The concept of a "virgin" is grounded in Quranic texts which describe a sensual Paradise where men are promised someone with physical and sexual attributes such as "full grown" breasts, "hairless" and "untouched."

However, there is no mention anywhere in the Quran of the actual number of virgins. There is also no mention of virgins being rewarded only to martyrs.

But, there is a mention of "72 wives" - not virgins - in one of the six major Hadith (a collection of reports describing the life of the Prophet Mohammed) entitled Sunan Ibn Majah.



It states that "every male admitted into Paradise will be given eternal erections and wed to 72 wives."

However, the hadith is considered to be weak and unreliable.