70 virgins in Heaven? Another misconception

It was one Hamas activist, Muhammad Abu Wardeh, who was reported to be recruiting terrorists for suicide bombings in Israel more than a decade ago that said:  “God would compensate the martyr for sacrificing his life for his land. If you become a martyr, God will give you 70 virgins, 70 wives and everlasting happiness.”  All the informed Muslims knew certainly that Wardeh was only shortchanging his recruits.


This has become widespread to the extent that non-Muslim and mischief makers who have no modicum of knowledge about Islam use this false assertion to denigrate the religion, especially when the dare devil bombers or blood thirsty group struk. They say: Hey! they want to go to heaven and acquire 70 virgins and other bla bla…

It is only a sick and despicable mind that feels that it has a right to attack, steal, murder and cause harm to others.

One, suicide which is qatlu nafsi-hi is strictly forbidden in Islam, and it is followed by the punishment of Allah. The flesh and body are not our own possession but a trust granted to us in order to preserve our spirit.  So, we cannot attempt to blow up the divine work of art entrusted on us. We cannot also destroy it by going on hunger strike; it is unacceptable in Islam.

The Quran which guides the actions and activities of any Muslims says: Suicide is forbidden. “O ye who believe!… [do not] kill yourselves, for truly Allah has been to you Most Merciful. If any do that in rancour and injustice, soon shall We cast him into the Fire…” (Qur’an 4:29-30). Then the Prophet says “Indeed, whoever (intentionally) kills himself, then certainly he will be punished in the Fire of Hell, wherein he shall dwell forever”, [Bukhari (5778) and Muslim (109 and 110)].

What the Hadith referred to is matayr which is (sahid) contrary to killing of oneself.  Martyrdom is everywhere praised and encouraged. Again, the Prophet said: “The most excellent jihad is that for the conquest of self.” “Whoever suppresseth his anger, when he has it in his power to show it, God will give him a great reward.” “Do you love your Creator? Love your fellow beings first.”
“Wish not or supplicate for death before its taime cometh.”

Secondly, paradise is described in great sensual detail in Suratul Waqiah; Q56 verses 12-40 and other chapters as well as the hadiths.  Also, Q55 verses 54-56 ; Q 76 verses 12-22.

In one of the verses, Hurun moqsuratun fil-khiyam.  Meaning: Fair ones are reserved in the Garden. Yes!, the Quran talks about damsels, but in a context that most people especially the non-Muslims have misrepresented and always paint in a derogatory manner to suit their interests and purposes.  There is no where in the Qur’an where 70 virgins was mentioned as a reward for killing people.

In paradise, there are many things that you cannot describe or comprehend except with spiritually assistance.  Allah mentioned in Qur’an many things about Paradise.  Comparing the earthily with that in heaven is mismatch. It is not about emotional and biological relationships, it is not about the way we relate here on earth.

The Qur’an says: In Gardens of Bliss: A number of people from those of old, And a few from those of later times,(They will be) on Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones), Reclining on them, facing each other. Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness), With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains: No after-ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication: And with fruits, any that they may select: And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire. And (there will be) Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes,- Like unto Pearls well-guarded. A reward for the deeds of their past (life). Not frivolity will they hear therein, nor any taint of ill, Only the saying, “Peace! Peace”. Q56 v 12-26
Jihad

Non-Muslims are quick to refer to Islamic term of Jihad. Not many of them read the Qur’an or the hadiths to know exactly what the term means. Those of them who take Comparative studies or those who assume to know usually have a warped knowledge of the term as a result of sentiment of ‘mine is the only way’.   They have refused to be guided by the substance in what they read, rather they twist it and allowed themselves to be ruled by sentiment.

You will be surprised by the idea of a Pastor on Jihad, or the meaning a student at the seminary will give to Jihad. Even when you explain to them, they still hold firmly to what they think they know because it serves them a purpose. I have had to explain ‘Jihad and the virgins’ a number of times to some of my non-Muslim colleagues, yet, it has not changed anything; they still hold on to their idea.

Islam is all about mercy, about virtue, about sacrifice and about duty to humanity. It encourages moral perfection and any activity that is far from these, no matter the colouration, is not Islam. As Muslims, there is no room for fanaticism, for hatred, for racism, for terrorizing or killing innocent people in Islam, even in a state of war.  Shedding innocents’ blood constitute a form of injustice that can not be tolerated by Islam.

Combative dimension
The Qur’an states that to kill one innocent person is like killing all of humanity. Now, for the umpteenth time, Jihad, which literally means ‘struggle,’ has an internal, societal and combative dimension. The internal dimension of Jihad encompasses the struggle against the evil inclinations of the self, and the spiritual project to adorn the self with virtues such as justice, mercy, generosity and gentleness.

Secondly, the societal dimension includes struggling against social injustice and creating a communal identity based on charity, respect and equality; while the third aspect of jihad is only to be used as self-defense against aggression or to fight oppression, and, even at that, it is strictly within the limit of good conduct, justice and preservation of life of the innocents and the sanctity of the environment. For those who don’t know, this latter type of Jihad can only be declared by a legitimate, recognized religious authority, not any individual or a group of people with no legal identity or acceptability.

 By Ishola Balogun