Daily Qur'an & Hadith 05 April 2019 (29 Rajab 1440)

English Translation of Al-Quran

[05] Surah Al-Ma'idah [The Table Spread With Food]

Ayat 27. And (O Muhammad  [SAWW](PBUH) recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of Adam [Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain)] 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)."

Ayat 28. "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 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns, and all that exists)."

Ayat 29. "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 Zalimun (polytheists and wrong­doers).."

Tafseer of Surah Al Ma'idah Ayat 27,28 and 29. 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. Literally, "recite to them in truth the story", etc. The point is that the story in Gen. 4:1-15 is a bare narrative, not including the lessons now to be enforced. The Prophet is told now to supply the truth of the matter, the details that will enforce the lessons. The two sons of Adam were Habil (in the English Bible, Abel) and Qabil (in English, Cain). Cain was the elder, and Abel the younger-the righteous and innocent one. Presuming on the right of the elder, Cain was puffed up with arrogance and jealousy, which led him to commit the crime of murder. Among the Christians, Cain was the type of the Jew as against Abel the Christian. The Jew tried to kill Jesus and exterminate the Christian. In the same way, as against Muhammad  [SAWW](PBUH), the younger brother of the Semitic family, Cain was the type of the Old Testament and New Testament people, who tried to resist and kill Muhammad  [SAWW](PBUH) and put down his people. 28. "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. 29. "For me, I intend to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as thine,(732) for thou wilt be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of those who do wrong." My sin as well as thine. There are two possible interpretations: (1) The obvious one is that the unjust murderer not only carried on himself the burden of his own sin, but also the burden of his victim's sins. The victim, in suffering a wrong or injustice, is forgiven his own sins, and the wrongdoer, having been warned, aggravates his own sin. (2) "My sin" has also been interpreted as "the sin against me, in that thou slayest me": in that case "thy sin" may mean either "thy crime in committing a murder," or "thy sin against thyself, for the crime causes real loss to thyself in the Hereafter." See the last clause of the next verse. Abel's speech is full of meaning. He is innocent and God-fearing. To the threat of death held out by the other, he returns a calm reply, aimed at reforming the other. "Surely," he pleads, "if your sacrifice was not accepted, there was something wrong in you, for Allah is just and accepts the sacrifice of the righteous. If this does not deter you, I am not going to retaliate, though there is as much power in me against you as you have against me. I fear my Maker, for I know He cherishes all His Creation. Let me warn you that you are doing wrong. I do not intend even to resist, but do you know what the consequences will be to you? You will be in spiritual torment."

English Translation of Hadith

Hazrat Ibn Masud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet [S.A.W.W](P.B.U.H) said, "The first son of Adam* takes a share of the guilt of every one who murders another wrongfully because he was the initiator of committing murder".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Al-Ma'idah Ayat 27. And (O Muhammad  [SAWW](PBUH) recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of Adam [Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain)] 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 areAl-Muttaqun (the pious)." The son of Adam in the Hadith is said to be Qabil. Allah tells us about his story in Surat Al-Ma'idah Verses 27-31. This Hadith gives us an idea how serious is the crime of initiating an evil which is followed by others. One who initiates an evil would be sinful for all those who follow him in that crime till the Day of Resurrection. The safest course, therefore, is that one should abstain from heresy and stick to obedience only.