Q: I was wondering, was the description of the houris in the quran addressing the early arabs. I found this claim: Hence it is proved that the concept of “Maidens of Paradise” was also known in the pre-Islamic Arabia, especially among the Christians. The Qur’an, as is its style under normal circumstances, used the same words for the deliverance of its message, which were generally in vogue in the environment that it addressed. Since the idea of the Hereafter formed the cornerstone of the early Meccan preaching of the Qur’an therefore, to effectively make it preaching get across its addressees, it employed the same known word “hur” to describe the excellence of the reward for the righteous in the known Christian manner. This is further confirmed by the fact that it is only in the Meccan (and especially the chronologically early Meccan) Qur’anic passages in which the term “hur al-ayn” is used in sensual connotation. In the relevant Medinan Qur’anic passagesi.e., 2:25; 3:15; 4:57, we only find perfected counterparts/spouses (i.e., for both the righteous men and women). According to ulema, where quran verses using houris only addressing the early arabs?
A: It is a serious error to restrict the Qur’aanic address to the earlier arabs. The Qur’aan is general and universal just as Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is universal.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)