There's disappointing news for all those who seek martyrdom to eventually get "72 virgins in heaven". There are no virgins for them at all, instead, there are raisins.

According to Canadian author and scholar of the holy Quran, Irshad Manji, the word “virgin” in Quran meant raisin. “Nowhere in the Quran does it promise 72 virgins, 70 virgins, 48 virgins. The Arabic word for ‘virgin’ has been mistranslated.

The original [word] that was used in the Quran was the word for raisin, not a virgin. In other words, martyrs would get raisins in heaven, not virgins,” Manji said.

Religious texts have been grossly misused and misinterpreted by evil-minded people to carry out their evil agenda. It’s always the innocent people who become victims of their nefarious manipulations. Terrorist organizations have been luring Muslim youths for their nefarious agendas by saying that they will be rewarded with 72 virgins in heaven if they carry out terrorist attacks against the infidels. Many people have fallen for this trap believing that they will get a better afterlife. They provide the backing of the Quran to support their claims. But, now a growing number of Quran scholars and Islamic theologians have contested this claim.

Famous Canadian author and Quran scholar Irshad Manji in the CNN special show “Why They Hate Us” in 2016 said that the word “virgin” in the Quran means “raisin.” According to a Global Nation report, Irshad Manji said, “Nowhere in the Quran does it promise 72 virgins, 70 virgins, 48 virgins. … The Arabic word for ‘virgin’ has been mistranslated. The original [word] that was used in the Quran was the word for raisin, not virgin. In other words, that martyrs would get raisins in heaven, not virgins.”

On similar lines, Nicholas Kristof who is New York Times columnist said, “the Arabic language was born as a written language with the Koran, and there’s growing evidence that many of the words were Syriac or Aramaic.” He further added, “The Koran says martyrs going to heaven will get ‘hur,’ and the word was taken by early commentators to mean ‘virgins,’ hence those 72 consorts. But in Aramaic, ‘hur’ meant ‘white’ and was commonly used to mean ‘white grapes.”

According to Global Nation, a scholar who started such research also agreed with Nicholas Kristof. He said that grapes made more sense in the context because the Quran compares them to crystals and pearls and that paradise is described as abundant with fruit, especially white grapes.

Nicholas Kristof further said, “But Muslim fundamentalists regard the Koran—every word of it—as God’s own language, and they have violently attacked freethinking scholars as heretics. So Muslim intellectuals have been intimidated, and Islam has often been transmitted by narrow-minded extremists.” 

If this is true then it is really shocking. It means that so many people blew themselves for mere 72 raisins and a few white grapes. Truth hurts being but deceived hurts even more. If the claims of scholars are right then the truth is that all those suicide bombers and other bombers who died in the hope of getting 72 virgins in exchange for their lives, they are only going to get 72 raisins. This is actually really sad and shocking.

In order to stop the misuse of religious texts by misinterpreting, such research needs to be encouraged more and more. Religious texts need to be properly studied and researched and should be re-written in a language understandable to the common public. Then they will stop relying on some self-styled and self-declared religious expert in order to interpret it for him/her and understand it.

ChatGPT Version about this Query 

The idea of 72 virgins being promised to martyrs in Islamic paradise has been a popular misconception in Western media for many years. However, Canadian author and scholar of the holy Quran, Irshad Manji, has put forth a fascinating theory that challenges this common understanding. According to her research, the concept of "72 virgins" is actually a mistranslation of the original Arabic text, which refers to "72 raisins" as the promised reward for martyrs.

In this article, we will delve deeper into Manji's research and examine the historical context in which this mistranslation may have occurred. We will also explore the significance of this revelation and its implications for our understanding of Islamic scripture.

To begin with, it is important to note that the idea of 72 virgins as a reward for martyrdom is not mentioned in the Quran itself. Instead, it appears in a number of Hadiths, or sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad. Specifically, it is mentioned in a Hadith recorded by Imam al-Tirmidhi, in which the Prophet is said to have promised martyrs "72 wives of the maidens with large dark eyes."

However, as Manji points out, there are a number of reasons to doubt the accuracy of this translation. Firstly, the Arabic word "hur" used in the Hadith does not necessarily mean "virgins." Instead, it simply refers to a woman who is beautiful and chaste. Moreover, the phrase "maidens with large dark eyes" appears frequently in the Quran to describe the houris, or heavenly companions promised to believers in paradise. Thus, it is possible that the Hadith is simply using this same language to describe the rewards of martyrdom, without necessarily implying a specific number of women.

Furthermore, as Manji notes, the number 72 is not mentioned in the original Hadith but appears only in later interpretations. It is possible that this number was simply chosen because it was seen as a symbol of abundance and completeness in ancient Middle Eastern culture.

So if the original Arabic text does not refer to "72 virgins," what does it say? According to Manji's research, the Arabic word "hur" can also mean "white raisins." In fact, this meaning is supported by a number of classical Arabic dictionaries, including the authoritative Lisan al-Arab. Thus, it is possible that the original Hadith promised martyrs not 72 virgins, but 72 heavenly raisins.

This theory is supported by the historical context in which the Hadith was recorded. At the time, the Arab world was renowned for its cultivation of grapes and the production of raisins. Raisins were seen as a symbol of wealth and luxury and were often used as a form of currency. Moreover, the Quran frequently describes paradise as a place of abundance, where believers are rewarded with fruits and other delights. Thus, it is possible that the original Hadith was simply using raisins as a metaphor for the bounties of paradise.

Of course, it is impossible to say with certainty whether the original Hadith referred to "72 virgins" or "72 raisins." However, Manji's theory is certainly plausible and offers a compelling alternative to the common Western misconception about Islamic scripture. Furthermore, it reminds us of the importance of understanding the historical and cultural context in which religious texts were written and the need for careful interpretation and translation.

In conclusion, the idea that martyrs are promised 72 virgins in Islamic paradise is a common misconception that has been perpetuated by Western media. However, according to Irshad Manji's research, the original Arabic text may have actually promised martyrs 72 heavenly raisins. While we may never know 

Who is Irshad Manji

Irshad Manji is a Canadian author and scholar of the Holy Quran, known for her work on Islamic reform and women's rights. Born in Uganda in 1968 to Muslim parents of Indian descent, Manji moved with her family to Canada as a child. She began to question her faith in her teenage years and eventually converted to Islam in her early twenties.

Manji's journey to becoming a prominent voice in the world of Islamic scholarship was not an easy one. She faced many challenges along the way, including resistance from within the Muslim community, death threats, and even physical violence.

One of Manji's earliest struggles came from within her own family. Her parents were deeply religious and conservative and did not approve of her questioning of Islamic teachings. According to Manji, they would often tell her that "God does not like people who ask too many questions." Despite this, she persisted in her search for a more enlightened understanding of Islam.

After converting to Islam, Manji became involved with a local mosque in Vancouver, where she began to speak out against the exclusion of women from certain religious practices. Her advocacy eventually led to her being banned from the mosque and receiving death threats from members of the congregation.

Undeterred, Manji continued to speak out on issues related to Islam and women's rights. In 2003, she published a book titled "The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith," which was widely praised for its insightful analysis of the challenges facing the Muslim world.

However, the book also drew fierce criticism from some quarters, including death threats and physical violence against Manji and her supporters. In 2005, she was forced to cancel a speaking engagement at the University of Ottawa after protesters disrupted the event and physically assaulted members of the audience.

Despite these challenges, Manji remains committed to her mission of promoting a more enlightened and inclusive understanding