Islamic History

Episode No. 7

Qabil and Habil (Cain and Abel)

Qabil and Habil were two sons of Hazrat Adam (Alaihissalam). A dispute arose between them over a certain matter. Qabil murdered Habil; this was the first death on earth, and no commandment regarding this had been received in the Shariah (law) of Hazrat Adam (Alaihissalam) yet. Therefore, Qabil was worried about what to do with his brother's body. Allah Almighty taught him the method of burial through a crow. Seeing this, Qabil began to say: "Alas! Am I so helpless that I could not even become like this crow?" Then he buried his brother. From here, the method of burial has been continuing. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said regarding Qabil: "Whenever a person is murdered unjustly in the world, a share of its sin surely goes to the son of Hazrat Adam (Qabil), because he was the first person who initiated unjust murder and started this impure way." (Musnad Ahmad: 3623). For this reason, a person should never invent any sin in their life, so that the burden of those who commit that sin later does not fall upon their head.