Women in paradise

Question:

Salam Alykum, I am very shocked at what I am hearing about women in islam especially when it comes to reward and paradise. Honestly, I never in a million years expected any religion to say this let alone Islam, which is making me feel disappointed. For example, when it comes to men, they want many wives they get that in paradise, they want to loyal and virgin's they get that, they want them to not see anyone better and see the husband as the best thing in paradise they get that. On the other hand, a woman likes to have a loyal husband, to spend most of her time with her husband, and to be loved more than anything be him, yet in Islam in paradise she will not have this at all just because she is a female, rather she will have a very disloyal husband who is never content with her and always wants other women hence she won't be able to spend most of her time with him. All I get told things are different, but to me this makes absolutely no sense and is a very weak argument because why is the man not told things are different and you won't have many wives? Why is the woman always the one who os denied her wishes and all she is told you won't be sad, but you can't have what you want? When all I am told things are different and a woman won't be sad to me this is a very weak argument because while a man gets exactly what he desires and more while although a woman won't be sad but she does not get what she desires. This makes me feel that a woman even in paradise does not get what she desires. I feel very disheartened as neither me or any other female choose to be females rather we are punished for being females although we did not choose it. Does this mean islam cares about gender more than anything when it comes to reward and than a man and a woman who are equal in piety the male is far superior?

Answer:

In the name of Allah, the most compassionate, the most merciful

Wa Alaikum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

There will be two types of women in Jannat:-

The first type is the human woman of the world who will be re-created according to the beauty of Jannat.

Allah Ta’ala says:

إنا أنشأناهن إنشاء (35) فجعلناهن أبكارا (36) عربا أترابا (37)

“We created them as a new creation. And we made them virgins, loving to their husbands, equal in age.” [56: 35-37]

Allah Ta’ala will make old women into young women and non-virgins to virgins. No matter how their appearance was in this world, Allah Ta’ala will make them all beautiful and good looking in accordance to the beauty of Jannat. [Safwat At-tafaasir 3/309- Darul Qalam, Beirut]

Once Mufti Mahmood Saheb (Rahmatullahi ‘alayhi) was asked that if men will receive Hurs, what will the women receive? He replied that the wives of the believers will stay with their own husbands. Women who never married in this world will be given a choice to get married with any (unmarried) man they wish. If they do not like any of them, a special man will be created for them (similar to the Hurs) and Allah Ta’ala will join both of them in marriage. [Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah 5/298]

Allamah Alusi (Rahmatullahi ‘alayhi) also mentions in his tafseer that a person’s wife in this world will remain his wife hereafter. [Ruhul Ma’ani 25/136- Dar Ihya At-Tawrath Al-A’rabi, Beirut]

The love between a Muslim husband and wife is a true love because it will last forever and in fact the wife will be the queen of all the Hurs.

To show the superiority of human women over the Hurs it have been made mention in a hadeeth that Umm Salama (Radhiyallaahu ‘anha) narrates that she said to Rasulullaah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi Wassallam),

“Oh Rasulullah! Are the women of this world superior or the Hurs?” He replied, “The women of this world will have superiority over the Hurs just as the outer lining of a garment has superiority over the inner lining. “Umm Salama” then asked, “Oh Rasulullah! What is the reason for this? He answered, “Because they performed Salah, fasted, and worshipped [Allah]. Allah Ta’ala will put light on their faces and silk on their bodies. [The human women] will be fair in complexion and will wear green clothing and yellow jewellery. Their incense-burners will be made of pearls and their combs will be of gold. They will say ‘We are the women who will stay forever and we will never die. We are the women who will always remain in comfort and we will never undergo difficulty. We are the women who will stay and we will never leave. Listen! We are happy women and we will never become sad. Glad tidings to those men for whom we are and who are for us.” [Recorded in At-Tibraani 3/278]

This Hadith clearly show that a woman of this world will be greater and of a higher class than the women of the hereafter. The underlying reason of being given this preference is because of the worship and endurance which the women of this world had to bear.

Furthermore, Allah Ta’ala will make the women of this world more beautiful and attractive than the Hurs. She will be the queen. Wherever in the Quran mention is made of the women of Jannat, both the Hurs and the human women could be meant.

Another interpretation of the verse “equal in age” is that the women of Jannat will all be equal in age, which will ensure that they get along with one another and make the believer’s life peaceful. [Ruhul Ma’ani 13/220].

On the other hand, a person will receive everything that he/she ever desired in Jannat. As Allah Ta’ala says:-

وفيها ما تشتهيه الأنفس وتلذ الأعين وأنتم فيها خالدون (71)

“And in Jannah you will get whate“And in Jannat will be whatever the inner-soul desires and whatever the eye finds pleasure in, and you will stay there forever.” [Qur’an 43:71]

Furthermore He says:-

ولكم فيها ما تشتهي أنفسكم ولكم فيها ما تدعون (31)

“And in Jannah you will get whatever your souls desire and whatever you ask for” (Fussilat, 31)

Therefore we should bear in mind that Almighty Allah in his infinite wisdom and knowledge has created men and women from a single being and it is only Allah Ta’ala who knows the true biological, mental and spiritual structure of each individual, their needs and desires; hence Allah Ta’ala can do as He wishes and there is none to question His authority.

And Allah knows best

Umer Farooq Saleem