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The question

What is the meaning of the verses: "Indeed, for the righteous is a triumph, Gardens and grapevines, And full-breasted [companions] of equal age" and what is the wisdom behind mentioning the descriptions of women in Paradise?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Anyone who critiques a text must consider its environment, time, place, and surrounding circumstances, along with a precise understanding of the word's root and its various uses. An impartial researcher always assumes that translation is incapable of conveying the intended meaning accurately. The word "Kawāʿib" (كواعب) literally means "protrusion of the breast" in its linguistic origin. However, its meaning in the Quranic and Arabic context does not intend a material sexual description; rather, it refers to a young woman who has reached the age of womanhood and has begun to show signs of maturity and youth. It indicates her young age and the freshness of her youth, just as the word "ḥāʾiḍ" (حائض - menstruating) is used to denote that a woman has reached the age of menstruation, without intending her to be actively menstruating. The Holy Quran highlights its eloquence by using euphemistic and delicate expressions, such as describing the marital relationship as "garment," which elevates the meaning beyond direct sensuality. English translators of "Kawāʿib" have diverged into two groups: the first translated it literally, leading to a misunderstanding, while the second translated it according to its intended meaning in the Arabic context, which is youth and freshness without a direct sensual description.

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Where this answer came from
Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
7955
Imported
Translation status
Source text, unreviewed
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