۞ (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 If thou stretchest forth thine hand against me to slay me, I shall not be stretching forth my hand against thee to slay thee, verily I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds. 28 I would rather you suffered the punishment for sinning against me, and for your own sin, and became an inmate of Hell. And that is the requital for the unjust." 29 His lower self persuaded him to kill his brother, and he killed him and he became one of the lost. 30 Then God sent a raven, which scratched the earth, so that He might show him how to hide the corpse of his brother. "Alas!" he cried, "Am I not able even to be like this raven, so that I may hide the corpse of my brother?" And he repented. 31 Therefore We ordained for the Children of Israel that he who slays a soul unless it be (in punishment) for murder or for spreading mischief on earth shall be as if he had slain all mankind; and he who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind. And indeed again and again did Our Messengers come to them with clear directives; yet many of them continued to commit excesses on earth. 32 The meed of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and go about in the land corrupting is only that they shall be slain or crucified or their hands and feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be banished from the land. Such shall be their humiliation in the world, and theirs shall be in the Hereafter a mighty torment. 33 except those who repent before you have power over them. For you must know that Allah is Forgiving, the Most Merciful. 34