Paradise (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And (there will be) hoor (fair females) with wide lovely eyes (as wives for al-muttaqoon—the pious). Like unto preserved pearls.” [al-Waaqi’ah 56:22, 23] 

al-Sa’di (may Allah have mercy on him)said: “And (there will be) hoor (fair females) with wide lovely eyes.” Al-hawra’ is a woman in whose eyes are lined with kohl, beautiful and bright. Al-’iyn refers to beautiful and huge eyes. The beauty of eyes in the female is one of the greatest signs of beauty. 

“Like unto preserved pearls” means, as if they are pure, white, shining pearls, which are covered and protected from people’s eyes, the wind and the sun. Their color is one of the most beautiful of colors and they have no fault or blemish of any kind. This is how al-hoor al-’iyn are: they have no faults of blemishes of any kind, rather they are beautiful in all ways. Every time you gaze upon her, you see nothing but that which gladdens the heart. End quote. Tafseer al-Sa’di, p. 991 

2 – Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “(In beauty) they are like rubies and coral.” [al-Rahmaan 55:58] 

Al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Ibn Zayd said concerning the words “they are like rubies and coral,” it is as if they are rubies in their purity and like coral in their whiteness. So their purity is that of rubies and their whiteness is that of pearls. End quote. Tafseer al-Tabari, 27/152 

3 – Allah says describing the women of Paradise, in Soorat al-Waaqi’ah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, We have created them (maidens) of special creation. And made them virgins. Loving (their husbands only), (and) of equal age.” [al-Waaqi’ah 56:35-37] 

Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

With regard to the word “loving (’uruban),” Sa’eed ibn Jubayr said, quoting from Ibn ’Abbaas that it means: they are loving towards their husbands. It was narrated from Ibn ’Abbaas that al-’urub are those who love their husbands and their husbands love them.