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Group in the Quran

The two sons of Adam

ابني آدم

Two offerings lead through jealousy and murder to a lesson from a raven.

Named by relationship; Cain and Abel are not stated.

Across the surahs

The story through its verses

Read continuously: every passage is already open and arranged in narrative order.

01

Two offerings

One offering is accepted and the other is not.

Al-Maaida 5:27

وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ٱبْنَىْ ءَادَمَ بِٱلْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

Relate to them the story of the two sons of Adam in truth, when both offered a sacrifice; it was accepted from one [i.e., Abel] but not accepted from the other [i.e., Cain][25]. The latter said, “I will kill you.” The former said, “Allah only accepts from those who fear Him.

02

Refusal to retaliate

The threatened brother refuses to kill.

Al-Maaida 5:28

لَئِنۢ بَسَطتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِى مَآ أَنَا۠ بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِىَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Even if you stretch your hand forward to kill me, I will not stretch my hand forward to kill you, for I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Al-Maaida 5:29

إِنِّىٓ أُرِيدُ أَن تَبُوٓأَ بِإِثْمِى وَإِثْمِكَ فَتَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلنَّارِ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

I would rather let you bear your sin against me[26] and your own sin, and thus you will be one of the people of the Fire; such is the recompense of the wrongdoers.”

03

The murder

The aggressor kills his brother.

Al-Maaida 5:30

فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُۥ نَفْسُهُۥ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُۥ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ

But the former justified to himself the killing of his brother and killed him, and thus became one of the losers.

04

Learning from a raven

A raven shows how to conceal the body.

Al-Maaida 5:31

فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُۥ كَيْفَ يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَةَ أَخِيهِ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْغُرَابِ فَأُوَٰرِىَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِى ۖ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلنَّـٰدِمِينَ

Then Allah sent a crow scratching the ground[27] to show him how to bury the corpse of his brother. He said, “Woe to me! Have I failed even to be like this crow to bury the corpse of my brother?” And he became one of the remorseful.

Cain and Abel are traditional names, not Quranic wording.