Sexual intercourse is described as one of the joys of Paradise. But is Paradise not meant to be a “pure place,” elevated above such physical or animalistic desires?

This shubhah (specious argument) originates from an ancient European pagan perception of sex. In essence, sexual intercourse was regarded as despicable, reprehensible, and impure. This is why the deities of ancient European paganism are said to have procreated without engaging in sexual intercourse. Such ideas remained ingrained in the European mindset until Christianity spread across the continent, and, unfortunately, the Early Church was influenced by them. As a result, viewing sex as inherently impure persisted. For example, Saint Augustine—the most prominent of the Church Fathers—held an extremely negative view of sex, considering it inherently bad and sinful. According to him, sexual pleasure arose from concupiscence, which originated with the transgression of Adam and Eve. Consequently, the Early Church Fathers regarded sexual intercourse as a necessary evil, tolerated only to prevent the extinction of the human race. In its role as moral authority, the Church acknowledged the indispensability of reproduction and therefore sanctioned marriage on the condition that couples adhere strictly to its moral codes. Here are some passages from the Christian moral code concerning sexual relationships:¹

1) No sin was committed if a married couple engaged in sexual intercourse without experiencing pleasure. Following this precept, women, in order to avoid the sin of lust—which would require confession—would recite during intercourse: “I am not doing this for my pleasure, but to give God a son.”

2) If, during sexual intercourse, either the husband or wife passionately desires the other, he or she commits a mortal sin.

3) A husband and wife should not engage in sexual intercourse more than four times a month.

The suppression of human desire is particularly evident in the discourse on marriage produced by early Christian theologians. The enforcement of the aforementioned and similar precepts through the confessional system led many Christians into a state of repression and suffocation. Consequently, sexual liberation and promiscuity in European societies emerged as a grassroots reaction against the Christian conception of human sexuality as sinful and taboo. Moreover, early Christian theologians deny the existence of any form of sexual intercourse in the Hereafter, claiming that Paradise is a “pure place” elevated above such animalistic notions. It is this Christian cultural legacy, therefore, that hinders atheists’ ability to accept the Islamic understanding of sexual intercourse as one of the joys awaiting the inhabitants of Paradise. That is, atheists who criticize the Islamic concept that believers will enjoy sexual relations in Paradise are influenced by Christian misconceptions that portray lawful sexual intercourse as “dirty,” “repulsive,” or “disgraceful,” as well as by the Christian understanding of the Hereafter. Islamic sexual morality, however, is fundamentally different from that of the Early Church, owing to the all-encompassing nature of the Islamic Sharīʿah. Islam recognizes the sexual needs of human beings and holds that natural instincts should be nurtured rather than suppressed. Accordingly, there is no Islamic text that equates sexual relations with inherent evil or sin; on the contrary, the Qurʾān and the Sunnah point in the opposite direction. Islam strongly encourages marriage, regarding it as a virtuous act rather than a lesser evil or a necessary concession. It likewise firmly opposes celibacy and monasticism, maintaining that marriage is not an obstacle to spiritual wayfaring but a means of facilitating it, for one who fulfills sexual urges lawfully is less distracted in the spiritual journey. In this sense, marriage is a means of attaining spiritual refinement, as it protects the believer from falling into sin. Moreover, in Islamic texts, marriage is neither reduced to a purely platonic relationship between husband and wife nor confined to sexual relations solely for the purpose of procreation. Rather, the Islamic sharʿī (legal) term for marriage is nikāḥ, which literally denotes sexual intercourse. This underscores the fact that Islam is balanced and recognizes that Allāh has created human beings with natural instincts and inclinations. Accordingly, Allāh has permitted even the most pious of His servants—the Messengers—to engage in sexual relations with their spouses. In fact, the Messengers of earlier nations had multiple wives. Allāh says:{We have certainly sent Messengers before you ˹O Prophet˺ and blessed them with wives and offspring} (Qurʾān 13:38).

Indeed, under all divine laws, the sexual relationship between a man and a woman within marriage is regarded as the most sublime of all human relationships and is entirely pure. Consequently, there is no blame attached to individuals for deriving enjoyment from lawful intercourse with their spouses. Unlike the Early Church, Islam does not view sexual relations as inherently dirty, nor does it instill guilt in married couples for desiring each other. Rather, it teaches that sex within marriage is to be enjoyed, and a husband may engage in intercourse with his wife whenever he wishes and as many times as he desires. In fact, it is even recommended to mention the name of Allāh before marital intercourse, as there is no contradiction between the remembrance of Allāh and this act. In Islam, marital intercourse is considered an act of worship, and a husband is rewarded for satisfying his wife’s sexual desire. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “…and in a man’s sexual intercourse [with his wife] there is a charity.”² Indeed, abstinence from the lawful joys of life contradicts the spirit of Islam. Accordingly, Islam is entirely opposed to monasticism and celibacy and does not regard them as virtues. In fact, Islam maintains a positive stance toward all the pleasures and splendors of worldly life, affirming that they are gifts from the Almighty for humanity to enjoy while recognizing Him as their source. Unfortunately, the Early Church’s perception of lawful enjoyment—marital intercourse—as base and repulsive has contributed to the emergence of numerous moral problems in the West today. Glory be to Allāh, those who forbid themselves from what He has made lawful are afflicted by being overpowered by what is unlawful. By contrast, the balanced teachings of Islam eliminate any need for a sexual revolution in Muslim societies; the issue of such a revolution does not arise, for their people do not experience sexual suppression. In a nutshell, the Islamic view of marriage and sexual relations is fully in harmony with human nature. The sexual urge is placed by Allāh within our nature and, as long as it is exercised within the bounds of a pure and chaste marriage, it carries no association with guilt, sin, or evil. Unlike the Early Church, Islam does not regard marriage and sexual relations as contrary to the love and worship of God; they are not an obstacle but rather a means of attaining spiritual perfection. Now, let us return to our initial question regarding the fact that the inhabitants of Paradise will enjoy sexual intercourse. Although the notion of sexual relations in Paradise is often mocked or ridiculed by non-Muslims, it is neither a filthy idea nor a tabloid concept. Simply put, there is no logical or sharʿī (Islamic legal) objection to the existence of sexual enjoyment in heaven. If other bodily pleasures, such as eating and drinking, will exist there, it is certainly reasonable to expect that sexual enjoyment will also exist.