Habil and Qabil “Able and Cain”

Habil and Qabil “Able and Cain”

The First Crime on Earth

Allah the Almighty says:

{And (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him» recite to them (the

Jews) the story of the two sons of Adam (Habil and Qabil) in truth;

when each offered a sacrifice (to Allah), it was accepted from the one

but not from the other. The latter said to the former: "I will surely kill

you." The former said: "Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are

Al-Muttaqun (the pious)." "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 the `Alamin (mankind, jinn, and all that exists)."

"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 Zalimin (polytheists and wrong-doers);" So the Nafs

(self) of the other (latter one) encouraged him and made fair-seeming

to him the murder of his brother; he murdered him and became one of

the losers; Then Allah sent a crow who scratched the ground to show

him 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}. (Al--

Ma'idah, 27-31)

Narrated As-Sadiy on the authority of Abu Malik and Abu Salih after Ibn

'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) and on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud and

other Companions that Adam (Peace be upon him) used to get the male brought

by one birth married to the female brought by the other. Hence, it was supposed

that Abel would get married to Cain's sister who was better and more beautiful

than anyone else. At the same time, Cain wanted to keep her for himself. Adam

(Peace be upon him) ordered him to allow' Abel to marry her, but he totally

refused. Then, Adam (Peace be upon him) ordered both (Abel and Cain) to offer

a sacrifice to Allah Almighty. Meanwhile, Adam set forth towards Mecca to

perform Pilgrimage. Just before leaving, Adam tried to entrust (the affairs of) his

children to the heavens, the earth and finally to the mountains, but all declined

to shoulder the (heavy) trust. Thereupon, Cain accepted the trust and after

Adam went away they (Abel and Cain) offered their sacrifices to Allah. Abel

offered a fat she-goat, while Cain offered a bundle of bad plants. Later, a fire

came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice offered by Abel and left

untouched that of Cain. Cain became livid with rage and said to his brother: I will

kill you so as not to marry my sister, Abel said: {Verily, Allah accepts only

from those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious)}.

'Abdullah Ibn `Amr (May Allah be pleased with both of them) said: By Allah!

The murdered (Abel) was stronger (than the murderer, Cain), but he refused to

stretch his hand against his brother to kill him due to his piety and God-fearing.

Abu Ja`far Al-Baqir mentioned that Adam (Peace be upon him) was present

there when they offered their sacrifices. After Abel's sacrifice was accepted, Cain

said to his father, Adam: "It was accepted only from him because you invoked

Allah for his sake." And, he secretly intended something against his brother. One

day, Abel was late and Adam sent Cain to look for him. The two brothers met

and Cain said: "Your sacrifice was accepted and mine was not." Abel said:

"{Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun (the

pious)}." Cain got angry and hit his brother with an iron rod and Abel fell dead

at once.

It was said: Cain killed Abel by throwing a rock at his head while he was

asleep. It was also said: Cain choked Abel violently and bit him to death as

beasts do. However, Abel's saying when Cain threatened to kill him: {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 the" Alamin

(mankind, jinn, and all that exists)} (Al-Ma'idah, 28) indicated his good

morals and ethics, his fear from Allah, and perfect piety that he may harm his

brother, in contrast with the odious deed intended by his brother, Cain. For this,

Abu Bakrah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (Peace

be upon him) as saying: "'When two Muslims confront each other and the one

amongst them attacks his brother with a weapon, both of them get into Hell-

Fire.' He (Ahnaf, one of the sub-narrators) said: 'I said, or it was said: Messenger

of Allah! It may be the case of one who kills, but what about the slain (why he

would be put in Hell-Fire)?' Thereupon, he (Peace be upon him) said: 'He also

intended to kill his companion. "

Allah the Almighty says: {Verily, I intend to let you draw my sin (on

yourself) as well as yours, then you will be one of the denizens of the

Fire; and that is the recompense of the Zalimun (polytheists and

wrong-doers)}. (Al-Ma'idah, 29) i.e. I do not intend to fight against you

though I am myself far stronger and tougher than you are, but you will {draw

my sin on yourself as well as yours}, i.e. you will bear the sin of murdering

me along with your previous sins.1

Narrated Imam Ahmed, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi on the authority of Sa'd Ibn

Abu Waqqas his statement upon the ordeal of `Uthman Ibn `Affan that reads: I

testify that Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: "There will be soon a

period of turmoil in which the one who sits will be better than one who stands

and the one who stands will be better than one who walks and the one who

walks will be better than one who runs." Someone said: 'Allah's Messenger! What

is your opinion if someone entered my home and stretched his hand to kill me?'

Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: 'Be just like the son of Adam

(Abel). "Narrated by Ibn Mardwiyah after Hudhaifah Ibn Al- Yaman in another

wording as saying: "Be just like the best of Adam's two sons."

Imam Ahmed transmitted after Mu`awiyah and Waki` their saying: We were

told by Al- A ` mash on the authority of `Abdullah Ibn Murrah after Masruq after

`Abdullah Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) as saying: The Prophet

(Peace be upon him) said, "None (no human being) is killed or murdered

(unjustly), but a part of responsibility for the crime is laid on the first son of

Adam who invented the tradition of killing (murdering on earth). " (Ahmed's

Musnad)

However, there is a cave, called the "Blood Cave", in a mountain located to

the northern part of Syria. It is thought to be the scene of the crime where Cain

killed his brother Abel. The people living there came to know this through the

People of the Book (Christians and Jews) and only Allah Almighty knows the

validity or realness of this. .Al-Hafiz Ibn `Asakir mentioned in the biography of

Ahmed Ibn Katheer that "He (Ahmed) saw in a dream Allah's Messenger (Peace

be upon him), Abu Bakr, `Umar and Abel. Ahmed came to know from Abel -who

took an oath of that- it was his own blood (that was spilt there (in that very

cave)). Abel said that he had asked Allah Almighty to make the invocations and

supplications offered in that place acceptable. Allah accepted his own invocations

and His Messenger, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) believed in that and said: I

(Allah's Messenger), Abu Bakr and `Umar used to visit that place every

Thursday. "However, it is to be stated that this narration represents only a

vision. Even if it were true, no religious ruling can ever be based on such a thing;

and Allah knows best!

Allah Almighty says: {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}. (Al-Ma'idah, 31) Some interpreters said: "After Cain had killed

1 As for the Prophetic Hadith that was transmitted by some other narrators that reads: "The killer will bear

all sins of the slain", no one even knows its degree of validity: whether it be Authentic, Good, or even Weak.

It cannot be found in any of the Prophetic Hadith Compilations.

his brother, he carried him on his back for a full year (not knowing what to do

with his brother's corpse!)." Others said: He carried him on his back for one

hundred years till Allah Almighty sent two crows who fought against one

another. One of them was killed. The murderer scratched the ground to hide the

body of the dead crow. Seeing him doing that, Cain said: Woe to me! Am I not

even able to do as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother? Then, he

buried the body of his dead brother and covered it with earth.

Historians said: Adam became very sick at heart and felt great sorrow for his

dead son, Abel. Mujahid said: Cain was brought punishment very soon

afterwards. On the same day he killed his brother, Abel, his foot was tied up to

his thighbone and his face was forcibly directed up to the sun disk. His face used

to go where the sun goes as a way of punishment and penalty in return for what

he had done to his own brother. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said:

"There is no sin more recurring punishment (very rapidly) in the present life,

along with what awaits for its doer in the Hereafter, than transgression and

severing the ties of relationship. "

Imam Abu J a' far mentioned in his Tarikh "History" on the authority of some

people who had said: Eve gave birth to forty children through twenty births. Ibn

Ishaq viewed the same and he mentioned their names in detail. However,

nothing is sure of their names or numbers. Only Allah knows best and no one

else can know their exact number! Others said: there were one hundred and

twenty births, in each one a male and a female were born. The first among them

were Cain and his sister Qalimah, and the last ones were `Abdul Mughith and his

sister Ummul Mughith. Then, humans increased in number and spread into the

earth. Allah Almighty says: {O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who

created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He

created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many

men and women; and fear Allah through Whom you demand (your

mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship).

Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you}. (An-Nisa', 1)

Historians said: Adam did not die till he saw from among his progeny and

offspring four hundred thousand persons (400.000). Only Allah knows best!

Allah, the Almighty says: {It is He Who has created you from a single

person (Adam), and (then) He has created from him his wife [Hawwa'

(Eve)], in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her.

When he had sexual relation with her, she became pregnant and she

carried it about lightly. Then when it became heavy, they both invoked

Allah, their Lord (saying): "If You give us a Salih (good in every aspect)

child, we shall indeed be among the grateful." But when He gave them

a Salih (good in every aspect) child, they ascribed partners to Him

(Allah) in that which He has given to them. High be Allah, Exalted

above all that they ascribe as partners to Him}. (Al-A'raf, 189, 190) Adam

was mentioned first to draw the attention of the reader of the Qur'an, then

whom was mentioned second was the whole race of mankind. This is done by

way of mentioning the whole race of mankind after mentioning the forefather

thereof; Allah the Almighty says: {And indeed We created man (Adam) out

of an extract of clay (water and earth). Thereafter We made him (the

offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and female

sexual discharge and lodged it) in a safe lodging (Womb of the

woman)}. (Al-Mu'minun, 12, 13); and in: {And indeed We have adorned

the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps (as)

missiles to drive away the Shayatin (devils)}. (Al-Mulk, 5) Where it is wellknown

that the "lamps as missiles" are not the same as lamps of adornment, but

He turned from a single category or person to the whole race.

Adam (Peace be upon him) was. the father of mankind. He was created by

the Hand of Allah Who breathed out of His Soul into him, Who made the Angels

prostrate themselves before him, Who taught him names of everything, and Who

made him dwell in His spacious Paradise. Narrated Ibn Hibban in his Sahih on

the authority of Abu Dharr his saying: "I said, 0 Allah's Messenger! How many

were the Prophets of Allah?' He (Peace be upon him) said: 'One hundred twenty

-four thousands.' I said: 'O Allah's Messenger! How many were the Messengers

among them?' He (Peace be upon him) said: 'Three hundred and thirteen, a

great number!' I said: 'O Allah's Messenger! Who was the first among them? 'He

(Peace be upon him) said: 'Adam.' I said: 'O Allah's Messenger! Was he a

Prophet sent with a Message?' He (Peace be upon him) said: 'Yes, Allah the

Almighty created him with His Hand, then, breathed into him out of His Soul,

then, He fashioned him (in a very proper manner). "

In the Night Journey Hadith that can be found in the two Sahihs -Al-Bukhari

and Muslim -Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said: "So the gate was

opened and we went over the nearest heaven and there we saw a man sitting

with some people on his right and some on his left. When he looked towards his

right, he laughed and when he looked towards his left he wept. Then he said,

'Welcome! 0 pious Prophet and pious son!' I asked Gabriel: 'Who is he?' He

replied: 'He is Adam and the people on his right and left are the souls of his

offspring. Those on his right are the people of Paradise and those on his left are

the people of Hell and when he looks towards his right he laughs and when he

looks towards his left he weeps. " (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Regarding the Prophetic Hadith that reads: "Then, I passed by Yusuf

(Joseph) and I found him to be granted half of beauty."Some scholars explained

that it means that he was given half of the beauty Adam was granted. Indeed,

this is very suitable and convincing! That Allah, the Almighty created Adam,

fashioned him by His Hand and breathed into him out of His Soul, for all these

Allah the Almighty must have created the best of all things.

It was narrated on the authority of `Abdullah Ibn 'Umar and' Abdullah Ibn

'Amr that: When Allah the Almighty created Paradise, the Angels said: "'Our

Lord! Make this for us for You created for mankind the present world in which

they eat and drink.' Allah the Almighty said: 'By My Glory and Loftiness! I will not

equalize between the pious from among those whom I created with My Hand,

and those whom When I said "Be ", they were!" It was narrated in the two

Sahihs -Bukhari and Muslim that Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)

reported Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) as saying: Allah, the Exalted

and Glorious created Adam in His own image with His length of sixty cubits, and

as He created him He told him to greet that group, and that was a party of

angels sitting there, and listen to the response that they give him, for it would

form his greeting and that of his offspring. Adam then addressed them: Peace be

upon you! They (the angels) said: May there be peace upon you and the Mercy

of Allah, and they made an addition of "Mercy of Allah ". So he who would get

into Paradise would get in the form of Adam, his length being sixty cubits, then

the people who followed him continued to diminish in size up to this day. "(Al-

Bukhari and Muslim)