سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 27
۞ وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ٱبْنَىْ ءَادَمَ بِٱلْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿27﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of Adam (Hâbîl and Qâbîl-Abel and Cain) in truth; when each offered a sacrifice (to Allâh), it was accepted from the one but not from the other. The latter said to the former: "I will surely kill you." The former said: "Verily, Allâh accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَٱتْلُ
wa-ut'lu
And recite
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
to them
نَبَأَ
naba-a
the story
ٱبْنَىْ
ib'nay
(of) two sons
ءَادَمَ
ādama
(of) Adam
بِٱلْحَقِّ
bil-ḥaqi
in truth
إِذْ
idh
when
قَرَّبَا
qarrabā
both offered
قُرْبَانًۭا
qur'bānan
a sacrifice
فَتُقُبِّلَ
fatuqubbila
and it was accepted
مِنْ
min
from
أَحَدِهِمَا
aḥadihimā
one of them
وَلَمْ
walam
and not
يُتَقَبَّلْ
yutaqabbal
was accepted
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْـَٔاخَرِ
l-ākhari
the other
قَالَ
qāla
Said (the latter)
لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ ۖ
la-aqtulannaka
Surely I will kill you
قَالَ
qāla
Said (the former)
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
يَتَقَبَّلُ
yataqabbalu
accepts
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(does) Allah
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
l-mutaqīna
the God fearing
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
And relate to them in truth the story of the two sons of Adam, when both offered a sacrifice to Allah; it was accepted from one of them [58] but not from the other. The latter [59] said to the former, "I will surely kill you." The former replied, "(Why should you blame me?) Allah only accepts the sacrifice of the righteous."
[58] After narrating the story of the Israelites' evasion from jihad, now the story of the two sons of Adam is being mentioned. These two sons were Habil and Qabil. Among them, Qabil was the elder in age. He was a farmer, physically strong, and of a harsh temperament. His younger brother Habil used to herd and graze sheep and goats. He was of good nature, obedient, and humble. A dispute arose between the two over some matter, and eventually, Qabil, choosing the path of oppression and violence, killed his oppressed brother. The connection of this story with the previous verses appears to be that the Jews were also very bold in killing the oppressed, to the extent that they unjustly killed the prophets. That is, the Jews were very bold in plotting murders and killing the oppressed, but when the time for jihad came, they showed such cowardice that they did not even move from their place, from which it can be concluded that those who raise their hands against the oppressed through deceitful schemes prove to be impotent in the battlefield. In the Prophetic era as well, the Jews of Madinah were in exactly the same condition.
The Story of Habil and Qabil:
What was the dispute between Habil and Qabil about? The Quran remains silent in answering this question, but from the commentaries it is known that the girl whom Adamؑ wanted to marry to Habil, Qabil wanted that this girl should be married to him. Since this demand of his was based on injustice, it was not accepted. This made Qabil even more enraged. The solution that Sayyiduna Adam presented was that both should offer a sacrifice in the presence of Allah. Whose sacrifice is consumed by fire, that is, whose sacrifice is accepted by Allah, he will be married to that girl, and thus the dispute will be resolved.
[59] Accordingly, both offered a sacrifice. Habil was already a righteous person and he also had the right to marry that girl. Moreover, the things he offered in sacrifice were all of good quality and were presented purely for the sake of Allah's pleasure, therefore his sacrifice was accepted by Allah. In contrast, Qabil was unjust and not of good character, and in his sacrifice he placed inferior and worthless things. Therefore, his sacrificial items remained as they were, as if this test of sacrifice also decided in favor of Habil.
[58] After narrating the story of the Israelites' evasion from jihad, now the story of the two sons of Adam is being mentioned. These two sons were Habil and Qabil. Among them, Qabil was the elder in age. He was a farmer, physically strong, and of a harsh temperament. His younger brother Habil used to herd and graze sheep and goats. He was of good nature, obedient, and humble. A dispute arose between the two over some matter, and eventually, Qabil, choosing the path of oppression and violence, killed his oppressed brother. The connection of this story with the previous verses appears to be that the Jews were also very bold in killing the oppressed, to the extent that they unjustly killed the prophets. That is, the Jews were very bold in plotting murders and killing the oppressed, but when the time for jihad came, they showed such cowardice that they did not even move from their place, from which it can be concluded that those who raise their hands against the oppressed through deceitful schemes prove to be impotent in the battlefield. In the Prophetic era as well, the Jews of Madinah were in exactly the same condition.
The Story of Habil and Qabil:
What was the dispute between Habil and Qabil about? The Quran remains silent in answering this question, but from the commentaries it is known that the girl whom Adamؑ wanted to marry to Habil, Qabil wanted that this girl should be married to him. Since this demand of his was based on injustice, it was not accepted. This made Qabil even more enraged. The solution that Sayyiduna Adam presented was that both should offer a sacrifice in the presence of Allah. Whose sacrifice is consumed by fire, that is, whose sacrifice is accepted by Allah, he will be married to that girl, and thus the dispute will be resolved.
[59] Accordingly, both offered a sacrifice. Habil was already a righteous person and he also had the right to marry that girl. Moreover, the things he offered in sacrifice were all of good quality and were presented purely for the sake of Allah's pleasure, therefore his sacrifice was accepted by Allah. In contrast, Qabil was unjust and not of good character, and in his sacrifice he placed inferior and worthless things. Therefore, his sacrificial items remained as they were, as if this test of sacrifice also decided in favor of Habil.
