Stories of the Qur'an

The Story of Habil and Qabil (Cain and Abel)

Our next story is the story of Habil and Qabil, the story is not told in its entirety in the Qur’an so I will include some hadith to explain certain parts.

Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah): It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter:"Be sure I will slay thee." "Surely," said the former, "Allah doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous. (Surah Al- Maidah 5:27)

Habil and Qabil were the two sons of the prophet Adam. Habil (Abel) had a twin sister and Qabil (Cain) had a twin sister. When time came for them to get married Allah allowed them to marry the twin sister of the other because of the necessity of the situation (Cain marries Abel’s twin sister and Abel marries Cain’s twin sister.) However, Cain’s sister was more beautiful than Abel’s sister so he wanted to marry her instead. Adam (may allah bless him) refused this, and proposed a deal, whoever offered a sacrifice to Allah and the his sacrifice was excepted would marry Cain’s sister. Allah would send down a flame from the heavens to consume the offering if it was accepted. Cain offered a bundle of bad plants, while Abel offered a fat healthy she-goat. Abel’s offering was accepted while Cain’s was not.

 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.

Adam was present when the sacrifices were presented and Cain said to him that Abel’s sacrifice was accepted only because Adam invoked Allah for him, that is when Abel said “Surely Allah accepts the sacrifice of those who are righteous.”

 Cain was so full of rage that he swore that he would kill Abel so that he could not marry his sister. Abel replied that he would not fight with him even though he as stronger and could easily overcome him because he feared Allah. Adam was

"If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher of the worlds. (Surah Al Maidah 5:28)

One day, Abel was late coming home and Adam (may Allah bless him) sent Cain out to look for him, Cain found him and said to him “Your sacrifice was accepted and mine was not.” And Abel said to him again “Surely, Allah accepts the sacrifice of the righteous.” At that Cain took an iron bar and struck Abel with it, instantly killing him. With this act Cain became one of the non-belivers.

The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones. (Surah Al-Maidah 5:30)

After killing Abel, Cain did not know what to do with his body so according to some narrations he carried his dead body on his back for one year until Allah sent down two ravens that fought until one of them was dead. The murder scratched the ground and buried the body of the dead raven; showing Cain what to do with his brother’s body.

 Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?" then he became full of regrets-(Surah Al-Maidah 5:31)

Because of Cain’s act Allah ordained that if any person kills another person then it is as if he or she killed the whole of humanity and if they save one person it is as if they saved the whole of humanity.

On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. (Surah Al-Maidah 5:32)

And that is the story of Cain and Abel.