Carnal Desire (الشهوة) in the Quran — Key Verses & Related Concepts

ConceptCarnal DesireالشهوةSpirituality10Verses10Surahs8Connections#339of 728

Also Known As

Frenchdésir charnel
Urduشہوت
Bengaliকামপ্রবৃত্তি
Indonesiansyahwat

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Revelation

Meccan 10Medinan 0

Domain Mix

Spirituality80%
Cosmology10%
Ethics10%

Across The Qur’an

Every surah, shaded by how often this concept appears. Unshaded surahs never mention it.

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Where It Appears Most

Key Verses

  1. إِنَّكُمۡ لَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهۡوَةٗ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۚ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمٞ مُّسۡرِفُونَ
    Lo! ye come with lust unto men instead of women. Nay, but ye are wanton folk.
    In context

    'Do you go to men to satisfy your lust instead of women, who you were supposed to go to?! Then in that case you have not followed sense or any sound report or even what is natural! Rather you have gone beyond the limits of Allah, overstepping the bounds of moderation, good sense and the natural nobility of humankind.

  2. وَيَجۡعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡبَنَٰتِ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ وَلَهُم مَّا يَشۡتَهُونَ
    And they assign unto Allah daughters - Be He Glorified! - and unto themselves what they desire;
    In context

    The idolaters attribute daughters to Allah and they believe that these are the angels. Thus they attribute lineage to Allah and select for him what they do not like for themselves. He is Pure, Glorified and Sanctified from what they assign to Him. They assign for themselves the male offspring that they desire. What crime is greater than this?!

  3. لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ حَسِيسَهَاۖ وَهُمۡ فِي مَا ٱشۡتَهَتۡ أَنفُسُهُمۡ خَٰلِدُونَ
    They will not hear the slightest sound thereof, while they abide in that which their souls desire.
    In context

    The sound of Hell shall not reach their ears, while they shall reside among whatever bounties their hearts desire. These bounties shall never finish.

  4. أَئِنَّكُمۡ لَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهۡوَةٗ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۚ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمٞ تَجۡهَلُونَ
    Must ye needs lust after men instead of women? Nay, but ye are folk who act senselessly.
    In context

    Do you come to men lustfully, leaving the women, not intending chastity or children but only to fulfil animalistic lust? But rather you are a people ignorant of what is necessary upon you, namely faith, purity and staying far from sins”.

  5. وَحِيلَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ وَبَيۡنَ مَا يَشۡتَهُونَ كَمَا فُعِلَ بِأَشۡيَاعِهِم مِّن قَبۡلُۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ فِي شَكّٖ مُّرِيبِۭ
    And a gulf is set between them and that which they desire, as was done for people of their kind of old. Lo! they were in hopeless doubt.
    In context

    And these deniers were prevented from that which they desire, from the pleasure of this life, as well as repentance from disbelief, salvation from the fire and returning to the worldly life, just as was done with their likes from the nations before them who denied. They were in doubt about what the messengers brought, i.e., believing the Oneness of Allah and faith in the resurrection.

  6. نَحۡنُ أَوۡلِيَآؤُكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِيٓ أَنفُسُكُمۡ وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ
    We are your protecting friends in the life of the world and in the Hereafter. There ye will have (all) that your souls desire, and there ye will have (all) for which ye pray.
    In context

    “We were your friends in the worldly life; we used to correct you and protect you, and we will also be your friends in the Hereafter, so our friendship with you is continuous. In Paradise, you will be able to fulfil whatever your hearts desire and crave, and you will get whatever you seek.”

  7. يُطَافُ عَلَيۡهِم بِصِحَافٖ مِّن ذَهَبٖ وَأَكۡوَابٖۖ وَفِيهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِيهِ ٱلۡأَنفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ ٱلۡأَعۡيُنُۖ وَأَنتُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ
    Therein are brought round for them trays of gold and goblets, and therein is all that souls desire and eyes find sweet. And ye are immortal therein.
    In context

    Their servants will roam among them with golden plates and handleless cups. In Paradise there is whatever the hearts desire and the eyes are delighted with seeing. You will reside in it eternally.

  8. وَأَمۡدَدۡنَٰهُم بِفَٰكِهَةٖ وَلَحۡمٖ مِّمَّا يَشۡتَهُونَ
    And We provide them with fruit and meat such as they desire.
    In context

    And I will provide these people of Paradise with different fruits and I will provide them with all the meat they desire.

  9. وَلَحۡمِ طَيۡرٖ مِّمَّا يَشۡتَهُونَ
    And flesh of fowls that they desire.
    In context

    They will also roam around with the meat of birds their hearts desire.

  10. وَفَوَٰكِهَ مِمَّا يَشۡتَهُونَ
    And fruits such as they desire.
    In context

    And among fruits they desire to eat.

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