Houri

[Pers. hûrd, from Ar. hûr al oyûn, black eyed.] The name given by Europe ans to nymphs of the Mohammedan paradise, whose company is to form the chief felicity of all true believers. From the description given in the book on which the Mohammedan faith is grounded, it appears that the houris surpa both pearls and rubies in their dazzling beauty; they are subject to no impurity; are always represented with dark eyes concealed by long jet eyelashes, the languishing glances of which they reserve for the voluptuous enjoyment of "true believers" alone. They are not created of clay, like mortal women, but of pure musk, and are endowed with immortal youth, and every intellectual and corporeal charm. They dwell in green gardens, which are beautiful beyond what imagination can conceive, and they are always reclining on green cushions placed in fragrant bowers, where they await the advent of their po e ors into paradise. The name houris is derived from the Arabic hûr al oyûn , signifying black -eyed. Mahomet omitted nothing to render his heaven enjoyable to his disciples; and here he followed the traditions of the Hindoo religion, among which there is one concerning the paradise, called behisht and menou , which was furnished with hurani beshisht , or black -eyed nymphs, endowed with similar attractions to those which the houris po e .