فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُۥ نَفْسُهُۥ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُۥ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ 30
Translations
And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers.
Transliteration
Fatawwaat lahu nafsuh qatla akhih faqatalahu fa-asbaha minal khasirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the soul of one of Adam's sons (Cain) enticed him to kill his brother (Abel) out of jealousy and envy. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this represents the first murder in human history, demonstrating how unchecked nafs (ego/desire) and envy lead to grave sins. The phrase 'fa-asbaha min al-khasirin' (he became among the losers) indicates both worldly punishment and eternal loss, as the murderer lost his dunya (worldly life) through execution and his akhirah (afterlife) through divine displeasure.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Cain and Abel in Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:27-32), which provides the Quranic account of the first crime committed by mankind. The story illustrates the consequences of envy and jealousy, serving as a moral lesson for believers. This Medinan surah addresses the community directly about proper conduct and the sanctity of human life.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever kills a soul without right, it is as if he has killed all of mankind; and whoever saves a life, it is as if he has saved all of mankind' (Quran 5:32, often cited with hadith parallels in Jami' at-Tirmidhi and other collections). Additionally, hadiths warn against envy as a destructive trait that 'eats up good deeds as fire eats wood' (Sunan Abu Dawud).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns believers that allowing envy and negative impulses to dominate one's character leads to spiritual and eternal ruin. We must struggle against our base desires and ego, recognizing that true success lies in obedience to Allah, not in worldly comparisons or competitions with others.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَىٰ فَتْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنۢ بَشِيرٍ وَلَا نَذِيرٍ ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُم بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger to make clear to you [the religion] after a period [of suspension] of messengers, lest you say, "There came not to us any bringer of good tidings or a warner." But there has come to you a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And Allāh is over all things competent.
قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرٍّ مِّن ذَٰلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ مَن لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْقِرَدَةَ وَٱلْخَنَازِيرَ وَعَبَدَ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَأَضَلُّ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
Say, "Shall I inform you of [what is] worse than that as penalty from Allāh? [It is that of] those whom Allāh has cursed and with whom He became angry and made of them apes and pigs and slaves of ṭāghūt. Those are worse in position and further astray from the sound way."
وَحَسِبُوٓا۟ أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ فَعَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ ثُمَّ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ عَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ
And they thought there would be no [resulting] punishment, so they became blind and deaf. Then Allāh turned to them in forgiveness; then [again] many of them became blind and deaf. And Allāh is Seeing of what they do.
فَأَثَـٰبَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُوا۟ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
So Allāh rewarded them for what they said with gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of doers of good.