The cartoon depicted below was one of the Danish Jyllands-Posten caricatures which precipitated the 2005-2006 cartoon rage.
Islam’s—and Muhammad’s—vision of Heaven has been aptly characterized by Ibn Warraq as a cosmic brothel.
The Islamic Paradise for men is inhabited by “Houris” (beautiful, angelic female creatures who’s virginity is renewed each day), to whom they will be married. Koran 56:36, 56:37, 56:38 state: “and We made them spotless virgins, chastely amorous, like of age for the Companions of the Right.” Thus the contemporary gloss on Koran 56:36 from Maariful Quran, the most important modern Urdu Koranic commentary maintains,
The word ‘abkaran,’ being the plural of bikr, means ‘virgins’. The sense is the creation of the maidens of Paradise will be of such a nature that, even after every sexual intercourse, they will remain like virgins. (Source, Page 290).
Maariful Quran’s gloss on 44:54, another verse relevant to the Islamic virgins of Paradise (“Even so; and We shall espouse them to wide-eyed houris,”), adds
… Although the inmates of Paradise will not be legally obligated to observe the precepts of Shariah the purpose of marriage will be to honour them. Therefore, this should not raise any objection IF the word is taken in the first sense, houris having big dark eyes will be given as life partners to the men of Paradise. The houris in this case will be granted to them as a gift. There will be no need for a contract of marriage as is done in this world. (Source, Page 762).
The authoritative Shorter Encyclopedia of Islam, provides these additional details (from the entry “Hur”) on the virgins, i.e., their grooming and function as sexual objects
Two names are written on their breasts, one of the names of Allah and the name of their husband. They wear many jewels and ornaments etc. on their hands and feet. They dwell in splendid palaces surrounded by female attendants and all possible luxury. When the believer enters Paradise he is welcomed by one of these beings; a large number of them are at his disposal; he cohabits with each of them as often as he has fasted days in Ramadan and as often as he has performed good works besides. Yet they remain always virgins…
Muhammad (reflecting his apparent strong interest in the subject) opined on the number of times a man can have sexual intercourse during one day in Paradise, as recorded in this canonical hadith.
A man will have intercourse in Paradise with his wives from among al-hoor al-‘iyn and his wives from among the people of this world, if they enter Paradise with him. A man will be given the strength of a hundred men to eat, drink, feel desire and have sexual intercourse. It was narrated from Anas that the Prophet said: “The believer in Paradise will be given such and such strength for sexual intercourse.” He was asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, will he really be able to do that?” He said, “He will be given the strength of one hundred (men).” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2459. He said, (it is) saheeh ghareeb). Sunan al-Tirmidhi #2459 (Source)
This highly sexualized “Paradise” is thus an inducement to the jihad martyr—he is assured entry to it as affirmed in Koran 9:111, and even more explicitly, Muhammad’s own characterizations from the canonical hadith.
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 53] Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, “Nobody who dies and finds good from Allah (in the Hereafter) would wish to come back to this world even if he were given the whole world and whatever is in it, except the martyr who, on seeing the superiority of martyrdom, would like to come back to the world and get killed again (in Allah’s Cause).”
[Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 52, Number 54] Narrated Abu Huraira: “The Prophet said, ‘By Him in Whose Hands my life is! Were it not for some men amongst the believers who dislike to be left behind me and whom I cannot provide with means of conveyance, I would certainly never remain behind any Sariya’ (army-unit) setting out in Allah’s Cause. By Him in Whose Hands my life is! I would love to be martyred in Allah’s Cause and then get resurrected and then get martyred, and then get resurrected again and then get martyred and then get resurrected again and then get martyred.”
