The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 332
CH. 5 R. 5. AL-MĀ'IDAH PT. 6 وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَا ابْنَى أَدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا And relate to them truly the. 28 story of the two sons of Adam, when they each offered an قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ الْأُخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا offering, and it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other. The ☑ latter said, 'I will surely kill thee. ' The former replied, 'Allah accepts only from the righteous. 663 يَتَقَبَّلُ اللهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ لَمِنْ بَسَطتَ إِلَى يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِي مَا أَنَا If thou stretch out thy hand. 29 against me to kill me, I am not بِبَاسِطِ يَدِى إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ إِنِّي going to stretch out my hand against thee to kill thee. I do 663. Important Words: (they offered) and are both derived from (offering) (qaruba) which means, he or it was or became near, either in place or in station or grade or rank. (qarraba-hu) means, he caused or made him to become near; he made him to be a near associate; or he made him an قرب الله قربانا. object of favour or honour means, he offered or presented to God an offering or oblation. Hence means, an offering or oblation; a sacrifice; anything by means of which one seeks nearness to God; a near or particular or favourite associate or companion (Lane). Commentary: As sacrifice is at the root of all success, whether individual or national, the Quran here fittingly 772 turns to the subject of sacrifice, the lack of which proved the fall of the followers of Moses. "The two sons of Adam" may be taken in the figurative sense as well, meaning any two individuals from among mankind. The words, Allah accepts only from the righteous, addressed by Abel to his brother Cain (both sons of Adam) are intended to mean that the latter would gain nothing by slaying the former, except that he would become all the more removed from righteous- ness a quality essential for the acceptance of an offering. The concluding words of the verse point to the important truth that in sacrifice mere outward form is nothing. It is only the underlying spirit that makes it acceptable and fruitful. The story is continued in the following verses.