What does « Houris / Pure white » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Houris / Pure white (حور) in the Quran, with 12 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

حور

Houris / Pure white

Root: ح - ر

Creed (aqida) 12 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 4 min read

Definition of Houris / Pure white

Al-hawr: return, either physically or by thought.

Allah says: 'He thought he would never return (lan yahûr)' (Al-Inshiqâq: 14).

The disbeliever thought he would not return to Allah for account.

Al-hûr al-'în: the houris with large eyes in Paradise.

Houris / Pure white in the Quran (12)

Meccan: 7 Medinan: 5

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Maida 2

Al-Kahf 2

Âl 'Imrân 1

Ad-Dukhan 1

At-Tur 1

Ar-Rahman 1

Al-Waqi'a 1

Al-Mujadila 1

As-Saff 1

Al-Inshiqaq 1

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 52 Medinan

﴿فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ﴾

But when Jesus felt [persistence in] disbelief from them, he said, "Who are my supporters for [the cause of] Allah?" The disciples said, "We are supporters for Allah. We have believed in Allah and testify that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].

Surah Al-Maida : 111 Medinan

﴿وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى ٱلْحَوَارِيِّۦنَ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ﴾

And [remember] when I inspired to the disciples, "Believe in Me and in My messenger Jesus." They said, "We have believed, so bear witness that indeed we are Muslims [in submission to Allah]."

Surah Al-Maida : 112 Medinan

﴿إِذْ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ يَٰعِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ هَلْ يَسْتَطِيعُ رَبُّكَ أَن يُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا مَآئِدَةً مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ قَالَ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ﴾

[And remember] when the disciples said, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, can your Lord send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven? [Jesus] said," Fear Allah, if you should be believers."

Surah Al-Kahf : 34 Meccan

﴿وَكَانَ لَهُۥ ثَمَرٌ فَقَالَ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَنَا۠ أَكْثَرُ مِنكَ مَالًا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرًا﴾

And he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, "I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in [numbers of] men."

Surah Al-Kahf : 37 Meccan

﴿قَالَ لَهُۥ صَاحِبُهُۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَكَفَرْتَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّىٰكَ رَجُلًا﴾

His companion said to him while he was conversing with him, "Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust and then from a sperm-drop and then proportioned you [as] a man?

Surah Ad-Dukhan : 54 Meccan

﴿كَذَٰلِكَ وَزَوَّجْنَٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِينٍ﴾

Thus. And We will marry them to fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes.

Surah At-Tur : 20 Meccan

﴿مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَّصْفُوفَةٍ وَزَوَّجْنَٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِينٍ﴾

They will be reclining on thrones lined up, and We will marry them to fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes.

Surah Ar-Rahman : 72 Meccan

﴿حُورٌ مَّقْصُورَٰتٌ فِى ٱلْخِيَامِ﴾

Fair ones reserved in pavilions -

Surah Al-Waqi'a : 22 Meccan

﴿وَحُورٌ عِينٌ﴾

And [for them are] fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes,

Surah Al-Mujadila : 1 Medinan

﴿قَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّتِى تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِى زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ﴾

Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you, [O Muhammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.

Surah As-Saff : 14 Medinan

﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوٓا۟ أَنصَارَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّۦنَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ فَـَٔامَنَت طَّآئِفَةٌ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَكَفَرَت طَّآئِفَةٌ فَأَيَّدْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ ظَٰهِرِينَ﴾

O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, "Who are my supporters for Allah?" The disciples said, "We are supporters of Allah." And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.

Surah Al-Inshiqaq : 14 Meccan

﴿إِنَّهُۥ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ﴾

Indeed, he had thought he would never return [to Allah].