The Qur’an has mentioned the word ‘Hoor’, in no less than 4 diffrent places.
1. Surah Dukhan Ch. No. 44, Verse No. 54
So; and We shall join them to Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes.
2. Surah Tur, in Ch. No. 52, Verse No. 20,
They will recline (with ease) on Thrones (of dignity) arranged in ranks; and We shall join them to Companions, with beautiful big and lustrous eyes.
3. Surah Rehman, Ch. No. 55, Verse No. 72,
Companions restrained (as to5218 their glances), in (goodly) pavilions;
4. Surah Waqia, Ch. No.56, Verse No. 22,
And (there will be) Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes,
The above translations are by Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
His comments about the Hur is –
“Hur implies the following ideas: (1) purity; possibly the word Hawariyun, as applied to the first Disciples of Jesus, is connected with this root; (2) beauty, especially of eyes, where the intense white of the eyeballs stands out against the intense black of the pupil, thus giving the appearance of lustre, and intense feeling: as opposed to dullness or want of expression; and (3) truth and good will.”
But many of the translations, specially the Urdu translations have translated the word ‘Hoor’, as beautiful maiden. If the word ‘Hoor’, means a beautiful maiden, then what will the woman get, in Paradise?
Actually the word ‘Hoor’, is a plural for ‘Ahwar’, which is applicable to the man, and ‘Hawar’, which is applicable to the women. And it signifies the characteristic of ‘Hawar’, which means ‘big, white beautiful eye’, and describes especially, the whiteness of the eye.
The similar thing is mentioned as ‘Azwajur Muthaharin’ in many places in the Qur’an, in Surah Baqrah, Ch. No. 2, Verse No. 25, and in Surah Nisa, Ch. No. 4, Verse No. 57 – It says… ‘Azwajur Muthaharin’, which means companion, pair.
So the word ‘Hoor’, is rightly translated by Mohammed Asad as… ‘Spouse’ and also by Abdullah Yusuf Ali… Abdullah Yusuf Ali as… ‘Companion’ – So ‘Hoor’ actually means a ‘Companion’ or a ‘Spouse’ – It has no gender. For the man, he will get a good lady with big beautiful eyes – and for a woman, she will get a good man with big beautiful eyes.
So please don’t try to misguide others with the wrong translation and mis-interpretation of the verses. If something seems to be wrong to you then consult others to get the right thing. Please don’t be biased… try to learn with open mind and positive approach.
N.B.1
the writing is taken from Dr. Zakir Naik’s lecture, “Women’s Right in Islam”