| Answer: The reason for which Cain killed
Abel is mentioned in the Qur’ān in the following words:
Recite to them the story of the two
sons of Adam when they offered an offering and it was accepted from one of them
and was not accepted from the other. That one said: ‘I will surely kill you’.
[The other] replied: ‘The Almighty only accepts the offering of His pious
people. (5:27)
In other words, Cain got infuriated when
his offering was not accepted by God while that of his brother was accepted by
Him. His jealousy ultimately induced him to murder his innocent brother, as is
mentioned in 5:30. It is evident from the words of Abel that the reason that
Cain’s offering was not accepted by the Almighty was that it was offered by an
impious person. This is all what the Qur’ān says.
The Old Testament also mentions this
incident. Though it does not explicitly state the reason for the murder yet the
context strongly reinforces what the Qur’ān says:
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked
the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as
an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the
firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering,
but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very
angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the Lord said to Cain: ‘Why are
you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right will you not be
accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it
desires you have you; but you must master it.’ Now Cain said to his brother
Abel: ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ And while they were in the field Cain
attacked his brother Abel and killed him(Genesis, 4:3-8)
Certain historical reports mention
another account of the episode. The Jewish Encyclopaedia has summarised the
contents of Rabbinical literature on this issue in the following words:
Woman was at the bottom of the strife
between the first brothers. Each of the sons of Adam had a twin sister whom he
was to marry. As Abel’s twin sister was the more beautiful, Cain wished to have
her for his wife and sought to get rid of Abel. (The Jewish Encyclopaedia, 1st
ed., vol. 1, [New York: KTAV Publishing House, 1901], p. 48)
It is evident that the above quoted
account is in direct contradiction with the Qur’ān and with the Old Testament as
well. According to this account, the reason Cain murdered Abel was dispute
between the two as regards marriage. On the other hand, both Divine books state
Cain got incensed when he saw that his offering had not been accepted by God
while that of his brother had been. Consequently, this report cannot be
accepted. |