5:27 Al-Maaida (The Table)

تفسير الآيات من 27 حتى 31 :ـ إلى آخر القصة أي: قص على الناس وأخبرهم بالقضية التي جرت على ابني آدم بالحق، تلاوة يعتبر بها المعتبرون، صدقا لا كذبا، وجدا لا لعبا، والظاهر أن ابني آدم هما ابناه لصلبه، كما يدل عليه ظاهر الآية والسياق، وهو قول جمهور المفسرين. أي: اتل عليهم نبأهما في حال تقريبهما للقربان، الذي أداهما إلى الحال المذكورة. { إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا } أي: أخرج كل منهما شيئا من ماله لقصد التقرب إلى الله، { فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ الْآخَرِ } بأن علم ذلك بخبر من السماء، أو بالعادة السابقة في الأمم، أن علامة تقبل الله لقربان، أن تنزل نار من السماء فتحرقه. { قَالَ } الابن، الذي لم يتقبل منه للآخر حسدا وبغيا { لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ } فقال له الآخر -مترفقا له في ذلك- { إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ } فأي ذنب لي وجناية توجب لك أن تقتلني؟ إلا أني اتقيت الله تعالى، الذي تقواه واجبة عليّ وعليك، وعلى كل أحد، وأصح الأقوال في تفسير المتقين هنا، أي: المتقين لله في ذلك العمل، بأن يكون عملهم خالصا لوجه الله، متبعين فيه لسنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم. ثم قال له مخبرا أنه لا يريد أن يتعرض لقتله، لا ابتداء ولا مدافعة فقال: { لَئِن بَسَطْتَ إِلَيَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِي مَا أَنَا بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِيَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ } وليس ذلك جبنا مني ولا عجزا. وإنما ذلك لأني { أَخَافُ اللَّهَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ } والخائف لله لا يقدم على الذنوب، خصوصا الذنوب الكبار. وفي هذا تخويف لمن يريد القتل، وأنه ينبغي لك أن تتقي الله وتخافه. { إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَن تَبُوءَ } أي: ترجع { بِإِثْمِي وَإِثْمِكَ } أي: إنه إذا دار الأمر بين أن أكون قاتلا أو تقتلني فإني أوثر أن تقتلني، فتبوء بالوزرين { فَتَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّارِ وَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ الظَّالِمِينَ } دل هذا على أن القتل من كبائر الذنوب، وأنه موجب لدخول النار. فلم يرتدع ذلك الجاني ولم ينزجر، ولم يزل يعزم نفسه ويجزمها، حتى طوعت له قتل أخيه الذي يقتضي الشرع والطبع احترامه. { فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ } دنياهم وآخرتهم، وأصبح قد سن هذه السنة لكل قاتل. \"ومن سن سنة سيئة، فعليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها إلى يوم القيامة\". ولهذا ورد في الحديث الصحيح أنه \"ما من نفس تقتل إلا كان على ابن آدم الأول شطر من دمها، لأنه أول من سن القتل\". فلما قتل أخاه لم يدر كيف يصنع به؛ لأنه أول ميت مات من بني آدم { فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِي الْأَرْضِ } أي: يثيرها ليدفن غرابا آخر ميتا. { لِيُرِيَهُ } بذلك { كَيْفَ يُوَارِي سَوْأَةَ أَخِيهِ } أي: بدنه، لأن بدن الميت يكون عورة { فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ النَّادِمِينَ } وهكذا عاقبة المعاصي الندامة والخسارة.

يقول تعالى مبينا وخيم عاقبة البغي والحسد والظلم في خبر ابني آدم لصلبه في قول الجمهور وهما قابيل وهابيل كيف عدا أحدهما على الآخر فقتله بغيا عليه وحسدا له فيما وهبه الله من النعمة وتقبل القربان الذي أخلص فيه لله عز وجل ففاز المقتول بوضع الآثار والدخول إلى الجنة وخاب القاتل ورجع بالصفقة الخاسرة في الدارين فقال تعالى " وأتل عليهم نبأ ابني أدم بالحق " أي اقصص على هؤلاء البغاة الحسدة إخوان الخنازير والقردة من اليهود وأمثالهم وأشباههم خبر ابني آدم وهما هابيل وقابيل فيما ذكره غير واحد من السلف والخلف وقوله " بالحق " أي على الجلية والأمر الذي لا لبس فيه ولا كذب ولا وهم ولا تبديل ولا زيادة ولا نقصان كقوله تعالى " إن هذا لهو القصص الحق " وقوله تعالى " نحن نقص عليك نبأهم بالحق " وقال " ذلك عيسى ابن مريم قول الحق " وكان من خبرهما فيما ذكره غير واحد من السلف والخلف أن الله تعالى شرع لآدم عليه السلام أن يزوج بناته من بنيه لضرورة الحال ولكن قالوا كان يولد له في كل بطن ذكر وأنثى فكان يزوج أنثى هذا البطن لذكر البطن الآخر وكانت أخت هابيل دميمة وأخت قابيل وضيئة فأراد أن يستأثر بها على أخيه فأبى آدم ذلك إلا أن يقربا قربانا فمن تقبل منه فهي له فتقبل من هابيل ولم يتقبل من قابيل فكان من أمرهما ما قصه الله في كتابه. [ذكر أقوال المفسرين ههنا] قال السدي فيما ذكر عن أبي مالك وعن أبي صالح عن ابن عباس وعن مرة عن ابن مسعود وعن ناس من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه كان لا يولد لآدم مولود إلا ومعه جارية فكان يزوج غلام هذا البطن جارية هذا البطن الآخر ويزوج جارية هذا البطن غلام هذا البطن الآخر حتى ولد له ابنان يقال لهما هابيل وقابيل وكان قابيل صاحب زرع وكان هابيل صاحب ضرع وكان قابيل أكبرهما وكان له أخت أحسن من أخت هابيل وإن هابيل طلب أن ينكح أخت قابيل فأبى عليه قال هي أختي ولدت معي وهي أحسن من أختك وأنا أحق أن أتزوج بها فأمره أبوه أن يزوجها هابيل فأبى وأنهما قربا قربانا إلى الله عز وجل أيهما أحق بالجارية وكان آدم عليه السلام قد غاب عنهما أتى مكة ينظر إليهـا قال الله عز وجل هل تعلم أن لي بيتا في الأرض قال الله لا قال إن لي بيتا في مكة فآته فقال آدم للسماء احفظي ولدي بالأمانه فأبت وقال للأرض فأبت وقال للجبال فأبت فقال لقابيل فقال نعم تذهب وترجع وتجد أهلك كما يسرك فلما انطلق آدم قربا قربانا وكان قابيل يفخر عليه فقال أنا أحق بها منك هي أختي وأنا أكبر منك وأنا وصي والدي فلما قربا قرب هابيل جذعة سمينة وقرب قابيل حزمة سنبل فوجد فيها سنبلة عظيمة ففركها وأكلها فنزلت النار فأكلت قربان هابيل وتركت قربان قابيل فغضب وقال لأقتلنك حتى لا تنكح أختي فقال هابيل إنما يتقبل الله من المتقين. رواه ابن جرير وقال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا الحسن بن محمد بن الصياح حدثنا حجاج عن ابن جريج أخبرني ابن خيثم قال: أقبلت مع حميد بن جبير فحدثني عن ابن عباس قال: نهى أن تنكح المرأة أخاها توأمها وأمر أن ينكحها غيره من إخوتها وكان يولد له في كل بطن رجل وامرأة فبينما هم كذلك ولد له امرأة وضيئة وولد له أنثى قبيحة دميمة فقال أخو الدميمة أنكحني أختك وأنكحك أختي فقال لا أنا أحق بأختي فقربا فربانا فتقبل من صاحب الكبش ولم يتقبل من صاحب الزرع فقتله. إسناد جيد وحدثنا أبي حدثنا أبو سلمة حدثنا حماد بن سلمة عن عبد الله بن عثمان بن خثيم عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس وقوله " إذ قربا قربانا " فقربا قربانهما فجاء صاحب الغنم بكبش أعين أقرن أبيض وصاحب الحرث بصبرة من طعامه فقبل الله الكبش فحزنه في الجنة أربعين خريفا وهو الكبش الذي ذبحه إبراهيم عليه السلام. إسناد جيد وقال ابن جرير: حدثنا ابن بشار حدثنا محمد بن جعفر حدثنا عوف عن أبي المغيرة عن عبد الله بن عمرو قال إن ابني آدم الذين قربا قربانا فتقبل من أحدهما ولم يتقبل من الآخر كان أحدهما صاحب حرث والآخر صاحب غنم وأنهم أمرا أن يقربا قربانا وإن صاحب الغنم قرب أكرم غنمه وأسمنها وأحسنها طيبة بها نفسه وإن صاحب الحرث قرب أشد حرثه الكودن والزوان غير طيبة بها نفسه وأن الله عز وجل تقبل قربان صاحب الغنم ولم يتقبل قربان صاحب الحرث وكان من قصتهما ما قص الله في كتابه قال: وايم الله إن كان المقتول لأشد الرجلين ولكن منعه التحرج أن يبسط يده إلى أخيه وقال إسماعيل بن رافع المدنى القاص بلغني أن ابني آدم له أمرا بالقربان كان أحدهما صاحب غنم وكان أنتج له حمل في غنمه فأحبه حتى كان يؤثره بالليل وكان يحمله على ظهره من حبه حتى لم يكن له مال أحب إليه منه فلما أمر بالقربان قربه لله عز وجل فقبله الله منه فما زال يرتع في الجنة حتى فدي به ابن إبراهيم عليه السلام رواه ابن جرير وقال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا الأنصاري حدثنا القاسم بن عبد الرحمن حدثنا محمد بن علي بن الحسين قال قال آدم عليه السلام لهابيل وقابيل: إن ربي عهد إلي أنه كائن من ذريتي من يقرب القربان فقربا قربانا حتى تقر عيني إذا تقبل قربانكما فقربا وكان هابيل صاحب غنم فقرب أكولة غنم خير ماله وكان قابيل صاحب زرع فقرب مشاقة من زرعه فانطلق آدم معهما ومعهما قربانهما فصعدا الجبل فوضعا قربانهما ثم جلسوا ثلاثتهم آدم وهما ينظران إلى القربان فبعث الله نارا حتى إذا كانت فوقهما دنا منها عنق فاحتمل قربان هابيل وترك قربان قابيل فانصرفوا وعلم آدم أن قابيل مسخوط عليه فقال: ويلك يا قابيل رد عليك قربانك فقال: أحببته فصليت على قربانه ودعوت له فتقبل قربانه ورد علي قرباني فقال قابيل لهابيل: لأقتلنك وأستريح منك دعا لك أبوك فصلى على قربانك فتقبل منك وكان يتواعده بالقتل إلى أن احتبس هابيل ذات عشية في غنمه فقال آدم: يا قابيل أين أخوك ؟ قال: وبعثني له راعيا لا أدري فقال آم: ويلك يا قابيل انطلق فاطلب أخاك فقال قابيل في نفسه الليلة أقتله وأخذ معه حديدة فاستقبله وهو منقلب فقال يا هابيل تقبل قربانك ورد علي قرباني لأقتلنك فقال هابيل قربت أطيب ما لي وقربت أنت أخبث مالك وإن الله لا يقبل إلا الطيب إنما يتقبل الله من المتقين فلما قالها غضب قابيل فرفع الحديدة وضربه بها فقال ويلك يا قابيل أين أنت من الله كيف يجزيك بعملك فقتله فطرحه في حوبة من الأرض وحثى عليه شيئا من التراب. وروى محمد بن إسحق عن بعض أهل العلم بالكتاب الأول أن آدم أمر ابنه قابيل أن ينكح أخته توأمة هابيل وأمر هابيل أن ينكح أخته توأمة قابيل فسلم لذلك هابيل ورضي وأبى ذلك قابيل وكره تكرما عن أخت هابيل ورغب بأخته عن هابيل وقال نحن من ولادة الجنة وهما من ولادة الأرض وأنا أحق بأختي ويقول بعض أهل العلم بالكتاب الأول كانت أخت قابيل من أحسن الناس فضن بها على أخيه وأرادها لنفسه والله أعلم أي ذلك كان فقال له أبوه: يا بني إنها لا تحل لك فأبى قابيل أن يقبل ذلك من قول أبيه قال له أبوه يا بني قرب قربانا ويقرب أخوك هابيل قربانا فأيكما تقبل قربانه فهو أحق بها وكان قابيل على بذر الأرض وكان هابيل على رعاية الماشية فقرب قابيل قمحا وقرب هابيل أبكارا من أبكار غنمه وبعضهم يقول قرب بقرة فأرسل الله نارا بيضاء فأكلت قربان هابيل وتركت قربان قابيل وبذلك كان يقبل القربان إذا قبله. رواه ابن جرير. وروى العوفي عن ابن عباس قال: من شأنهما أنه لم يكن مسكين يتصدق عليه وإنما كان القربان يقربه الرجل فبينا ابنا آدم قاعدان إذ قالا لو قربنا قربانا وكان الرجل إذا قرب قربانا فرضيه الله أرسل إليه نارا فتأكله وإن لم يكن رضيه الله خبت النار فقربا قربانا وكان أحدهما راعيا وكان الآخر حراثا وإن صاحب الغنم قرب خير غنمه وأسمنها وقرب الآخر بعض زرعه فجاءت النار فنزلت بينهما فأكلت الشاة وتركت الزرع لأن ابن آدم قال لأبيه أتمشي في الناس وقد علموا أنك قربت قربانا فتقبل منك ورد علي فلا والله لا ينظر الناس إلى وأنت خير مني فقال لأقتلنك فقال له أخوه ما ذنبي إنما يتقبل الله من المتقين. رواه ابن جرير فهذا الأثر يقتضي أن تقريب القربان كان لا عن سبب ولا عن تدارئ في امرأة كما تقدم عن جماعة ممن تقدم ذكرهم وهو ظاهر القرآن " إذ قربا قربانا فتقبل من أحدهما ولم يتقبل من الآخر قال لأقتلنك قال إنما يتقبل الله من المتقين " فالسياق يقتضي إنه إنما غضب عليه وحسده بقبوله قربانه دونه ثم المشهور عند الجمهور أن الذي قرب الشاة هو هابيل وأن الذي قرب الطعام هو قابيل وأنه تقبل من هابيل شاته حتى قال ابن عباس وغيره: إنها الكبش الذي فدي به الذبيح وهو مناسب والله أعلم ولم يتقبل من قابيل. كذلك نص عليه غير واحد من السلف والخلف وهو المشهور عن مجاهد أيضا ولكن روى ابن جرير عنه أنه قال: الذي قرب الزرع قابيل وهو المتقبل منه وهذا خلاف المشهور ولعله لم يحفظ عنه جيدا والله أعلم. ومعنى قوله " إنما يتقبل الله من المتقين " أي ممن اتقى الله في فعله وقال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا أبي حدثنا إبراهيم بن العلاء بن زيد حدثنا إسماعيل بن عياش حدثني صفوان بن عمرو عن تميم يعني ابن مالك المقري قال: سمعت أبا الدرداء يقول: لأن أستيقن أن الله قد تقبل لي صلاة واحدة أحب إلي من الدنيا وما فيها إن الله يقول " إنما يتقبل الله من المتقين " وحدثنا أبي حدثنا عمران حدثنا إسحق بن سليمان يعني الرازي عن المغيرة بن مسلم عن ميمون بن أبي حمزة قال: كنت جالسا عند أبي وائل فدخل علينا رجل يقال له أبو عفيف من أصحاب معاوية فقال له شقيق بن سلمة: يا أبا عفيف ألا تحدثنا عن معاذ بن جبل قال: بلى سمعته يقول: يحبس الناس في بقيع واحد فينادي مناد أين المتقون؟ فيقومون في كنف من الرحمن لا يحتجب الله منهم ولا يستتر قلت من المتقون ؟ قال: قوم اتقوا الشرك وعبادة الأوثان وأخلصوا العبادة فيمرون إلى الجنة.

The Story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain)

Allah describes the evil end and consequence of transgression, envy and injustice in the story of the two sons of Adam, Habil and Qabil. One of them fought against the other and killed him out of envy and transgression, because of the bounty that Allah gave his brother and because the sacrifice that he sincerely offered to Allah was accepted. The murdered brother earned forgiveness for his sins and was admitted into Paradise, while the murderer failed and earned a losing deal in both the lives. Allah said,

وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ابْنَىْ ءْادَمَ بِالْحَقِّ

(And recite to them the story of the two sons of Adam in truth;) meaning, tell these envious, unjust people, the brothers of swine and apes from the Jews and their likes among mankind, the story of the two sons of Adam, Habil and Qabil, as many scholars among the Salaf and later generations said. Allah's statement,

بِالْحَقِّ

(in truth;) means, clearly and without ambiguity, alteration, confusion, change, addition or deletion. Allah said in other Ayat,

إِنَّ هَـذَا لَهُوَ الْقَصَصُ الْحَقُّ

(Verily, this is the true narrative about the story of `Isa,)

نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نبَأَهُم بِالْحَقِّ

(We narrate unto you their story with truth, ) and,

ذلِكَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ

(Such is `Isa, son of Maryam. (It is) a statement of truth.) Several scholars among the Salaf and the later generations said that Allah allowed Adam to marry his daughters to his sons because of the necessity of such action. They also said that in every pregnancy, Adam was given a twin, a male and a female, and he used to give the female of one twin, to the male of the other twin, in marriage. Habil's sister was not beautiful while Qabil's sister was beautiful, resulting in Qabil wanting her for himself, instead of his brother. Adam refused unless they both offer a sacrifice, and he whose sacrifice was accepted, would marry Qabil's sister. Habil's sacrifice was accepted, while Qabil's sacrifice was rejected, and thus what Allah told us about them occurred. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said -- that during the time of Adam -- "The woman was not allowed in marriage for her male twin, but Adam was commanded to marry her to any of her other brothers. In each pregnancy, Adam was given a twin, a male and a female. A beautiful daughter was once born for Adam and another one that was not beautiful. So the twin brother of the ugly daughter said, `Marry your sister to me and I will marry my sister to you.' He said, `No, for I have more right to my sister.' So they both offered a sacrifice. The sacrifice of the one who offered the sheep was accepted while the sacrifice of the other the twin brother of the beautiful daughter, which consisted of some produce, was not accepted. So the latter killed his brother." This story has a better than good chain of narration. The statement,

إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

("Verily, Allah accepts only from those who have Taqwa.) who fear Allah in their actions. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Ad-Darda' said, "If I become certain that Allah has accepted even one prayer from me, it will be better for me than this life and all that in it. This is because Allah says,

إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

(Verily, Allah accepts only from the those who have Taqwa.) The statement,

لَئِن بَسَطتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِى مَآ أَنَاْ بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِىَ إِلَيْكَ لاًّقْتُلَكَ إِنِّى أَخَافُ اللَّهَ رَبَّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

("If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you, for I fear Allah; the Lord of all that exists.") Qabil's brother, the pious man whose sacrifice was accepted because of his piety, said to his brother, who threatened to kill him without justification,

لَئِن بَسَطتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِى مَآ أَنَاْ بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِىَ إِلَيْكَ لاًّقْتُلَكَ

(If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you,) I will not commit the same evil act that you threaten to commit, so that I will not earn the same sin as you,

إِنِّى أَخَافُ اللَّهَ رَبَّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

(for I fear Allah; the Lord of the all that exists.) and, as a result, I will not commit the error that you threaten to commit. Rather, I will observe patience and endurance. `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "By Allah! Habil was the stronger of the two men. But, fear of Allah restricted his hand." The Prophet said in a Hadith recorded in the Two Sahihs,

«إِذَا تَوَاجَهَ الْمُسْلِمَانِ بِسَيْفَيهِمَا فَالْقَاتِلُ وَالْمَقْتُولُ فِي النَّار»

(When two Muslims fight (meet) each other with their swords, both the murderer as well as the murdered will go to the Hellfire.) They said, "O Allah's Messenger! It is all right for the murderer, but what about the victim" Allah's Messenger ﷺ replied,

«إِنَّه كَانَ حَرِيصًا عَلى قَتْلِ صَاحِبِه»

(He surely had the intention to kill his comrade.) Imam Ahmad recorded that, at the beginning of the calamity that `Uthman suffered from, Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas said, "I bear witness that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّهَا سَتَكُونُ فِتْنَةٌ القَاعِدُ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْقَائِمِ، وَالْقَائِمُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمَاشِي، وَالْمَاشِي خَيْرٌ مِنَ السَّاعِي»

(There will be a Fitnah, and he who sits idle during it is better than he who stands up, and he who stands up in it is better than he who walks, and he who walks is better than he who is walking at a fast pace.) When he was asked, `What if someone enters my home and stretched his hand to kill me' He said,

«كُنْ كَابْنِ آدَم»

(Be just like (the pious) son of Adam.)" At-Tirmidhi also recorded it this way, and said, "This Hadith is Hasan, and similar is reported on this subject from Abu Hurayrah, Khabbab bin Al-Aratt, Abu Bakr, Ibn Mas`ud, Abu Waqid and Abu Musa." The Qur'an continues,

إِنِّى أُرِيدُ أَن تَبُوءَ بِإِثْمِى وَإِثْمِكَ فَتَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَـبِ النَّارِ وَذَلِكَ جَزَآءُ الظَّـلِمِينَ

("Verily, I intend to let you draw 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.") Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi and Qatadah said that,

إِنِّى أُرِيدُ أَن تَبُوءَ بِإِثْمِى وَإِثْمِكَ

("Verily, I intend to let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours...") means, the sin of murdering me, in addition to your previous sins. Ibn Jarir recorded this. Allah's statement,

فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُ نَفْسُهُ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ الْخَـسِرِينَ

(So the soul of the other encouraged him and made fair-seeming to him the murder of his brother; he murdered him and became one of the losers.) means, his conscience encouraged him to kill his brother by making it seem like a sensible thing to do, so he killed him, even after his brother admonished him. Ibn Jarir said, "When he wanted to kill his brother, he started to twist his neck. So Shaytan took an animal and placed its head on a rock, then he took another rock, and similar is reported on this subject from Abu Hurayrah, Khabbab bin Al-Aratt, Abu Bakr, Ibn Mas`ud, Abu Waqid and Abu Musa." The Qur'an continues,

إِنِّى أُرِيدُ أَن تَبُوءَ بِإِثْمِى وَإِثْمِكَ فَتَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَـبِ النَّارِ وَذَلِكَ جَزَآءُ الظَّـلِمِينَ

("Verily, I intend to let you draw 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.") Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi and Qatadah said that,

إِنِّى أُرِيدُ أَن تَبُوءَ بِإِثْمِى وَإِثْمِكَ

("Verily, I intend to let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours...") means, the sin of murdering me, in addition to your previous sins. Ibn Jarir recorded this. Allah's statement,

فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُ نَفْسُهُ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ الْخَـسِرِينَ

(So the soul of the other encouraged him and made fair-seeming to him the murder of his brother; he murdered him and became one of the losers.) means, his conscience encouraged him to kill his brother by making it seem like a sensible thing to do, so he killed him, even after his brother admonished him. Ibn Jarir said, "When he wanted to kill his brother, he started to twist his neck. So Shaytan took an animal and placed its head on a rock, then he took another rock, and smashed its head with it until he killed it while the son of Adam was looking. So he did the same thing to his brother." Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded this. `Abdullah bin Wahb said that `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that his father said, "Qabil held Habil by the head to kill him, so Habil laid down for him and Qabil started twisting Habil's head, not knowing how to kill him. Shaytan came to Qabil and said, `Do you want to kill him' He said, `Yes.' Shaytan said, `Take that stone and throw it on his head.' So Qabil took the stone and threw it at his brother's head and smashed his head. Shaytan then went to Hawwa' in a hurry and said to her, `O Hawwa'! Qabil killed Habil.' She asked him, `Woe to you! What does `kill' mean' He said, `He will no longer eat, drink or move.' She said, `And that is death' He said, `Yes it is.' So she started to weep until Adam came to her while she was weeping and said, `What is the matter with you' She did not answer him. He asked her two more times, but she did not answer him. So he said, `You and your daughters will inherit the practice of weeping, while I and my sons are free of it."' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded it. Allah's statement,

فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ الْخَـسِرِينَ

(And became one of the losers.) in this life and the Hereafter, and which loss is worse than this Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا تُقْتَلُ نَفْسٌ ظُلْمًا إِلَّا كَانَ عَلَى ابْنِ آدَمَ الْأَوَّلِ كِفْلٌ مِنْ دَمِهَا،لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ سَنَّ الْقَتْل»

(Any soul that is unjustly killed, then the first son of Adam will carry a burden of its shedding, for he was the first to practice the crime of murder.) The Group, with the exception of Abu Dawud, also recorded this Hadith. Ibn Jarir recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr used to say, "The son of Adam, who killed his brother, will be the most miserable among men. There is no blood shed 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." Allah said,

فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ غُرَاباً يَبْحَثُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُ كَيْفَ يُوَارِى سَوْءَةَ أَخِيهِ قَالَ يَـوَيْلَتَا أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـذَا الْغُرَابِ فَأُوَارِيَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِى فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ النَّـدِمِينَ

(Then Allah sent a crow who scratched the ground to show him how to hide the dead body of his brother. 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.) As-Suddi said that the Companions said, "When his brother died, Qabil left him on the bare ground and did not know how to bury him. Allah 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 Qabil saw that, he said,

يَـوَيْلَتَا أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـذَا الْغُرَابِ فَأُوَارِيَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِى

("Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother") `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "A crow came to the dead corpse of another crow and threw sand over it, until it hid it in the ground. He who killed his brother said,

يَـوَيْلَتَا أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـذَا الْغُرَابِ فَأُوَارِيَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِى

(Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother)" Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented on the statement,

فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ النَّـدِمِينَ

(Then he became one of those who regretted.) "Allah made him feel sorrow after the loss that he earned."

The Swift Punishment for Transgression and Cutting the Relations of the Womb

A Hadith states that the Prophet said,

«مَا مِنْ ذَنْبٍ أَجْدَرُ أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ اللهُ عُقُوبَتَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعَ مَا يَدَّخِرُ لِصَاحِبهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْبَغْيِ وَقَطِيعَةِ الرَّحِم»

(There is no sin that is more worthy of Allah hastening its punishment in this life, in addition to what He has in store for its offender in the Hereafter, more than transgression and cutting the relations of the womb.) The act of Qabil included both of these. We are Allah's and to Him is our return.

And recite O Muhammad (s) to them your people the story the tale of the two sons of Adam Abel and Cain truthfully bi’l-haqq is semantically connected to utlu ‘recite’ how they each offered a sacrifice to God which in Abel’s case was a ram and in Cain’s some green crops and it was accepted from one of them namely from Abel when a fire came down from the heaven and consumed his offering and not accepted from the other that is from Cain and so he became furious and kept secret his envy until Adam left on pilgrimage. He said to him ‘I will surely slay you’ and the other said ‘Why?’ to which the first replied ‘Because only your offering was accepted’. The other said ‘God accepts only from the God-fearing’.

Commentary

The Story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain)

In these verses, Allah Ta` a1a has instructed the Holy Prophet ﷺ that he should relate the story of the two sons of Adam truthfully to the people of the Book, or to the whole Ummah.

People who are blessed with insight into the Holy Qur'an know that it is no book of folklore, fiction or history where the purpose is to relate an event from the beginning to the end. But, events of the past and accounts of earlier peoples carry many lessons and wise counsels within their fold. That is the real essence of history. Then, in them, there are such conditions and circumstances as form the basis of different religious injunctions. In view of these very beneficial considerations, the Qur'an employs a methodology of its own throughout the text. It would, when the occasion warrants, narrate an event. Most of-ten, it would not narrate the whole event in one sequence and at one place. In fact, preference is given to narrating a particular segment from it which bears some element of purpose and is relevant at the given place.

This story of the two sons of Adam (علیہ السلام) is being narrated here in the same style. It has many lessons and good counsels for the present and future generations; and under them, mention has been made of many religious injunctions.

We shall proceed by explaining the words used in the text of the Qur'an following which you will have an idea of the main story, and after that we shall be talking about injunctions and rulings contained therein.

In the previous verses, mentioned there was the command of Jihad given to the Bani Isra'il and how cowardly and evasive they turned out to be in response. Set in contrast, the present story condemns unjust killing and the destruction it brings in its wake. The purpose is to bring the people to adhere to moderation and balance in this matter, for the way it is an error to cringe and back out from fighting and killing to uphold the truth and put an end to falsehood, similarly, starting to kill and fight unjustly amounts to a stock destruction of one's material and spiritual life both in the present world and in the Hereafter.

As for the expression: ابْنَيْ آدَمَ (ibniy Adama: the two sons of Adam) appearing in the first verse (27), it can be said that, for that matter, every human being, man and woman, is from the progeny of Adam (علیہ السلام) and everyone can be identified as being from among the children of Adam. But, according to the judgment of the majority of authentic scholars of Tafsir, the expression: ابْنَيْ آدَمَ at this place means the two real sons of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) that is, Habil and Qabil. It was to relate their story that it was said: وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ابْنَيْ آدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ (and recite to them the story of the two sons of Adam truthfully).

While Reporting Historical Accounts, Caution and Truth are Mandatory

Here, by adding the word: بِالْحَقِّ (bil-haqq: truthfully), stress has been placed on an important principle to be observed while reporting historical narratives. Great caution is mandatory in this matter. These narratives should have nothing false in them, nothing contrary to the truth, nothing dubious or deceptive, nor should there be any change, increase or decrease, of any kind, in the narration of the original event. (Ibn Kathir)

This is not the only place where the Holy Qur'an has identified this principle. There are other places too where similar instructions appear that it be observed. In Surah 'Al ` Imran, it was said: إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ الْقَصَصُ الْحَقُّ (This is indeed the true narration - 3:62). In Surah Al-Kahf, it was said: نَّحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُم بِالْحَقِّ (We narrate to you their story with truth - 18:13). An d in Surah Maryam, it was said: ذَٰلِكَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْ‌يَمَ ۚ قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ (That was ` Isa son of Maryam - a Word of Truth ... -19:34). At all these places, by including the key word of Al-Haqq or The Truth with historical narrations, the importance of observing truth in reporting events has been made mandatory. The large number of disorders in this world generated through reporting of events usually issue forth from lack of caution in handling it as it should be handled. A little change of word or mode could distort the reality of the event. The religious codes and laws of past communities were lost through this trap door of negligence and lack of caution leaving their religious books to become collections of stories devoid of reliable authority. So, by adding a single word: بِالْحَقِّ (truthfully) at this place in the verse, a clear signal was given towards this important objective.

In addition to what has been said above, through this very word, the addressees of the Holy Qur'an are also being chastened and guided to the fact that their noble prophet, on him be the peace and blessing of Allah, who is a total Ummiyy (untaught by any human being), yet he is describing the events which took place thousands of years ago, absolutely true and correct. When so, how else could it be explained but that it was divinely revealed to a Divinely ordained prophet?

After this introduction, the event relating to these two sons of Adam was put in the following words by the Holy Qur'an: اِذْ قَرَّ‌بَا قُرْ‌بَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ الْآخَرِ‌ that is, both of them offered their sacrifices for Allah Ta` ala, but it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other.

The word: قربان (Qurban ), in terms of Arabic lexical usage, refers to whatever is made the medium of nearness to someone; and in Islamic legal terminology, it means the Dhabihah or sacrifice which is offered to seek nearness to Allah Ta` ala.

The event of offering this sacrifice which has been reported on the basis of sound and strong chains of authorities and which has been declared by Commentator Ibn Kathir as the unanimously agreed upon position of all earlier and later ` Ulama is given below.

When Sayyidna Adam and Hawwa' (علیہما السلام) came to live in the world and started having children, it so happened that they had twins from every pregnancy, one of the two being a boy, while the other, a girl. That was a time when, among the children of Adam (علیہ السلام) there was no one other than brothers and sisters - and brothers and sisters cannot be married to one another. So, Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, in terms of the need of the time, had promulgated a special provision in the religious law given to Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) that, as for a boy and girl born out of one pregnancy, they shall be regarded as real brothers and sisters among themselves and marriage between them shall be considered forbidden. But, for a boy born in the second pregnancy, a girl born in the first one shall not be legally taken as a real sister and marriage between them would be permissible.

But, what happened was that the girl born with the first boy, Qabil, was beautiful while the girl born with the second boy, Habil, was ugly. When came the time of marriage, the ugly girl born with Habil fell to the lot of Qabil according to rules. This enraged Qabil. He turned hostile to Habil and started resisting that the girl born with him should be the one given in marriage to him. Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) ، in view of the legal rule of procedure, did not accept the demand. However, to remove the division between Habil and Qabil, he proposed that they should both offer their respective sacrifice for Allah. Whoever. has his sacrifice accepted will be the one to have that girl. The reason is that Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) was certain that the sacrifice to be accepted will be the sacrifice of the one who has the right to marry her, that is, the sacrifice of Habil.

In those days, an open sign of a sacrifice being accepted was that a fire would come from the sky and eat up the sacrifice; and the sacrifice which was not eaten up by the fire was the sign of its remaining unacceptable.

Now, the situation was that Habil was the owner of a flock of sheep and goats. He offered the sacrifice of a good spring lamb. Qabil was a farmer. He offered some grains as his sacrifice. As customary with them, a fire did come from the sky and ate up the sacrifice offered by Habil - and the sacrifice offered by Qabil remained lying where it was, untouched. Thereupon, hit by failure and disgrace, Qabil was further enraged. Unable to restrain it, he told his brother openly: لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ (I will kill you).

Habil did not respond to his angry remark with counter anger on the spot. He rather said something which was peaceful and principled. It even had an element of sympathetic concern for him: لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ (Allah accepts only from the God-fearing) that is, if you had been God-fearing, practicing Taqwa and piety, your sacrifice too would have been accepted. Since you did not do so, the sacrifice was not accepted. Why blame me for it?

Also mentioned within this statement is the cure for the envy (hasad) of the envier (hasid), that is, when the envier sees that Allah Ta` ala has given someone a particular blessing which has not been given to him, then, he should take his deprivation as a result of his own practical shortcomings and sins and think of repenting from them and correcting his or her behaviour - not that one starts wishing and worrying about ways through which the other person could be made to lose the blessing he has - because this would not bring him any gain, in fact, it will become the cause of some loss to him, for acceptability with Allah depends on Taqwa (fear of Allah). (Mazhari)

Acceptability of Deeds Depends on Ikhlas (Sincerity) and Taqwa (Fear of Allah)

There appears in this dialogue between Habil and Qabil a sentence which has the status of an important principle: The acceptability of one's deeds and acts of worship depends on Taqwa. The deed of a person who has no Taqwa in him is not accepted. For this reason, the learned among the righteous elders (salaf) have said that this verse is a shot in the arms of those who are devoted to acts of worship and do deeds in the hope of finding the pleasure of Allah. And this was the reason why Sayyidna ` Amir ibn ` Abdullah was crying at the time of his death. People around him asked: 'As for you, you have been busy doing your ` Ibadat (acts of worship) and good deeds throughout your life, why, then, would you weep?' He said, 'You are saying this and ringing in my ears is this saying of Allah Ta` ala: إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّـهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ (Allah accepts only from the God-fearing). I just do not know if any ` Ibadah of mine will be accepted, or not.'

Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ said: 'If I become certain that Allah Ta` ala has accepted some deed of mine, then, I would not surrender this blessing even if the whole world were to turn into solid gold and pass into my possession, in fact, I would take it to be nothing as compared to that blessing.'

Similarly, said Sayyidna Abu Ad-Darda' 'If it stands settled that one Salah of mine has found acceptance with Allah Ta` ala, then, that is far more than a whole world full of blessings for me.'

Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abd al-` Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, gave the following good counsel to a person in a letter he wrote to him.

"I tell you to hold on to Taqwa without which no deed is accepted; and mercy is not shown to anyone except those who observe Taqwa; and without it there is no Divine reward on anything. There are many who preach it but there are very few who practice it."

And Sayyidna al-Murtada ؓ said: 'Even the smallest deed done with Taqwa is not small. And how a deed which has been accepted can be called small? (Ibn Kathir)