The Tale of Habil & Qabil
The Tale of Abel & Cain
In the early days of humanity, Prophet Adam (AS) and Hawwa (Eve) were blessed with two sons: Habil and Qabil. As they grew older, each son pursued a different path—Habil became a shepherd, caring for his sheep and goats, while Qabil took up farming, growing crops from the earth.
One day, they were instructed to present a sacrifice to Allah as an act of devotion. Habil, with a pure heart and deep faith, chose the finest animal from his flock. Qabil, however, driven by pride and envy, offered some of his crops, but his heart was not truly in it.
In response, Allah sent a sign: a fire descended from the heavens and consumed Habil’s sacrifice, leaving Qabil’s offering untouched. This was a clear indication that Allah had accepted Habil’s sincere act of worship but rejected Qabil’s half-hearted gesture.
Filled with anger and jealousy, Qabil’s heart grew darker. He could not bear the humiliation and became consumed by resentment toward his brother. This bitterness led him to a terrible decision.
“I will kill you!” Qabil declared, his voice trembling with rage.
Habil, calm and steadfast in his faith, replied with compassion, “Even if you try to harm me, I will not raise my hand against you. I fear Allah, the Lord of all creation.”
But Qabil’s rage overpowered him, and he struck his brother, committing the first murder in human history. As soon as the deed was done, he was overwhelmed with regret. Staring at Habil’s lifeless body, he was consumed by guilt and despair.
Lost and unsure of what to do, Qabil received a lesson from Allah through nature. Two crows appeared before him, fighting until one killed the other. The victorious crow then dug into the earth and buried its fallen companion.
Witnessing this, Qabil cried out in anguish, “Woe to me! Am I so helpless that I cannot even bury my brother as this crow has done?”
This story carries profound lessons for humanity. It warns against the destructive power of jealousy, pride, and ignorance, which lead only to suffering and regret. It also teaches the sacred practice of burial, a tradition Allah revealed to mankind through the actions of the crows.
May Allah guide us to act with sincerity, protect our hearts from envy and arrogance, and always seek His mercy and wisdom.