Anti-Neocons

The Myth: Muhammad Promised 72 Female Virgins for Martyrs.

The Truth: Prophet Muhammad has never made any promise on any kinds of sexual gratifications in the after life, much less on the alleged 72 virgins.

It seems to be the staple ammunition for attacking Islam. Mention the atrocities and suicide bombings that are being committed by Muslims around the world and you get the same response – they are doing it for the “virgins in heaven”.

In various Internet forums and conventional media, Muhammad has been accused of luring foot soldiers, past and present, with promise of eternal copulation in the afterlife. In the process Islam has been tainted with a dubiously sexual tint. Islam seems to be the path where sex-hungry young men can end their lives into a promise of endless erotica.

The simple truth is, there is nothing in the Quran or Hadith that has ever promised this. Every Muslim knows it.

Muslims have never been cajoled into doing deeds for the religion in promise of posthumous sex. As Muslims, we must never condone suicidal activities that take away the lives of innocents. They are against the teachings of the Prophet. The vilification on the alleged “virgins of paradise” must be dismissed at all costs.

So how did the issue of the 72 virgins even come about?

It all started on August 19th, 2001 in CBS studios, USA. This was just a month before the 9/11 attacks.

The American TV network was broadcasting a program called 60 Minutes. It was featuring a special report on the militant group Hamas and included the translation of an interview between an American journalist and the Hamas functionary Muhammad Abu Wardeh. In the interview, Abu Wardeh was describing how martyrs will be accompanied by the “hur’ain” in heaven.

At issue in this interview was the correct meaning of the Arabic word “hur’ain”. Translated to English, it means ‘angels’, with no gender connotations whatsoever. But the translators at CBS insisted that it means ‘virgins’. It carried on and broadcasted the translation as such.

Arabs all over the United States spotted the faulty translation and protested to the TV network. Three experts of the Arabic languages, including Dr. Mather Hathout of the Islamic Centre of Southern California and Hafiz al-Mirazi Osman, the head Al-Jazeera’s Washington made official efforts to correct the translation.

But CBS still insisted that it means ‘virgins’. The faulty translation was never amended. From then on Islam became known as the sexually perverted religion that promises 72 “virgins” for those who gave up their lives for it.

The faulty translation took pace after the 9/11 attacks. Websites all over the world, especially those from the USA, began carrying distorted "translations" of verses from the Quran that interpret the word "hur'ain" as "virgins.

Muslims around the world were potrayed as devotess who were into the religion solely for the promise of sex.
The damage was done and till today the faulty translation provides a sore point in the true understanding of Islam.

This myth is still rife today with various forms of distortions and connotations.

UPDATE from Ry (come look at what the Jewish and Christian texts actually do say about raping people, slaves, and mass murder)

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When false religion is established, when all avenues of protest are closed, when potential revolutionaries are bribed, coopted or killed, then Hussein's model teaches man to be a martyr, and by his death witness to the truth and shake the evil empire:

"It is an invitation to all ages and generations that if you cannot kill, die".

- Ali Shariati

Are you saying that nothing like the word virgin or untouched is in chapter 56?

Just to be clear, I am not agreeing with the propaganda. But the word virgin does appear to be listed as a gift in chapter 56.

The quran chapter 56 translations that I've found on google show the word virgin in almost every translation.

Can you send me some links to some translations that you are comfortable with?

Shakir 56:35] Surely We have made them to grow into a (new) growth,
[Yusufali 56:35] We have created (their Companions) of special creation.
[Pickthal 56:35] Lo! We have created them a (new) creation

[Shakir 56:36] Then We have made them virgins,
[Yusufali 56:36] And made them virgin - pure (and undefiled), -
[Pickthal 56:36] And made them virgins,

[Shakir 56:37] Loving, equals in age,
[Yusufali 56:37] Beloved (by nature), equal in age,-
[Pickthal 56:37] Lovers, friends,

[Shakir 56:38] For the sake of the companions of the right hand.
[Yusufali 56:38] For the Companions of the Right Hand.
[Pickthal 56:38] For those on the right hand;

[Yusufali 56:39] A (goodly) number from those of old,
[Pickthal 56:39] A multitude of those of old

[Shakir 56:40] And a numerous company from among the last.
[Yusufali 56:40] And a (goodly) number from those of later times.
[Pickthal 56:40] And a multitude of those of later time

The translations do indeed mention virgins, but i suppose the correct translation would be chaste. Pure in every way, not just in terms of sex.

As i mentioned in the other thread, the Holy Qur'ans description of paradise is allegorical. We cannot truly comprehend what heaven or hell will be like, we only have worldy examples to give us a basic idea.

And personally i don't understand the issue with the promise of chaste/virgin companions. If you have a problem with that, that's cool. I guess we have to agree to disagree.

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yeah, i could use another 72 applicable virgins. that'd improve my life greatly, if that's how you view things.

personal issue, all. ignore this.

no OF course this is not how i view things, I want LOvE (your love), and thats not going to be found in 72 of allah's sluts, I LOvE you lisampisa, and am so sorry this was very careless and thoughtless, wheres the sad face icon, ohh there they are, none sad enough though. I'm so sorry.

if i didn't have a girlfriend like you, who deserves so much more than praise in an apology, i would not the 72 virgins.

I felt like garbage, and i was venting by spewing trash. I hope nobody has the idea to treasure any of it.

I apologize to the group for advocating for such a dumb ass remark.

iT does not make sense to even want 72 magically appearing (virgin) stepford wifes.

I am in a relationship, with lisampisa.........., and it makes me feel like pushing the make it painful when you puch keys lock button. Just to show you how special she is.

I don't know why I say things about my personal life that i don't mean that would later make me feel like killing myself.

I don't do that about, things outside of myself.

I am a terrible boyfriend (no lie), with the best girlfriend ever (no lie)

and i feel like a dumb fuck for saying this in an apology, she deserves more. I feel like a dumb ass for saying that at all.

I felt hopeless, and i thought damn how can i best say that i don't give a fuck right now? I think anyone on this group always does care, but sometimes you just feel like you don't. bUT I ALWAYS do care.

keep your stepford wifes, mathew broderick was right

i have a girlfriend who I never cease to fight with, who I owe a lifetime of exhausting apologies to, who takes up my time, who takes away some of my freedom. But its love and its what i want. I am in a situation where i feel like i will never be able to give enough, and when things are good that feels like infinite love. i'VE said love is effort, and being able to be in a situation where you can never give all that you want what more could i ask for?

I have some one who is smart, intelligent, and with me despite her overwhelming independence. At the end of the day i feel like i have a mirror that doesn't break, but will hold through anything tell i am reflected back at my best. i don't want anything else.

I told a friend yesterday the best advice about a relationship is that you feel like you relate to some one so much that its euphoria, but then when you disagree because of that its the worst pain in the world. LOve is infinite, and i found it in a girl. It won't be hard to make up for things and make it work. I am sorry group im sorry, my newbie lil' babie girl lisampisa. She is like me except, for the things i mean to do, and say. I tell her what i think about things, and then she is able to relay it in its correct terms, with love instead of anger YOu would rather have 72 virgins than that. Ehhhwwhhe, c'mon now, don't neglect yourself of real love.

I LOvE YOU ALL. thank you for your support.

I LOvE LISAMPISA* she's my girlfriend

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hello world suck the life from my voice and breath it back into yourselves

no OF course this is not how i view things, I want LOvE (your love), and thats not going to be found in 72 of allah's sluts, I LOvE you lisampisa, and am so sorry this was very careless and thoughtless, wheres the sad face icon, ohh there they are none sad enough though. I'm so sorry.

even if i didn't have a girlfriend like you who deserves so much more than praise in an apology, i would not want this.

I felt like garbage, and i was venting by spewing trash. I hope nobody had the idea to pick any of it up.

I apologize to the group for advocating for such a dumb ass idea even in a joking sense, very immature, thoughtless, careless, and dumb assness.

iT does not make sense to even want 72 magically appearing (virgin) stepford wifes.

I am in a relationship, with lisampisa.........., and it makes me feel like pushing the make it painful when you punch keys lock button. Just to show you how special she is. It would hurt alot.

I don't know why I say things about my personal life that i don't mean that would later make me feel like killing myself.

I don't do that about, things outside of myself.

I am a terrible boyfriend (no lie), with the best girlfriend ever (no lie)

and i feel like a dumb fuck for saying this in an apology, she deserves more. I feel like a dumb ass for saying the comment i said at all.

LOvE is not 72 applicable virgins, thats lust and that all.

I felt hopeless, and i thought damn how can i best say that i don't give a fuck right now? I think anyone who is in this group always does care, but sometimes you just feel like you don't. bUT I ALWAYS do care too, especially about lisampisa*.

keep your stepford wifes, mathew broderick was right

i have a girlfriend who I never cease to fight with, who I owe a lifetime of exhausting apologies to, who takes up my time, who takes away some of my freedom. But its love and its what i want. I am in a situation where i feel like i will never be able to give, and that is infinite love. i said love is effort, and being able to be in a situation where you can never give all that you want, what more could i ask for? I have some one who is smart, intelligent, and with me despite her overwhelming independence. Simply because who i am, not of what i am willing to do. At the end of the day i feel like i have a mirror that doesn't break, but will hold through anything tell i am reflected back at my best.

I told a friend yesterday the best advice about a relationship is that you feel like you relate to some one so much that its euphoria, but then when you disagree because of that, its the worst pain in the world. LOve is infinite, and i found it in a girl. It won't be hard to make up for things and make it work. I am sooo sorry group. I'm sorry my newbie lil' babie girl lisampisa. She is like me except, for the things i mean to do, and say. I tell her what i think about things, and then she is able to relay it in its correct terms, with love instead of anger YOu would rather have 72 virgins than that? Ehhhwwhhe, c'mon now, don't neglect yourself of real love.

I LOvE YOU ALL. thank you for your support.

I LOvE LISAMPISA* she's my life lived correctly, when i try to live for myself and the thingsi want, i mess things up, but when i try to live only for her, everything seems to be perfect.

Don't blow yourself.

"If YOU knew what life was worth, then you'd look for your's here on earth" bob marley

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hello world suck the life from my voice and breath it back into yourselves

to me even looking for a way to gain 72 virgins is a really objectification of women. Do we want to be those types of people. I thought these were the kind of idea's we would all be against? I made the comment , and am sorry. It is not what I would want. I imagine if you blow yourself up and kill other people, you do get 72 virgins, thats because thats all you deserve. Everyone deserves to be happy, and if you can't handle creating real happiness, i'm sure if there was a real god, he would, try to find a way to drug you out to your suffering. To keep you occupied in the short term while he is searching for your cure, he might give you the placebo of 72 virgins.

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hello world suck the life from my voice and breath it back into yourselves