۞ (Muhammad) tell them the true story of the two sons of Adam (Abel and Cain). Each one of them offered a sacrifice. God accepted the sacrifice of one of them (Abel) but not that of the other (Cain) who then said to his brother, "I shall certainly kill you." (Abel) replied, "God only accepts the offerings of the pious ones. 27 Even if you stretch forth your hand against me to kill, I will not stretch forth my hand to kill you. Surely, I fear Allah, the Lord of the entire universe. 28 I would desire that you be laden with my sin and with your sin, and thus become among the inmates of the Fire. That indeed is the right recompense of the wrong-doers.' 29 But the other's passion drove him to slaying his brother; and he slew him: and thus he became one of the lost. 30 So Allah sent a crow scratching the ground, to show him how to hide his brother’s corpse; he said, “Woe to me! I was not even capable enough to be like this crow, so I would hide my brother’s corpse”; and he turned remorseful. 31 That was why We wrote for the Children of Israel that who ever killed a soul, except for a soul slain, or for sedition in the earth, it should be considered as though he had killed all mankind; and that who ever saved it should be regarded as though he had saved all mankind. Our Messengers brought them proofs; then many of them thereafter commit excesses in the earth. 32 The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in the land is only that they shall be killed or crucified or their hands and their feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and a great torment is theirs in the Hereafter. 33 Except for those who return [repenting] before you apprehend them. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 34