30/11/2025
Q: Why did Kaabeel kill Habeel? Is it true that Adam wanted to marry each of them to the twin of the other, but Kaabeel refused? Did Adam command them to offer a sacrifice to confirm this matter?
A: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May Allah's blessings be upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, the Imams and the Mahdis, and may there be abundant peace upon them.
In this matter, there is much debate. The truth is that Allah, the Exalted, has prohibited the marriage of relatives in the Book and in all divine laws and scriptures, including the law of Adam.
The matter of the marriage of Adam's sons (peace be upon him) is as follows: Hawa (Eve) gave birth to Kaabeel and then Habeel. Kaabeel married a woman whom Allah created for him, and she was wicked, while Habeel married a woman whom Allah created for him, and she was righteous. These two women were created by Allah, just as Allah created Adam and Hawa before.
Then Allah commanded Adam to appoint his heir, Habeel (peace be upon him). When Kaabeel learned of this appointment, he objected to it. Adam informed him that this matter was from Allah, not from him.
He commanded them to offer a sacrifice to Allah. Habeel offered a goodly ram, while Kaabeel offered defective grains. Habeel’s sacrifice was accepted, and fire consumed it. This ignited indignant hatred in Kaabeel’s heart toward Habeel, and Satan (may Allah curse him) whispered to him to kill his brother. Kaabeel’s baser self urged him to do so, leading him to kill Habeel out of envy, as Habeel was appointed as the heir of Adam. Thus, the promise of Satan (may Allah curse him) was fulfilled in leading Kaabeel astray, and envy became part of him, which is a consequence of pride and self-importance.
As for the rest of the progeny, Habeel's wife was pregnant and gave birth to a son. Adam (peace be upon him) also had Seth and Japheth. Seth's wife bore a son, and Japheth's wife bore a daughter. Habeel's son married Seth's daughter, and Seth's son married Japheth's daughter.
The prophets (peace be upon them) descended from these progeny, and this is the final statement on the matter. There should be no further talk on this issue beyond this explanation except for what would be a lie against Allah and His Messenger.
✍🏻 Ahmad al-Hassan (peace be upon him)
📚 Book: Women in Islam.