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Tawrat, Genesis 4:1-8

Adam knew his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Eve said, “With the Lord’s help, I have given birth to a man.” After that, Eve gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel took care of sheep. Cain became a farmer. Later, Cain brought a gift to God. He brought some food from the ground. Abel brought the best parts of his best sheep. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift. But God did not accept Cain and his gift. Cain became very angry and looked unhappy. The Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry? Why do you look so unhappy? If you do good, I will accept you. But if you do not do good, sin is ready to attack you. Sin wants you. But you must rule over it.” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out into the field.” So Cain and Abel went into the field. Then Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

This is a part of the story of the first two sons of Adam (as), as Allah revealed it to Musa (as) in the Tawrat. By simply reading it, we are already getting answers to the questions we had after reading the story of the two brothers in surah Al Mā’ida. Now we know, where Muslims learned the names of the two sons of Adam - Qābīl and Hābīl (as Cain and Abel are known in Arabic). Likewise, it is thanks to the Tawrat that we know that Qabil was the elder of the two brothers – the first human child.

Did you notice that we find in the Tawrat another, more important missing piece of the puzzle? In Al Ma’ida both brothers bring a sacrifice, Allah accepts one, but not the other. Nothing tells us why. Hābīl then refers to himself as the righteous one - muttaqīn in Arabic. But he also clearly says that both he and his brother have sins. What, then, makes the difference between them, and why does Allah accept the sacrifice of one, but not the other? (based on the above ayat, choose one correct answer)

1. because each brother brought a different qurban
2. because Hābīl did not sin
3. because younger kids are irresistibly cute

Hābīl brought a sacrifice of a halāl animal. Qābīl, on the other hand, came with the produce of his own work, and tried to use that as an acceptable offering to Al Muhaymin (the Absolute Master).

Do you remember the story of Adam (as) and Hawa? Allah told them: If you transgress, you will die! They transgressed. After making it clear to them that what they did is very serious and will have big consequences, Allah made a qurban and clothed the first couple in the skins of an innocent animal. Remember also, that the Qur’an calls this the covering of righteousness.

Here, again, qurban brings righteousness and acceptance by Allah. It is clear, when you think about it, that Allah must have told our ancestors and their sons what is the right and acceptable qurban – the same qurban which He himself provided for Adam (as) and Hawa. Otherwise, Qābīl would not have gotten a fair treatment and would be justified for having gotten angry. Hābīl is the one who obeyed, and now he can call himself righteous/covered by righteousness. Righteous is not the one who has no sins, because both brothers, as Hābīl himself declared, had sins. Righteous is the one who humbly submits to Allah by accepting His provision of qurban. Qābīl, by offering the produce of his work, actually rebels against the model shown by Allah to his parents. He thinks that what he does is good enough before Allah. He thinks that he does not need to obey, he does not need help, he does not need to accept Allah’s provision of the covering of righteousness. This provision of covering of righteousness is what makes all the difference between the two brothers – Hābīl who was made righteous through accepting Allah’s provision, and Qābīl, who trusted in the fruit of his labor - his good works.

Will Allah accept me, if I rely on showing Him my good works?

If I think that my good works will make me acceptable before Allah, which of the brothers’ example am I following?

How can I be acceptable before Allah?