Detailed Abstract
Research objective:
The aim of this study is to address common objections that arise from Qur’anic references to the presence of azwāj muṭahharah, ḥūr al-ʿayn, and similar concepts in Paradise. The mention of multiple purified spouses or houris as companions for men in the afterlife has led some critics to argue that actions deemed unethical in this world are, paradoxically, permitted and even promised as rewards in Paradise. Based on certain verses and interpretations, they claim that Islam assures believers that if they live righteously in this world, they will be granted unrestricted sensual pleasures of the highest degree in the Hereafter.Another frequently raised objection concerns the claim that such privileges are granted exclusively to men. The Qur’an is said to describe men as enjoying the company of ḥūr al-ʿayn, while offering no comparable blessing for women; instead, it mentions ghilmān or youthful servants, which some interpret as a sign of continued gender inequality in the afterlife, where women are once again deprived of equal status and complementary companionship.This study seeks to respond to these objections by focusing on the term azwāj, its linguistic dimensions, the contextual meaning of relevant verses, and—most importantly—by grounding the discussion in Mulla Ṣadrā’s doctrine of the embodiment of deeds (tajassum al-aʿmāl). Through this approach, the research aims to clarify the true nature of companionship in the Hereafter and address the broader questions associated with these interpretations.
Methods:
To carry out this study, we first examined the literal and lexical meanings of the relevant Qur’anic terms, relying on their usage in lexicons compiled close to the time of revelation. This linguistic analysis served as the foundation for uncovering the authentic meanings of these expressions. Subsequently, by reflecting on the Qur’anic verses, consulting classical and modern exegetical works, and considering the overarching spirit and fundamental principles of the Qur’an—particularly the doctrine of the embodiment of deeds (tajassum al-aʿmāl)—we analyzed the verses in question and explored the relationship between the concept of azwāj in the Hereafter and the notion of embodied actions.
Findings:
Based on the foregoing analysis, the findings of this study can be summarized as follows:
1. The term azwāj—along with its various descriptions applied in the Qur’an to both the inhabitants of Paradise and Hell—is derived from zawj in the sense of pairedness or duality. It is used for both the masculine and feminine and therefore cannot be restricted to the meaning of “female spouses” alone.
2. Considering the commonly raised objections about the presence of unethical elements in Paradise and claims of gender discrimination, it appears—contrary to what many exegetes have assumed—that interpreting azwāj, ḥūr al-ʿayn, and similar terms as conventional worldly spouses with their familiar functions is inconsistent with Qur’anic verses, the philosophy of marriage, and the Qur’anic conception of Paradise. Thus, azwāj cannot plausibly denote ordinary human or angelic spouses in the customary sense.
3. In light of the Qur’anic and transmitted (riwāyī) doctrine of the embodiment of deeds (tajassum al-aʿmāl)—a doctrine both rationally and scripturally grounded—there is strong evidence indicating a direct connection between the azwāj of Paradise and Hell and the embodied forms of human actions. According to this perspective, azwāj represent the malakūtī (supersensory) forms of one’s deeds, which God manifests in the Hereafter as a supreme expression of His grace and justice.
4. Based on this interpretation, the Qur’anic descriptors such as:
“wa-kawāʿiba atrāban; wa-furushin marfūʿah; innā ansha’nāhunna inshā’a; fa-jaʿalnāhunna abkāran; ʿuruban atrāba… waʿindahum qāsirātu al-ṭarfi ʿīn… ka-annahunna bayḍun maknūn… ka-amthāli al-lu’lu’i al-maknūn… lam yaṭmithhunna insun qablahum wa-lā jān.”
—are not literal descriptions of physical spouses, but symbolic depictions of the purity, radiance, and untainted nature of those deeds. These are deeds that believers cultivated in this world, safeguarding them from the corrupting influence of human and jinn devils, until they appear on the Day of Resurrection in their fully realized and perfected forms.
5. Mullā Ṣadrā, when discussing the embodiment of deeds, explicitly refers to ḥūr al-ʿayn as an example of this doctrine. However, he does not elaborate on the detailed mechanics or full implications of this relationship.
Final conclusion:
It can be concluded that the Qur’anic references to azwāj in Paradise and Hell do not primarily pertain to marital companionship or conjugal relationships, but rather focus on the principle of the embodiment of deeds (tajassum al-aʿmāl). Accordingly, this does not negate the possibility of marriage in Paradise; it simply indicates that the verses containing the term azwāj may not necessarily refer to the marital relationships of the inhabitants of Paradise or Hell.