Discussions on the concepts of hūrī, gilmān, and vildān from classical sources to the present

This study examines the concepts of hūrīs, ghilmān, and wildān, which are included within the conception of Paradise in the Islamic intellectual tradition, within the framework of the Qur'an, hadith, tafsīr, and kalām literature. The thesis aims to comparatively analyze the meanings these concepts have acquired throughout the historical process, the interpretations made in different periods, and various exegetical approaches. While classical-period tafsīrs written from a theological (kalām) perspective based on both riwāyah and dirāyah methods are included, modern sociological, philosophical, and feminist approaches are also evaluated from a critical perspective. The concept of the hūrī is not interpreted solely through physical beauty; rather, it is understood as a multilayered symbol representing eternal peace, divine love, loyalty, purity, and the hereafter. Ghilmān and wildān, on the other hand, are addressed as beings that reflect otherworldly qualities such as service, cleanliness, purity, and continuity within the context of Paradise. These concepts demonstrate that the Islamic conception of Paradise is not based solely on gender-centered rewards, but can also be evaluated as the fulfillment of humanity's innate needs—such as love, loyalty, loving, and being loved—on a divine plane. In addition, the thesis emphasizes the debate over whether the hūrīs are beings created in Paradise or whether they are women of the worldly life who are reconstructed in Paradise. In this context, the main objective of the study is to contribute to a deeper and more holistic re-evaluation of the concepts of hūrī, wildān, and ghilmān found in the Qur'an and narrations, by taking into account the intellectual developments of the modern world.