"Nothing in the Koran specifically states that the faithful are allotted 72 virgins apiece. For this elaboration we turn to the hadith, traditional sayings traced with varying degrees of credibility to Muhammad. Hadith number 2,562 in the collection known as the Sunan al-Tirmidhi says, "The least [reward] for the people of Heaven is 80,000 servants and 72 wives, over which stands a dome of pearls, aquamarine and ruby.""
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/011214.html

Virgin, btw, could be either sex. So if you are a man or a woman wanting to become a Muslim and quickly do whatever is required to claim your 72 virgins, sorry to tell you that there isn't a single verse in the HQ that I'm aware of which promises 72 virgins anywhere to anybody for anything. So it's back to the matrimonial columns or agencies I'm afraid.

- Though I do not know what verse says it (if any)
From what I understand is that they are there not for sex.
God has given humans the urge (and pleasure) of sex in this life so that humans keep reproducing and so that the human race does not die out.
In heaven, no new humans are to be born (all humans will have been born, lived, died and been judged). This means, sex will no longer needed (and so, the urge for sex will no longer exist).
They will propably be received as servants that care and look after the man.
Women will receive something similar, but this has not been mentioned in the koran (as humans would propably not understand i.e. they wont be male - men are not the best of carers, and they need to be better carers than women)
Sorry for the messy explanation.

No verses in the Koran promise 72 virgins for anything.

Live virgins wait not for dead men.
72 wives may wait in the afterlife, but nothing is written about them being virgins.

Being a martyr is one thing, but dead men will not acquire 72 anything by being a martyr by his own hand. Killing yourself is a sin.

My take on it.

exactly 72 virgins (virginity is just one of their attributes) is not in Quran. it is from Hadith which is quotations of the prophet peace be upon him

in islam there are 4 source of knowledge

1) Quran
2) Hadith: prophets sayings and actions which elaborate on Quran
3) Account of the life of the prophet, equivalent to Bible
4) Scholarly writings on jurisprudence, manners, interpretations; you can say schools of thoughts

"Hoor" is the arabic word for this mistranslation. they are a creature in human form. their attributes are virginity (never been touched by man before), extreme beauty, extremely lovely and cute ... etc - you get the point - they were created as part of paradise's enjoyment and entertainment - after all that is why we call it paradise

however, the muslim women will be much much more beautiful and attractive than those "Hoor". this is because of their higher status (being human) and their strive for faith in this life

Not sure about this but I came across an article before that said "Muhammad got this actually not from the angels but from the devil" Everytime he goes to the cave this angel came to him and he is always afraid of this angel and this angel never said like other angels in Old Testaments saying "Do not be afraid, I come in Peace" NOt sure every messages he received from angels of God or not. And I found this link about 72 virgins suppose to be grapes or something like that but misintepret should be grapes.. http://ko.offroadpakistan.com/.../..._not_virgins.html

Did he speak in the name of "the eternal," YAHWEH?
Secondly, did Muhammad speak in the name of God, using that name which God gave as a signature for His authority, the name Yahweh? Though the term YHWH was used 6,823 times in the Bible, it is not used once in the Qur'an, and perhaps was not even known by Muhammad, since if he was supposedly illiterate in his own language, Arabic, it is hardly likely that he would have been able to read Hebrew.

Yet, is it not curious that Muhammad, the "seal of the prophets," he who was commissioned to bring the 'final revelation' did not even know the name of the God by whom he was commissioned? Is it not also curious that the God of Abraham, Isaac, Moses and David would go to the trouble of revealing His unique name in the Hebrew language, which was then passed down from generation to generation, up to the present day, yet somehow this name was forgotten or never revealed in the language which Muhammad claimed was God's special language, Arabic?

Written by men, like all so called Holy Books, the Koran promises what will appeal to a man when it describes heaven. Men on earth pretty much lose the ability to think rationally when confronted with 'sex' especially if that sex involves the permission/reward of sex with a beautiful young girl. So, once men are diverted by the idea of free access to young girls as a reward, they will not 'think' about the rest of the book. Very clever way to control men.

Had the Koran been written by women, it would have promised unlimited shoe budgets, no doubt.

Koran Taliban remix

Verse one.
Line one.

The relevant verses from the Koran are:
Koran 78:31
As for the righteous, they shall surely triumph. Theirs shall be gardens and vineyards, and high- bosomed virgins for companions: a truly overflowing cup.
Koran 37:40-48
...They will sit with bashful, dark-eyed virgins, as chaste as the sheltered eggs of ostriches.
Koran 44:51-55
...Yes and We shall wed them to dark-eyed houris. (beautiful virgins)
Koran 52:17-20
...They shall recline on couches ranged in rows. To dark-eyed houris (virgins) we shall wed them...
Koran 55:56-57
In them will be bashful virgins neither man nor Jinn will have touched before.Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ?"
Koran 55:57-58
Virgins as fair as corals and rubies. Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ?"
Koran 56:7-40
...We created the houris (the beautiful women) and made them virgins, loving companions for those on the right hand.. "
Koran 55:70-77
"In each there shall be virgins chaste and fair... Dark eyed virgins sheltered in their tents whom neither man nor Jin will have touched before..

Quote from Hadiths
Al Hadis, Vol. 4, p. 172, No. 34
Ali reported that the Apostle of Allah said, "There is in Paradise a market wherein there will be no buying or selling, but will consist of men and women. When a man desires a beauty, he will have intercourse with them."