It’s narrated by some Companions that: Adam used to marry the son from one birth to the daughter from another birth. Abel (Habil) wanted to marry the sister of Cain (Qbil). And he (Cain) was older than Abel (Habil), and the (twin) sister of Cain (Qabil) was more beautiful. So Cain wanted to keep his twin sister for himself.
The sacrifice of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain)
Adam ordered Cain to marry her with Abel, but he refused to do so. Then he ordered them both to offer a sacrifice, and left for Makkah to perform Hajj. After Adam had left, both offered their sacrifices. Abel offered a fat lamb, and he was a shepherd. While Cain offered a bundle of the worst crops he had grown. A fire came down and devoured the sacrifice of Abel, leaving the sacrifice of Cain untouched. He became angry and threatened Abel: “I will kill you so that you may not marry my sister.” Abel replied: “Allah accepts only from those who fear Him.” In another version from Abdullah bin ‘Amr , it is narrated: By Allah! The victim (Abel) was the stronger. But, obedience (i.e. avoidance of sin) restrained him from stretching his hand towards him. According to Abu Ja’far Al-Bagir: Adam was watching their offering of sacrifices, and the acceptance from Abel. Cain said to Adam: “Abel’s offering was accepted only because you prayed for him and did not pray for me. ”
How did Qabil (Cain) killed his brother?
One night, Abel did not return from tending his flock. So Adam sent Cain to see what happened to him. When Cain went looking for him, he found him and there he complained: “Your offering was accepted, but mine was not.” Abel replied: “Allah accepts only from those who fear Him.” Cain became angry upon hearing this, and hit his brother with an iron he held in his hand, and so killed him. It has also been said that he killed him by striking him upon his head with a rock while he was sleeping. It has also been said that he strangled him to death, and bit him like a beast. And Allah Knows Best!
The piety of Habil (Abel)
The response that Abel showed after he was threatened by his brother, is a sign of his noble character and piety. He restrained himself from responding with the same threat which his brother made towards him, as is clear from this Verse:
“Yet if you stretch out your hand against me to kill me, I shall not stretch out my hand to kill you, for I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”
Chapter 5 (Surah Al-Ma’idah) verse 28
The Prophet said in a Hadith: “When two Muslims confront each other with their swords, then the murderer and the murdered are both in Hell.” The Companions asked him: “O Messenger of Allah! That was a murderer, but what about the victim (murdered)?” The Prophet said: “Because he was also keen to kill the other man. “ So Abel decided to avoid fighting, though he was stronger than his brother.
In another Hadith Imam Ahmad has narrated from Abdullah bin Mas’ud who said that the Prophet said:
“No soul is killed unjustly but the first son of Adam bears a part of that sin. Because he was the first to initiate this tradition of killing.” [2]
[1] Sunan Abi Dawud 4257
[2] Al- Bukhari 3335
What happened to Qabil (Cain)?
Ibn Kathir says: According to what I have read in the book, which is in the hands of the People of the Book, which they claim to be the Torah, Allah the Almighty postponed the punishment of Qabil (Cain) and granted him a respite. He lived in a land called Nawad in the east of Aden, which is now called Qinin. He had a son whose name was Enoch. Enoch had a son called Irad, and Irad had a son called Mehujael, who had a son called Methushael and who was the father of Lamech. The latter married two women who were Adah and Zillah. Adah gave birth to a son called Jabal, who was first to live in tents and acquired wealth and livestock. She also had another son, Jubal, who played the harp and flute. Zillah gave birth to a son, called Tubal-cain, who was first to make all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron; and she also gave birth to a daughter called Nama.
From Adam to Noah – the family tree of Adam (Genesis 5:1 – 5:32)
It also said that Adam had a third son, named by his wife as Seth (Shith). She said that he was a recompense for Abel who was killed by Cain. Seth (Shith) means the Gift of Allah. They named him that because they were given him after Abel was killed. Seth had a son Enos. It is said: When Seth was born, Adam was one hundred and thirty years old. He lived eight hundred years after that. When Enos was born, Seth was one hundred and sixty-five years old. He lived eight hundred and seven years afterwards. He had other sons and daughters. Enos, at the age of ninety, had a son Kenan. Then he lived eight hundred and fifteen years after it, and had other sons and daughters. When Kenan was seventy years old, he had a son Mahalale. He lived eight hundred and forty years after that, and had other sons and daughters. At the age of sixty-five, Mahalalel had a son Jared, and then lived for eight hundred years. and had other children. When Jared reached to the age of one hundred and sixty two, he had Enoch. He lived eight hundred years after that, and had other children.
Enoch at the age of sixty-five had Methuselah. He lived for eight hundred years after that, and had other children. When Methuselah reached to the age of one hundred and eighty-seven, he had his son Lamech. He lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after that, and had other children. Lamech, at the age of one hundred and eighty-two, had a son called Noah, and he lived afterwards for five hundred and ninety-five years, and had other children. After Noah was five hundred years old, had sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
This is how it is clearly mentioned in their Book (i.e. the Bible, Genesis). As for this history being perserved in what was revealed (by Allah), this is certainly questionable, as many of the scholars have pointed out. It is obvious that this (history) is interpolated (into their Book). Imam Abu Ja’far bin Jarir has mentioned in his book of history: Eve gave birth to forty children in twenty pregnancies. In another version it is suggested that she had one hundred and twenty pregnancies, and in every birth there was one boy and one girl. The oldest of them was Cain and his sister Qalima, and the youngest of them were Abdul-Mughith and his sister Umm-ul-Mughith. Mankind then multiplied and scattered throughout the land, they grew in their number and went farther and farther in the land. Allah says:
“O mankind! Fear your Lord, Who has created you from a single person, and from him He created his spouse, and from them both He scattered many men and many women.”
Chapter 4 (Surah An-Nisa) verse 1
Historians have said that Adam saw four hundred thousand of his children and grandchildren before he died. Allah Knows Best!
Scriptures given to Seth
Abu Dhar relates from the Prophet:
“Allah sent down one hundred and four Scriptures, of them were fifty upon Seth. [1]
[1] Al-Bidayah Wan-Nihayah 1/230
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