The noble verses indicate that the two sons of Adam offered sacrifices. However, the reasons behind this offering are associated with some strange narrations whose knowledge is not possible except through divine revelation. These narrations have not been transmitted from any of the prophets of Allah (SWT). Therefore, we disregard them—because they are not authentic and offer no benefit. Moreover, the truthful description of the story as narrated by God shows that anything beyond what people say about it is false. [1]
Thus, we prefer to preserve the story as it appears in the previous verses, in general form and without particular details, because all the narrations on this subject are doubtful due to the possibility of being derived from the People of the Book (the Bible and Torah).
All we can say here is this: The two brothers had a dispute over an unknown matter and went to their father, Adam, for judgment. Adam asked each of them to offer a sacrifice to God so that the one whose offering is accepted would be proven to be in the right. The other would then have to abandon his position since it was not based on truth.
The sacrifice was something special—whose nature we do not know and cannot determine—and each of them sought closeness to God through it. It may have been food, drink, goods, an animal, a crop, or something else.
The important point is that both of them offered a sacrifice. However, one of the sacrifices was accepted, while the other was not. We do not know how God accepted the offering. In fact, the Qur’an invites us not to inquire into the nature of the acceptance, because such questions are neither useful nor fruitful. Moreover, we lack the means to investigate this matter. So, such a study would be a waste of time and intellectual effort in a direction that leads nowhere.
Shahid Sayyid Quṭb (MABH), in his commentary on the verse “فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ الْآخَرِ” (“So it was accepted from one of them but not accepted from the other”), says: “The verb here is in the passive form to indicate that the acceptance or rejection was assigned to a hidden, unseen power and unknown mechanism. This structure conveys two important points:
First: We should not investigate or delve into the how of this acceptance, as some other commentaries have, drowning in narrations that are, most likely, borrowed from the myths of the Old Testament.
Second: It conveys that the acceptance of one sacrifice was not due to any virtue in the one whose offering was accepted that might provoke jealousy and lead to his murder—because he played no role in that matter. Rather, an unseen force, through an invisible process (beyond the understanding and will of either brother), determined the outcome. Thus, there was no justification for the anger of the other brother or for harboring thoughts of murder. In fact, contemplating murder is the furthest notion from a sound human mind in such a spiritual context—an arena of worship and nearness to God, governed by a hidden divine power in which the will of the other brother had no involvement.” [2]
Hatred That Led to Murder
Jealousy and resentment ultimately took control of Qabil’s heart—the one whose offering was not accepted by the Almighty. Satan took hold of him and turned his heart away from accepting the truth and returning to the right path. This domination pushed Qabil toward an evil plot: the murder of his brother Habil, whose offering had been accepted. He not only thought about this act but also firmly resolved to carry out this dreadful crime—the first murder in the history of humankind.
This envious and rebellious man declared his firm decision to his brother with the words “لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ” (“I will surely kill you!”). ”)
This sentence, filled with emphasis and insistence, reflects a bold and repulsive stance. The act stemmed from nothing but blind envy and wickedness, which has no root in a pure soul. [3]
The Righteous Brother’s Response to His Brother’s Threat
When Habil heard his brother’s threat and his determination to kill, he responded—as God the Exalted has informed us—by saying, “إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ * لَئِن بَسَطتَ إِلَيَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِي مَا أَنَا بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِي إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ” (Al-Mā’idah, 27–28). Translation: “Indeed, Allah only accepts from those who are mindful of Him. If you stretch your hand toward me to kill me, I will not stretch my hand toward you to kill you. Verily, I fear Allah, the Lord of all worlds.” [4]
Thus, the believing brother, with purity and sincerity, returned matters to their rightful foundation—with faith that understands the conditions for acceptance of deeds. With gentle reasoning, he reminded his transgressing brother to fear God and guided him toward the path that would lead to divine acceptance. At the same time, he reproached him softly, without uttering any words that might hurt or provoke him.
