۞ Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah): It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter: "Be sure I will slay thee." "Surely," said the former, "Allah doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous. 27 If you raise your hand to kill me, I will not raise mine to kill you. I fear God, the Lord of the Universe, 28 Verily would that thou bear my sin and thine own sin, and then thou become of the fellows of the Fire; that is the meed of the wrong-doers. 29 Then the other was induced by his passion to murder his brother, and he killed him, and became one of the damned. 30 Then Allah sent a raven scratching up the ground, to show him how to hide his brother's naked corpse. He said: Woe unto me! Am I not able to be as this raven and so hide my brother's naked corpse? And he became repentant. 31 On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. 32 The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His Noble Messenger and cause turmoil in the land is that they be all be killed or crucified, or their hands and feet cut off from alternate sides, or they be banished far away from the land; this is their degradation in the world, and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment. 33 Except those who repent before you apprehend them; so know well that Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 34