The story of Haabeel and Qaabeel (Able and Cain)

واتل عليهم نبأ ابني آدم بالحق إذ قربا قربانا……

“And recite to them the story of the two sons of Adam in truth…..

Ibn Katheer (Rahimahullaah) said: “Allaah describes the evil end and the consequence of transgression, envy and injustice in the story of two of the sons (Haabeel and Qaabeel) of Adam (‘Alayhis-salaam). One of them fought against the other and killed him out of envy and transgression because of the bounty that Allaah gave his brother and because the sacrifice that he sincerely offered to Allaah was accepted. The murdered brother earned forgiveness for his sins and was admitted into Paradise, while the murderer failed and suffered a huge loss in both lives.” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Ma’idah (5:27):

واتل عليهم نبأ ابني آدم بالحق

“And recite to them the story of the two sons of Adam in truth;”

Allaah tells His Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to relate to the people the tale of the two sons of Adam (‘Alayhis-salaam) and what had happened between them, in such a way that those who are mindful and people of consideration regard it as true and not a lie. They do not consider it as merely an entertaining story; rather, they contemplate (think deeply) about it as a serious event that occurred. Obviously these two sons of Adam were his real sons according to the unanimous opinion of the majority of the interpreters.

The story is regarding Adam’s (‘Alayhis-salaam) two sons when they offered a sacrifice seeking Allaah’s nearness.

إذ قربا قربانا

When each offered a sacrifice,

Each one of them offered a sacrifice from his wealth seeking Allaah’s nearness.

فتقبل من أحدهما ولم يتقبل من الآخر

It was accepted from one but not from the other.

This (i.e., acceptance of the sacrifice) was either known through some revelation that came down from the heavens or by a sign. It is known that for the previous nations Allaah would send a fire from the sky that would burn the accepted sacrifice.

قال لأقتلنك

He (the latter) said to the former: ‘I will surely, kill you.’

The one whose sacrifice was not accepted said to the other one, with jealousy and malice: ‘I will surely kill you.’

The other one answered him forbearingly,

إنما يتقبل الله من المتقين

‘Verily, Allaah accepts only from those who have Taqwaa (who fear Allaah in their actions).

It was as if he said: “What fault did I do that you want to kill me? I have done nothing except that I feared Allaah, Whom fearing Him is mandatory upon me, you and everyone else.”

The most correct interpretation concerning the word Muttaqeen here (in this Verse) is that it refers to those who fear Allaah in all their matters; meaning, everything they do is sincerely for Allaah’s Sake and is done in accordance to the Sunnah (way) of the Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Then, (the pious one) whose sacrifice was accepted said to his brother, who threatened to kill him without justification,

لئن بسطت إلي يدك لتقتلني ما أنا بباسط يدي لأقتلك

‘If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never stretch my hands against you to kill you,’

i.e. I will not commit the same evil act that you threaten to commit, so that I will not earn the same sin as you.

Haabeel informed his brother that he had no intention of killing him (Qaabeel) either premeditatedly or out of self-defense. He (Haabeel) justified his attitude (behavior), that this was not due to any cowardice or weakness, but it was only because,

إني أخاف الله رب العالمين

For I fear Allaah; the Lord of the whole world (and all that exists).

This confirms that the one who fears Allaah will not commit sins, especially the major sins.

There is a stern warning in this for the person who intends to commit murder: that it is better for him to fear Allaah and practice Taqwaa.

The Quran continues,

إني أريد أن تبوء بإثمي وإثمك

‘Verily, I intend to let you obtain (thereby) my sin and your sin,’

That is, if there are two options; either I become a murderer or you murder me, then I will prefer that you murder me so that you would carry the burden of the sins of both of us on your shoulders. Ibn ‘Abbaas, Mujaahid, Qataadah and Ad-Dahhak said: “To carry the sin of murdering me, in addition to your previous sins.” (i.e. I desire that you should end up with my sin, the sin of slaying me, and your own sin, the one that you had committed before). [Tafseer al-Jalalayn]

فتكون من أصحاب النار وذلك جزاء الظالمين

‘Then you will be one of the dwellers of the Fire, and that is the recompense of the wrong doers.’

This proves that murder is a major sin which causes a murderer to enter Hell-Fire.

However, that criminal (the brother) did not refrain from his intention to murder the other:

فطوعت له نفسه قتل أخيه

So the soul of the other encouraged him and made fair seeming to him the murder of his brother.

This means, his evil self enticed him and encouraged him to kill his brother by making it seem like a sensible thing to do (i.e. he gave himself the justification for killing his brother whose respect was emphasized both by nature and by Shari’ah), so he killed him even after his brother admonished him.

فقتله فأصبح من الخاسرين

So he murdered him and became one of the losers.

He became one of those who suffer loss in this world and the Hereafter. And by his action, he set an example and started a precedent for every future murderer.

Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever sets an evil precedent (in Islaam) will bear the burden of the sin, and (the burden) of those who do it after him, without diminishing from their burden in the slightest.” [Muslim]

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) also said: “There is no soul that is wrongfully taken (murdered) except that the first son of Adam will carry a portion of its blood shedding, because he was the first one to practice and establish the crime of murder.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Ibn Jarir (Rahimahullaah) recorded that ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr used to say: “The son of Adam who killed his brother will be the most miserable among men. There is no bloodshed on earth since he killed his brother, until the Day of Resurrection, but he will carry a burden from it, for he was the first person to establish murder.” [At-Tabari 10:219]

 After he murdered his brother, he was unaware of what to do with the body of his brother, because the murdered brother was the first among the children of Adam to have died.

فبعث الله غرابا يبحث في الأرض ليريه كيف يواري سوءة أخيه

Then Allaah sent a crow scratching in the ground to show him how to hide the dead body of his brother.

As-Suddi said that the Companions said: “When his brother died, Qaabeel left him on the bare ground and did not know how to bury him. Allaah sent two crows, which fought with each other until one of them killed the other. So it dug a hole and threw sand over the dead corpse (which it placed in the hole).”

When Qaabeel saw that he said:

قال يا ويلتى أعجزت أن أكون مثل هذا الغراب فأواري سوءة أخي فأصبح من النادمين

He (the murderer) said: ‘Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother?’ Then he became one of those who regretted.”

Al-Hasan al-Basri (Rahimahullaah) commented on this statement: “Then he became one of those who regretted,” that Allaah made him feel sorrow after the loss that he earned.

Shaikh As-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah) said: “Thus, the evil consequence of sins is regret and loss.”

If anyone kills a person without a valid or right reason, it would be as if he killed all mankind. A person might do this because he does not have any deterrent that would stop him from committing an irrational murder; he follows whatever his evil self calls him to. Therefore, his audacity (boldness and shamelessness) of killing one human being equals the impudence (irreverence) of killing the entire human race. In a similar manner, whoever saves the life of a single person by going against the enticement of his evil self and out of Fear of Allaah, has performed an act that is equal to the saving of the entire human race. In other words, the Fear of Allaah, which is within him, prevents him from killing any person who does not deserve to be killed.

This Verse indicates that killing someone is permissible under two circumstances:

1-     If a person intentionally commits a murder, it is permissible to kill him by way of legal retribution (Qisaas) if he is an adult and he is not the father of the murdered person.

2-     If a person causes chaos in the land by usurping people’s  lives and property, or by corrupting their religion, such as the apostates, disbelievers and those who entice people towards innovation- i.e. changing the basic tenets of the religion – and it is impossible to rid their evil without killing them, [it is permitted to kill them]. Similar is the case of highway robbers and pirates, and others who attack travelers, by killing or looting them.

Lessons from the Story of the Two Sons of Adam: 

This story confirms:

1-     That jealousy and envy lead to transgression; and this could even happen between close and related people.

2-     The evil consequence of envy and transgression.

3-     That Taqwaa (Fear of Allaah) is a means of acceptance of the deeds, as Allaah (Ta’ala) says: “Verily, Allaah accepts only from those who have Taqwaa.” The reason behind not accepting the sacrifice of one of the brothers was due to his lack of Taqwaa.

4-     That Allaah (Ta’ala) will not accept the deed except that which is performed sincerely for His Sake and that which is correct and in accordance to the Sunnah of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

5-     The Islaamic law warns against Hasad (envy), because it is a blameworthy attribute which harms its owner and drags him to disobey Allaah (Azza wa jall). Hasad makes the person discontented with the Preordained Decree of Allaah and makes him object to his Lord. It is the first sin by which Allaah was disobeyed in the heavens and earth.

6-     One of the impacts of belief is joining the Muslim with his Muslim brother in the brotherhood of faith, and to love for one’s brother what one loves for himself, such that he would not wish for the removal of the blessings from his Muslim brother.

7-     Lack of Taqwaa makes a person oppose Allaah’s decision and makes one dare to commit sin, as what happened with Qaabeel when he intended to kill his brother. Hasad (envy) between people could be due to worldly matters [i.e. having more wealth, property, high position, etc.], but this Verse mentions that the Hasad (envy) happened in a religious matter. This is like the Hasad of Iblees for Adam (‘Alayhis-salaam), because of his status with Allaah. Here Allaah (Ta’ala) accepted the sacrifice of one brother and did not accept it from the other one. Thus, this is considered a religious matter.

8-     Hasad is a very serious sickness which corrupts the heart and affects one’s obedience to Allaah and one’s status with Him. One should check himself truthfully, and bring about (in his heart) the acceptance of Allaah’s Rizq (sustenance, i.e. what has been appointed for one of provision) that is related to the religion.

e.g. two brothers applied for going for Hajj. One got his visa and the other one’s papers were rejected.

e.g. two are memorizing the Qur’an. One was able to finish the memorization and the other could not.

Hasad may occur even between students of knowledge if one is better than the other one.

The envious person feels happy when he discovers or hears or sees any defect in his brother or hears about his failure. Also, the Shaytaan makes the envious person spread the defects and shortcomings of the envied person among the people.

The remedy for Hasad is Taqwaa (Fear of Allaah). Bear in mind that Allaah (Ta’ala) has opened various gates of nearness to Him such that everyone can seek nearness to Him with what is made easy for him.

9-          Fear of Allaah is one of the strongest means that prevents one from committing sin. This is concluded from Allaah’s Statement in Verse (28): “If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you,” i.e. I will not commit the same evil act that you threatened to commit, so that I will not earn the same sin as you, “For I fear Allaah, the Lord of all that exists.”

In this statement, there is also a threat for everyone who intends to kill, so that he should fear Allaah.

10-          Murder is one of the major sins, and causes one to enter Hell-Fire. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Verse (29): “Verily, I intend to let you draw (obtain) my sin on yourself as well as yours, then you will be one of the dwellers of the Fire and that is the recompense of the wrongdoers.”

11-   Committing sin is considered wrongdoing and is an injustice to oneself. “Wronging the self has been termed as oppression because a person is not the real owner of his soul, so he should not use it as per his whims and desires. A person’s soul is in fact, the property of Allaah, Who has granted it to him as a trust and ordered him to use it for justice and equity, and to follow the righteous path. Allaah wills that the owner of the soul should guide it to do what is obligatory on him. Trying to follow the opposite way is tantamount to oppression of the self, violation of a trust, and deviation from the way of justice and equity whose opposite is tyranny and despotism.” (Tafseer as-Sa’dee, Surah 4:111)

12 – The transgressor will bear the burden of his own sin and the sin of whomever he has transgressed against. By these two sins he will be one of the dwellers of Hell-Fire and this is the recompense of every oppressor.

13 – One should be cautious of his own self because it persistently incites to evil. This is concluded from Verse (30).

14 – Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (Rahimahullaah) said: “Killing a person will not  bring one out of the fold of belief, because Allaah (Ta’ala) said: “So the soul of the other encouraged him and made fair seeming to him the murder of his brother.” Allaah (Azza wa Jall) described him with brotherhood after committing the murder. Also Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Baqarah (2:178):

“O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered…” till He (Ta’ala) says: “But whoever overlooks from his brother (i.e. the killer) anything (by accepting compensation payment rather than execution).” Allaah (Ta’ala) affirmed the brotherhood.

Killing the believer will not cause the disbelief of the person nor bring him out of fold of Imaan (faith), as He (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Hujuraat (49:9): “And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between them…”

Till He (Ta’ala) says in verse (10): “The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers….” Killing did not bring out the two fighting parties from the brotherhood of Imaan.” [End quote]

15 – Whoever sets an evil precedent in Islaam will assume its sins and the sins of everyone who follows him, without reducing any of their sins till the Day of Resurrection.

16 – The murderer became one of the losers in this life and in the Hereafter, and which loss is worse than that? He exposed his own self to destruction. He would not have rest in this world and he lost his Hereafter.

17 – Animals could be a guide for people, as the crow was when it taught man how to bury the dead corpse of his brother.

 It is proven scientifically that the crow is the only creature that buries the dead crows.

18 – The feeling of sorrow and remorse is the end result of committing sins, as well as earning a great loss.

19 – Mentioning the wisdom and justification of the legal rulings, as mentioned in Verse (32). After the story of the two sons of Adam (‘Alayhis-salaam), Allaah mentions the Law of Qisaas (legal retribution), saying:

من أجل ذلك كتبنا على بني إسرائيل أنه من قتل نفسا بغير نفس ….

“Because of that (i.e. because the son of Adam killed his brother in transgression and aggression), We ordained for the Children of Israel (referring to the people who were granted the Divine Scriptures), that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear evidences, signs and proofs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits in the land.”

20- The Law of Qisaas is an eternal Law which Allaah (Ta’ala) has legislated in the previous religions. Every Prophet came with laws comprising the Law of Qisaas, while mentioning its wisdom and end result, which is to give life to the whole of mankind and that neglecting it is humiliation for mankind.

21- Allaah (Ta’ala) particularized the children of Israel and that is because of the abundant transgression that they committed as well as their opposition to the Messengers (‘Alayhim-salaam).

22- Causing mischief in the land is one of the allowable reasons for killing a person.

23- The Messengers (‘Alayhim-salaam) were supported by clear proofs and evidences, and despite that the people and particularly the children of Israel violated the prohibitions after knowing that they were prohibited from indulging in them.

Sources:

Tafseer Ibn Katheer

Tayseer al-Kareem by Shaikh as-Sa’dee

Tafseer by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen

Commentary of Shaikha Anaheed for the verses (27-31)

Al-Mu’jiza al-Kubra by Abu Zahra